YouTube

Youtube is an online video hosting and sharing platform with social media features. It is free to use for basic functions and is owned by Google.

See below the image for further detail.

YouTube's Logo

YouTube was launched in 2005 and bought by Google in 2006. As of February 2019 it was the second most visited website on the internet (behind Google itself).

What is YouTube?

YouTube can be used to host video online for a variety of purposes: some use it as a video-blogging platform; other users upload instructional videos; others still record product interviews. These are just three examples of an enormous range of video styles and purposes represented on the platform: larger organisations also use the platform to host movie trailers, news reports, music videos and a multitude of videos on other themes. These videos can be viewed on the site itself or embedded into other web pages elsewhere on the internet. It is also possible to host live-streamed videos on topics from personal opinions to large-scale events.

Alternatives to YouTube

Whilst YouTube is the most popular video hosting website there are various reasons why some video creators (both individuals and organisations) choose to host their content elsewhere. These include a desire for different features, avoiding advertising and algorithmic interference, and wanting greater privacy and control over their content. YouTube's popularity means that choosing it as your hosting platform might improve organic discovery of your content (as more people go straight to that site when looking for things to watch), but if most people come to your videos through more direct means (e.g. because they have seen it shared on your website or social media feeds) then discoverability will be less of a consideration when choosing which platform to use.

Some other options for hosting and sharing video content online include dedicated video hosting services Dailymotion and Vimeo, but most social media sites include the possibility for sharing video content. For people and organisations who have the ability to host their own videos there are open source and decentralised options as well, including PeerTube, which interacts with the Fediverse.