Top 3 Video Live Streaming Platforms

Comparison of the top 3 live video streaming platforms.

Doing research on live streaming platforms can be an overwhelming task, as there are many factors to keep in mind when searching for the best video streaming platform for you or your organization.

We are here to help you choose between the top 3 video streaming platforms, namely YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo.

Some of the factors to think about when comparing the platforms are:

Authentication: How can people watching my content securely.
Authorization: How can my team manage their own content, and what content are they authorized to work with.
Customisation: How can I make sure that the stream reflects my brand.
Pricing: Can I afford this? Does the platform offer value?

As live streaming has become more popular over the years, it has also become more accessible to everyone. Now anyone with a mobile phone and a streaming account and setup a stream in seconds.

Lets go through some of the platforms:

Vimeo

Vimeo has focused on meeting the needs of medium and large businesses. Vimeo enterprise offers amazing features, like a a branded media player and cusomised embedding options. Here are some features from Vimeo:

• SSO (Single Sign On) Authentication
• User level analytics
• Live streaming to secure showcase pages
• Live production services
• Dedicated support
• Uptime guarantee and service level agreements (SLAs)

YouTube

YouTube is by far one of the most popular live streaming platforms out there that enables any business or person to start live streaming within seconds. All you require is a device and a google account. Some of the features of YouTube include:

• Free for everyone
• Video link is embeddable
• Listed & unlisted links
• Monetization of live videos
• Collaberate with others
• Connect with your audience
• Many tools and plugins available for integration into websites

Facebook

Facebook live is also gaining a lot of traction around the world as social media takes the world by storm. Here are some of the advantages of Facebook Live:

• Access to the worlds largest audiences
• Flexible platform either for business or personal use
• Built in analytics
• Ability to boost live videos
• Unique features for audience engagement

It is always a great idea to test each platform before commiting to a single one. Most people use all platforms to maximise on their reach. There are also other platforms available including IBM Cloud Video, Brightcove, Paopto, Kaltura, Qumu and DaCast to name a few.