Best vlogging platforms for your vlog
Video files have one peculiarity – they are usually large, especially if you shoot in 1028 or higher quality. Also, their transmitting requires unlimited bandwidth. That’s why, even if technically you can post your recordings on your site, it’s not practical — not even mentioning that the audience of such a platform will be quite limited.
An ideal vlogging channel should be free or at least affordable. It should provide enough space, ideally – unlimited storage. Then, it’s crucial to have clear feedback from the audience and be able to communicate with the followers directly – for example, via comments. It would also be nice to have an opportunity to monetize your vlog. As for the editing options, you can easily use third parties, for example, Clideo’s video editing tools – they are free and user-friendly.
Everybody knows the main international video portal. But there are a lot of video platforms other than YouTube, some of them are popular social media, and others are designed for videos only.
Let’s have a look at 7 top video blog sites, their good points, and drawbacks.
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YouTube
YouTube may be rightfully called a precursor of modern vlogging, as it was the first free platform for vlog websites blogs. YouTube blogging has given a start to the whole concept of video channels run by private persons, not companies. Nowadays, it’s the most popular video site with billions of hours of video content.
Advantages
- User-friendly and intuitively comprehensive interface.
- Various monetization options.
- Free, allows uploading video up to 128 GB and 12 hours long.
Disadvantages
- Heavy advertising.
- The most popular, hence, extremely competitive platform.
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Vimeo
One of YouTube's main rivals, Vimeo, gambled on creative and high-quality videos. There are several service plans available, starting from free ones and ending with rather costly subscriptions. What really differentiates Vimeo from YouTube is the absence of ads.
Advantages
- Compatible with different file formats, supports multiple aspect ratios.
- High-tier plans include instruments for analyzing viewers’ activity and collecting statistics.
- Allows live streaming.
Disadvantages
- Free basic plan allows uploading only 500MB of video per week.
- No marketing tools for low-tier plans.
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Facebook
Facebook may not seem the most obvious alternative to YouTube and Vimeo, but it’s an excellent channel for vlogging. Not only is it free, but it’s also one of the most popular social media with the vastest reach and influence. Moreover, you can host live broadcasts and get immediate response from your followers;
Advantages
- Allows uploading videos up to 4GB and 240 minutes.
- Direct communication with followers via comments.
- Allows live streaming.
Disadvantages
- Maximum video resolution is only 720 px.
- Not a 100% video platform, so the audience may be limited.
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Instagram
Vlogging on Instagram has gained popularity recently, but this social medium was initially created to share photos and apply certain filters. Anyway, nowadays, it’s one of the most popular and convenient ways to record short videos, post them right away, earn on vlogging and keep in contact with followers.
Advantages
- Allows live streaming and video stories, which will disappear the next day.
- Very convenient for travel vlogs.
- Efficient instruments for promotion.
Disadvantages
- Heavy advertising.
- Poor web version.
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TikTok
TikTok is a relatively young social medium (existing since 2016) with an audience of teenagers and young adults mostly. A format of short videos – sometimes even without any text, with just a musical soundtrack – has become incredibly popular. Another TikTok phenomenon – the so-called challenges, so to gain your followers, you don’t even need to come up with new bright ideas.
Advantages
- Free platform.
- It’s easy to become an influencer and find a sponsor.
- Global worldwide audience.
Disadvantages
- Limited audience (young adults mostly).
- Expensive advertising.
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DailyMotion
DailyMotion may be less known than YouTube and Vimeo, but this platform is still worth your attention. This site allows uploading videos up to 2GB and 60 minutes for free and is compatible with various video formats and codecs.
Advantages
- User-friendly interface.
- Unlimited storage.
- Options for promotion and monetizing.
Disadvantages
- Advertising.
- Fewer features than on YouTube and some other platforms.
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Twitch
The Twitch platform stands out from its rivals as it is a live-streaming site. Having started as a gaming community, Twitch nowadays also provides niche streams, such as cooking classes, DIY videos, etc.
Advantages
- Simple communication with subscribers.
- Donation options.
- Vast community.
Disadvantages
- Lack of moderation.
- Extremely competitive platform.
These are just some platforms that exist over there. Choose the one that fits your specific goals, or give them all a try to find the one that performs better both for you and your audience.
