How to Host Videos in WordPress

The video sharing platform YouTube now boasts more than a billion monthly active users. It’s the most popular online destination for users who want to watch and enjoy content that is quick to load, easy to navigate, and entertaining to watch.

If you’re looking to create your own online video content platform, there are many reasons why you might want to consider using WordPress. The video sharing platform is incredibly flexible, and it provides you with a solid foundation upon which to build your site.

This flexibility makes WordPress an ideal choice for someone looking to create a blog or website for the purpose of holding online videos. If you’re looking to create a business website that is primarily designed around selling and promoting products via videos, WordPress is a fantastic fit. It also handles all of the dirty work of inserting videos into posts for you, so you can sit back and relax while enjoying the benefits.

Why WordPress?

WordPress is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) that is often used as a blogging platform. It’s hugely popular, with more than 75% of the web actively using it. This makes it a firm fixture in the online world.

Though WordPress can be used for a variety of purposes, it is most well-known for its blogging capabilities. This is because WordPress was initially designed to be used by people who wanted to blog. However, it has since grown to encompass so much more.

Key Benefits Of Using WordPress For Online Video

The great thing about WordPress is that it provides you with so many benefits, regardless of whether you’re planning to use it for blogging or an online video platform. These benefits are outlined below.

Flexibility

One of the greatest things about WordPress is that it provides you with a level of flexibility that you would not usually find in a commercial-grade CMS. For example, you can use the platform to create business websites or blogs that are completely free from the shackles of a traditional CMS. Or, you can use WordPress to build a completely custom site that is designed to work specifically around your needs.

A large number of third-party plugins and themes are available for WordPress, meaning that you can add a wide variety of functionality to the platform without having to touch a single line of code. This makes WordPress ideal for people who want their sites and blogs to have a unique spin that is tailored to their needs.

Performance

Another great thing about WordPress is that it performs incredibly well, even when hosting videos on it. The reason for this is that the platform was initially designed to be lightweight and performant, which is great for everyone, including people who are hosting videos.

Even more impressively, WordPress manages to perform this well even when hosting multiple videos or large images on a single page. Additionally, using a tool like WP Fastest Cache will ensure that your website loads fast and efficiently, regardless of whether you’re blogging or hosting videos.

Safety

WordPress is regarded as a safe web host by most major content hosting companies, such as Google and Shopify. The reason behind this is that WordPress has a very high level of security, which means that all of your content is stored safely, and you don’t have to worry about it being hacked or destroyed.

Additionally, WordPress includes a number of security features that are designed to protect you as a content creator. These features include email confirmations, two-factor authentication, Content Guard, and more.

Features

Though WordPress provides you with an incredible amount of flexibility and functionality, it also has a number of additional features that make it even more attractive as a web host for video content. These features, which are outlined below, can help you create a better user experience for your viewers, no matter what platform you’re using.

• Multiple Media Formats: The video sharing platform YouTube now supports a wide variety of media formats, making it easier for content creators to find an audience. However, not all formats will play nicely together. For example, if you’re using audio-only content for the podcast you’re producing, you will not be able to successfully host video content alongside it. This is where features like Multiple Media Formats comes in.
• Responsive Design: Though most browsers have moved to supporting HTML5 and therefore making websites compatible with larger screens, some older browsers still don’t support HD video playback on their mobile devices. If you’re producing content that is intended for mobile viewing, you will want to use a CMS that is designed with responsiveness in mind. The great thing about WordPress is that it is completely mobile-friendly.
• Custom Domains: Though it is possible to install a WordPress site on a traditional shared hosting plan, it is much easier to install the platform on your own domain. This is particularly beneficial if you’re looking to create a business website, as you won’t have to worry about remembering a subdomain when creating an account on a new host.
• SEO-Optimized: Though WordPress is used across the web for a wide array of purposes, it’s frequently recommended for use by people who want to create a blog or website for the purpose of sharing content that is optimized for search engines. The reason for this is that WordPress has a number of built-in SEO features that make it easy for anyone to create a fully search engine optimized site using the platform.
• Fully Customizable: Though it is possible to use a few different CMSes for blogging, WordPress is the best suited for this task due to its extensive customization options. This means that if you’re looking to create a blog that is purely designed around a customized look and feel, then WordPress is the perfect fit.
• Extensive Documentation: Though it is possible to find videos and blogs that can help you get started with WordPress, the best documentation for the platform can be found online, as well as on official websites and forums that can help answer any questions you might have.
• Broad Support: Though WordPress was initially designed to be used by people who wanted to blog, it now supports a variety of platforms and coding languages, meaning that it can be used to create a website or blog that will work on almost any device or browser.

Ease Of Use

WordPress’ flexible nature makes it incredibly easy for someone to get up and running with the platform, regardless of whether they are experienced software developers or simply someone who wants to create a blog. This is due in part to WordPress’ extensive collection of free templates and plugins, which significantly lowers the barrier to entry.

Even more impressively, WordPress also provides its users with a collection of documentation and video tutorials that can walk them through the process of getting their site set up and publishing content.

Security

WordPress includes some of the most advanced security features available, making it a safe choice for people who want to store and distribute content online. This is also enhanced by the fact that the platform is completely free from malware and can be easily installed on a host with shared IPs. Additionally, all of the major hosting providers, including Google, have given WordPress a security rating of nine out of ten, indicating that they are confident that their services are safe to use.

However, no matter what, security is always a primary concern, especially when it comes to hosting videos online. Fortunately, there are measures that you can take to protect yourself as a content creator, including using a VPN, keeping your plugins up-to-date, using strong passwords, and taking the proper steps to remove duplicate content.

Overall, it’s a fantastic choice for anyone who wants to create a site that will primarily feature video content.