Now & Next: Distributing Online Video

Are you watching more online video then your TV set? By 2013 online video will account for 90% of all consumer IP traffic. This includes IPTV, OTT, video applications, etc.

When speaking with prospective and current content providers, a question I now ask is if they have an available RSS or MRSS content feed. As an easier and faster way to distribute online content many websites have built this into their strategies. For me, this is a dream come true. No more slow FTP’s or hard drive deliveries by snail mail to acquire large amounts of content. And the storage space! With mobile applications and mobile web sites, you can plug in the feeds and you are up and running. This alleviates the internal hosting bandwidth problems we face internally for the amount of content providers we work with. The applications are also updated automatically when the website is. As a content distributor we can also download individual videos as needed and as new ones are released keeping content timely and readily available.

I have also witnessed many online content providers using CDNs to distribute their content and offering subscription services for view. They are not alone in this movement with carriers doing the same at an increasing rate. CDN or Content Delivery Networks, are a dedicated network of servers deployed throughout the world allowing for easy content retrieval to the end user. This is an effective way to obtain new revenue streams and control your costs.

Oh wait, there’s more to be excited about. Using adaptive bitrates will provide uninterrupted streaming videos by shift the bite rate up or down as needed depending on your network connection. The days of waiting for a video to load half way before watching 30 seconds and waiting again are over. This will also prevent high data consumption for your mobile device. You will no longer be in a state of shock you’re your mobile bill arrives.

With these growing trends you can expect advertisers to get on board and increase their spending for online videos. All around, we are looking forward to a bright, clear, uninterrupted, content consuming New Year!

Sources: Skytide “7 Online Video Trends to Watch in 2012”, Cisco Visual Networking Index