Don't Call Them OVPs: Why Video Hosts No Longer Like the Name

How can video managers justify moving from a free or low-cost host to an online video provider (OVP)? At the recent Streaming Media East conference in New York City, Theresa Regli, a principal analyst and managing director for technology research firm Real Story Group, gave the audience stats to use when making their case.

"Online purchases, if anyone's in retail, this is a really good stat from Internet Retailer where if somebody watches a video product, or a video demonstration of a product, they're 85 percent more likely to buy something. That's a good driver for this sort of technology," Regli noted.

She also noted that video ads are growing at a fast rate, and cited Cisco showing that video already dominates mobile video.

"Video ads: the fastest-growing category of online advertising. Last year, video of course, growing, per Cisco, to 66 percent of mobile data traffic," Regli said.

Video even dominates on game consoles.

"Xbox users…spend more time watching video than playing games, which is very interesting," Regli added. "So if you're looking for statistics that you need, there's a lot out there that you can use to help justify this."

When looking for a video platform, however, people shouldn't limit themselves to hosts calling themselves an OVP. That's because the term has fallen out of style with many companies that offer video hosting. Companies are outgrowing the term.

"I noticed that the ones that have very broad functional capabilities…they don't even like to be called OVPs," Regli said. "I was actually talking this morning with the CEO of Qumu…and they don't like being called an OVP, because it's too limiting."

Video hosts are now adding services such as video editing, she said, which isn't a traditional OVP feature.

For more on choosing a video platform, watch the full presentation below.

How To: Choosing an Online Video Platform

This presentation will help attendees identify their requirements for an online video platform, with a particular focus on mobile and multi-channel scenarios. Learn about the products and platforms available in the market and the strengths and weaknesses of selected major players including Brightcove, Kaltura, and Ooyala. Get advice on how to get to a vendor short list, submitting brief and useful RFPs, what questions need to be asked, and other tips to ensure you choose the right solution.

Speaker: Theresa Regli, Principal Analyst, Managing Director, The Real Story Group