YouTube and Vimeo are two of the most popular platforms for uploading videos. Each offers a similar suite of tools to make sharing your content easy. So if the two are so similar, which is the best choice for your business?
Below is a comparison for YouTube vs Vimeo in terms of Customer Accessibility and Features for Businesses.
Consumer Accessibility
Both YouTube and Vimeo are free for viewers with each site receiving millions of hits per day. So what might differentiate the two?
Cost
Both platforms are free to use for consumers.
Finding Your Video
To start, YouTube ranks behind Google as the second most-used search engine on the planet. YouTube searches place highly in Google’s search algorithm, offering your videos a leg-up over non-YouTube videos. They also benefit from superior SEO and SEM.
Vimeo is less accessible to consumers. It supports an ad-free display meaning consumers watching your videos are interested in your content. However, without the increased prioritization in Google’s search algorithm, your videos will typically see less traffic than if they were on YouTube.
Finding Your Audience
YouTube was created with the idea that anyone can create and share content. This is a double-edged sword. While your content can be easily displayed on the site, it also means there’s a lot of filler that could block your business from being prominently displayed.
To circumvent this, YouTube has subscriptions, which allow consumers to receive notifications when new videos are uploaded. Consumers who subscribe help establish your niche on the site, which in return brings in new viewers who it deems are interested in your business.
Vimeo is decidedly more archaic. Opening the site doesn’t release you to a wave of fresh content, rather, it takes you to a login screen. Viewers can click links or watch specific videos without an account. Again, most search engines will prioritize YouTube’s content over Vimeo’s, meaning it’s more difficult for consumers to discover content this way.
Winner: YouTube
YouTube’s relevance to online marketing can’t be understated. As of 2019, YouTube had two-billion monthly users. Despite their massive database, their search engine is accurate at finding relevant content and sharing it with the consumer. It may take time for your listings to feature prominently, but once you have a niche carved out for you
Features for Businesses
Privacy Controls
YouTube has two offerings for video. Public or Unlisted. While Unlisted, a video won’t appear in searches, but can still be found by typing in its specific URL.
Vimeo stands out for its ability to password protect these types of videos. You can also limit URL embedding, preventing other sites from linking your video and not your website.
Video Quality
Both YouTube and Vimeo support footage up to 8K resolution with varying frame rates.
Vimeo offers a higher bitrate compared to YouTube. This means it takes more bandwidth to upload and stream, but will generally look better than footage with a lower bitrate. Download Vimeo video to compare the video footage and note the increased resolution.
Video Player Customization
If you host a website and want to display your content however you like, Vimeo Plus offers an array of player customization. You’re able to change virtually every aspect of the player, such as its color, title, and branding. You can even create and save custom presets, perfect for different products or web-pages.
YouTube is rather stagnant, offering a default player with few options. You can control looping, autoplay, and size of the player, but little else.
Cost
YouTube is entirely free for both creator and consumer. When you create a new account, you’ll be limited to uploading videos less than fifteen minutes in length. Once your account is verified, you’re able to upload footage that’s 12 hours-long or is up to 128 gigabytes in size.
Vimeo offers relatively little with its Basic account. Each week you can upload up to 500 megabytes worth of footage. To upload any commercial content at all, you’ll need to purchase a premium account. If you like the features mentioned previously, you’ll like the premium account. Vimeo Basic accounts don’t have access to live-streaming, privacy controls, or video player customization.
Analytics
YouTube and Vimeo both have comparable analytics. Vimeo’s, however, are locked behind a premium paywall.
Winner: Vimeo
YouTube and Vimeo go toe-to-toe in this category. If you’re not planning to pay a monthly subscription, stick with YouTube. If you are, Vimeo’s features are solid. What really separates a paid Vimeo subscription is its customization with embedding content into your own site. Add onto that Vimeo’s higher video quality and your website will look polished and professional.
Remaining Comparables
Here are some remaining statistics and features between the two platforms:
YouTube
- Google Ad Sense compatibility; ability to monetize your content
- Has free video editing capabilities
- Five billion downloads from the Google Play Store
Vimeo
- Vimeo on Demand lets you sell your videos directly to viewers
- Ability to reupload or replace videos without breaking old links
- 10 million downloads from the Google Play Store
YouTube vs. Vimeo: Who’s the Best?
In the all-encompassing fight of YouTube vs. Vimeo, YouTube comes out on top.
It offers unparalleled reach, an easy point of entry for both you and your consumer, and superior analytics. The majority of businesses can and should operate on YouTube as their primary video sharing site.
Certain businesses, however, would find it advantageous to use both. Vimeo has enhanced picture quality, an ad-free display, and a superior range of privacy controls. Because it doesn’t support ads, it feels like the premium product between the two. If someone is viewing your video on Vimeo, they likely are there on purpose. If you hope to see an increase in interest for your business or brand, go create a YouTube account. Or if you need Vimeo’s superior features from the get-go, you can start a 30-day free trial for Vimeo Plus.