About a 18 months ago, Internet-TV was a distant dream prompted by the upsurge of tiny viral videos, and the idea of watchable long-form web television seemed far off, partly because video players were just too damn small, and partly because there was no real business model. A lot has changed in the past year and a half, and we’ve seen some incredible content emerge.
Your dream of broadcasting a television show has finally become a very real prospect. You’ve got the means to produce your killer concept, but how can you ensure that it’ll be seen and make money? Here are a couple points to consider after the jump…
### 1. Consumers are impatient.
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If your video takes more than a couple seconds to buffer and load, you’re turning off potential viewers. One of the strongest assets of traditional television is its immediacy. Make sure you’re using a service with a reliable content delivery network.
2. Content is still king. Distribution is still queen.
If your concept works, it’ll attract an audience. But how do you ensure that your audience knows you exist? Upload segments of your content to popular video sites to drive traffic to your unique brand. Promote your shows on social networking sites, take advantage of opportunities to syndicate your work (the best platforms enable this process) and (insert shameless self promotion) make sure your show is featured by sites like Tilzy.TV.
3. You own your content; be careful how you license it.
The best video delivery platforms recognize and service the interests of rights-holders. In the new television paradigm, distributors focus on distribution, not meddling with your artistic integrity, but some services are less creator-friendly than others. As of this writing, YouTube’s terms of use grants it a “a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display…including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the YouTube Website (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels.” Eeek! YouTube is far and away the most popular video sharing website and, thus, should be used as tool for promotion, but I’d think twice about making it my principal means of video publishing. The best platforms honor the integrity of your rights as a content-owner.
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4. Streaming video should be flash-encoded.
The flash-player plugin is, by far, more common than any other streaming media player. I know you want to maintain the high-quality of the beautiful video you shot, but if I cant see it, I can’t appreciate it. Get over your obsession with your beautiful Quicktime file. You’re cannibalizing your audience!
5. Full-screen makes a world of difference.
As PC’s are more commonly linked to living-room television sets, the ability to seamlessly switch between a tiny box and full-screen makes a big difference. (And I mean FULL screen, not enlarged small-screen) I want to watch your show from my couch, not my desk-chair. Certain platforms do this much better than others.
6. This is business baby. Monetize your work.
The business model of Internet-TV has just barely emerged, but there is money to be made. Different platforms offer different advertising and sponsorship schemes, so research the one that works best for your content. Whatever you choose, make sure you get to share in the fruits of your labor!
Have I confused you to paralysis? That’s okay. Ignore that fluff and take my word for it. The following is a list of the best, most creator-and-consumer-friendly video delivery platforms on the web, all of which meet the criteria outlined above. I recommend uploading your shows to ALL of them.
