The 5 Traits to Evaluate an Enterprise Video Streaming Solution

Struggling with choosing the right video streaming platform? You’ve recognized the power of video for corporate communication, employee engagement, and training, but now you’re faced with a daunting decision: selecting the right enterprise video streaming solution. It sounds simple, right? Until you’re knee-deep in researching providers, each offering a range of features that sound oddly similar.

Here’s the thing—selecting the wrong solution can hurt your business. From choppy video streams to poor scalability, a subpar platform will frustrate your employees, damage customer trust, and waste precious resources. But don’t worry; you don’t have to guess your way through the process.

Let’s break it down. When evaluating an enterprise video streaming platform, focus on five key traits to ensure smooth, secure, and scalable video experiences. Understanding these traits will help you make an informed decision and pick the right solution for your organization’s unique needs.

The 5 Key Traits to Evaluate in an Enterprise Video Streaming Solution

Choosing the right enterprise video streaming solution requires more than just looking at basic streaming capabilities, especially since 82% of the world's internet traffic will be videos.

While the platform must allow you to host and share videos, you must also assess how well it integrates with your existing infrastructure, how scalable it is, and whether it provides the necessary security to protect sensitive content.

Here are the five essential traits to consider when evaluating an enterprise video streaming solution:

1. Scalability: Can It Grow with Your Business

Imagine you’ve just hosted an internal company-wide event, but halfway through, the stream crashes because your video platform can’t handle the number of participants. Or worse, the stream quality degrades so much that it becomes unwatchable.

A robust enterprise video streaming platform must scale effortlessly as your company grows, accommodating large audiences without sacrificing performance. Whether you're streaming to a few employees or thousands of external customers, the platform should be able to adapt seamlessly.

When evaluating scalability, consider these factors:

• Bandwidth capacity: Can the platform handle large volumes of traffic without a drop in quality?
• Global reach: Does the solution leverage a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to ensure fast and reliable live streaming and video on demand across regions?
• Concurrent users: Can it support simultaneous streams for large events, training sessions, or webinars?

2. Security: Is Your Data Protected

Your video content—whether it’s a confidential training session, an internal communication from leadership, or a customer-facing webinar—is sensitive. Choosing a video streaming platform that doesn’t prioritize security can expose your company to risks like data breaches, unauthorized access, and intellectual property theft.

Look for a platform that offers end-to-end encryption, role-based access control, secure video sharing, and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Security features should also include:

• Encryption: Protects your video content from unauthorized access, both in transit and at rest.
• Single Sign-On (SSO): Streamlines the login process while enhancing security by allowing users to access the platform with their existing credentials.
• Granular permissions: Ensure that you can control who has access to what, with the ability to assign different permission levels to different users or groups.

Your enterprise video platform must safeguard sensitive business and customer data by adhering to industry compliance standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2.

3. Video Quality: Does It Ensure an Uninterrupted Experience

The importance of high-quality video streams cannot be overstated. Poor video quality is not just a minor inconvenience—it directly impacts the effectiveness of your communication and your brand's reputation.

When selecting a video streaming solution, ensure it offers adaptive bitrate streaming (ABS). This technology automatically adjusts the video quality based on the viewer's internet connection, ensuring uninterrupted playback regardless of network conditions.

Consider platforms that offer:

• HD and 4K streaming: For crystal-clear visuals, even on large screens.
• Low-latency streaming: This is especially important for live events, ensuring minimal delay between real-time actions and what viewers see.
• Adaptive bitrate streaming: Dynamically adjusts quality to avoid buffering issues during poor internet connectivity.

A quality platform guarantees a professional, smooth experience, enhancing the audience’s engagement with your content.

4. Ease of Use: Can Your Team Navigate the Platform Effortlessly

Your enterprise video streaming platform should be intuitive enough that even non-technical employees can use it effectively. Complicated interfaces slow adoption and reduce productivity, while a user-friendly system encourages employees to embrace the platform for everyday tasks.

Consider whether the platform:

• Simplifies live streaming: Does it offer one-click live streaming functionality without complicated setup processes?
• Offers customization: Can you easily customize the video player with your company’s branding, such as logos, themes, and colors, for a seamless look and feel?
• Enables content management: Is managing video libraries, categorizing content, and searching for specific videos within the platform easy?

Platforms supporting AI-powered search capabilities allow users to find content quickly and efficiently, saving time and improving productivity. Learn more about video search features that can streamline your content management and search experience.

5. Integration Capabilities: Does It Work with Your Existing Tools

A video streaming platform shouldn’t operate in a silo. The best solutions integrate with your existing tools and workflows, whether it’s your Learning Management System (LMS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, or communication platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

When evaluating integration capabilities, ask:

• Is it compatible with existing business tools? Look for out-of-the-box integrations with tools you’re already using.
• Does it support API access? This is crucial for building custom integrations that meet your company’s unique needs.
• Can it integrate with content management systems (CMS)? Seamless integration with your CMS makes managing and distributing content across multiple channels easier.

Choosing a platform that integrates well with your existing ecosystem will improve operational efficiency and ensure you’re not investing in a solution that disrupts your established workflows.

Conclusion: Why You Need the Right Enterprise Video Streaming Solution

Choosing the right enterprise video streaming solution is not just about finding a tool that plays video—it’s about finding a strategic platform that will grow with your business, protect your sensitive content, deliver flawless video experiences, and integrate smoothly with your existing ecosystem. By focusing on scalability, security, video quality, ease of use, and integration capabilities, you’ll be well-positioned to select a solution that meets your organization's unique needs.

Video is no longer nice; it’s a critical part of internal communication, corporate training, and customer engagement. A powerful, reliable enterprise video streaming solution will help you communicate effectively, engage employees and customers, and deliver high-quality video experiences that elevate your brand.

People Also Ask

Why is scalability important in an enterprise video streaming solution?

Scalability ensures the platform can handle growth in audience size and video content without compromising on performance or quality.

What security features should a video streaming platform have?

Look for features like encryption, Single Sign-On (SSO), role-based access controls, and compliance with industry standards like GDPR and HIPAA.

How does video quality affect user engagement?

Poor video quality leads to buffering and degraded streams, frustrating viewers and reducing engagement. High-quality video ensures a smooth experience and better retention.

What makes a video streaming solution easy to use?

An intuitive interface, simple content management, and one-click features for live streaming are essential for easy navigation and increased adoption.

Why are integrations necessary in a video streaming platform?

Integrations with existing tools, such as LMS or CMS systems, improve workflow efficiency and allow for seamless content distribution across channels.