12 Video Distribution Strategies to Maximise Reach for Content Creators for 2024

The global video streaming market size was valued at USD 89.03 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.5% from 2023 to 2030. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, video content creation is a dominant force for storytelling, audience engagement, and monetization. While the creation of content itself is half the battle, the other half is about mastering the art of scalable and monetizable distribution. There are ways to optimise for scale of distribution and monetization so that audience experience and engagement are still top-notch. This comprehensive guide delves into all video distribution strategies, discussing their pros and cons.

Table of Contents

1. Organic social media video distribution
   1.1 Meaning
   1.2 Pros
   1.3 Cons
   1.4 Instagram vs Youtube
2. Paid social media video distribution
   2.1 Meaning
   2.2 Pros
   2.3 Cons
3. Video Distribution on your website/app
   3.1 Pros
   3.2 Cons
   3.3 Leveraging for monetization
   3.4 Platforms for website creation and video hosting

 

Organic Social Media Distribution

What It Means

Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok – This strategy capitalizes on the inherent reach of these platforms. Unlike paid advertising, this approach relies on naturally attracting and engaging audiences through the content itself. This involves utilizing the platform’s features—such as hashtags on Instagram, the For You page on TikTok, or the subscription and recommendation algorithms on YouTube—to maximize the visibility and reach of your content. The first goal is build a good relevant following organically where your videos are shared, liked, commented on others. If there is sufficient engaged audience, you can monetise them through other means like paid videos/courses on your site/app, brand ads , paid social platform subscription (e.g on youtube).

Pros

• Cost-Effective: We leverage the power of our content quality, appeal to attract and engage audience. Thus it becomes effective for content creators with limited budgets or even more cost effective model for content creators who have money to spend.
• Community Building: This approach is excellent for fostering a sense of community, inclusivity and loyalty among your audience. When people discover and share your content organically, they are much more likely to feel a genuine connection to your brand. It has been found that followers found through organic means often have a stronger attachment to the content they discover and share.
• Brand Authenticity: Content that has gained popularity organically is often perceived as more authentic and trustworthy by audiences. This perception of authenticity can significantly enhance your brand’s trustworthiness and reputation. In a digital world where users are bombarded with ads and sponsored content, organic content stands out as more genuine and relatable.
  

Cons

• Slow Audience Growth: One of the primary challenges of organic distribution is the time it takes to build and scale the substantial audience. Unlike paid strategies that can offer immediate visibility, organic growth is a gradual process that requires patience, consistency, and persistence. Content creators need to be prepared for a long-term commitment to regularly producing quality content before seeing significant results.
  Examples – In India, 2 out top 3 edtech/elearning companies(Physicswallah, Unacademy) were originally started by teachers who became popular first for their free youtube content. 
• Algorithm Dependence: The visibility of your content on social media platforms is heavily dependent on their algorithms. These algorithms can be unpredictable and are subject to frequent changes. This uncertainty means that even high-quality content may not always get the desired reach or visibility, as algorithmic shifts can impact who sees your content and when.
  Example – Many content creators keep complaining how even though they have improved their content, content posting frequency, it is not getting the same viewership as before. Social Media platforms keep changing their algorithms, and monetisation models; and it can significantly change how your content reaches audience.
• Saturation and Competition: There is no inhibition of age , demography, financial requirement to start as a content creator. A  phone with decent camera is the basic requirement. You can now see even kids content creators or parents becoming content creators with primarily their toddler videos.
  The digital content landscape is incredibly saturated, with millions of content creators vying for attention. Standing out organically in this crowded space is increasingly challenging. It requires not only exceptional content but also a strategic understanding of each platform’s unique features and audience behaviors.

Differences in Organic Video Distribution on YouTube and Instagram

Content Format and Duration:

YouTube:

• YouTube reports that its users watch over a billion hours of video each day, demonstrating the immense reach and potential of this platform for video distribution.
• YouTube is primarily a video platform for long-form content, but we can say that it is changing over time. Videos can range from a few minutes to several hours, allowing content creators to delve deeply into subjects, tell stories, or create comprehensive guides. Recently youtube launched youtube shorts which is a more direct competition to instagram. 
• The platform is also favorable for serialized content, where video creators can develop episodic series that encourage viewers to return regularly. 
• Another key aspect of YouTube is its ability to support various video types, from vlogs and tutorials to documentaries and short films. This versatility allows creators to experiment with different content styles. 
• Considerable viewership % both on desktop/laptop/TVs and mobiles.

Instagram:

• Instagram, in contrast, is tailored more towards short-form content. With features like Stories, Reels, and IGTV, the platform encourages quick, engaging, and often visually appealing content.
  Instagram Stories, limited to 15 seconds per segment, are perfect for quick updates, behind-the-scenes looks, or interactive content like polls and Q&As.
• Instagram Video Engagement: According to HubSpot’s 2020 State of Marketing report, Instagram videos receive over twice the engagement of other post types, emphasizing the importance of this format on the platform.
• Reels, a relatively new feature, allows up to 90 seconds of video, focusing on trends, music, and entertainment. It’s an excellent tool for viral content creation.
• IGTV supports longer videos but is still best suited for content that is concise and captures attention quickly.
• Heavy Mobile usage audience. Infact I personally have had problems regarding uploading content on instagram from my laptop.

Audience Engagement and Interaction:

YouTube:

• YouTube’s audience engagement primarily revolves around video views, likes, comments, and subscriptions.
• The platform has a strong community aspect where viewers often engage with content creators through comments. This allows for in-depth discussions and feedback.
• Another unique feature of YouTube is the ability to create playlists, which can help in categorising content and keeping the audience engaged with similar videos.

Instagram:

• Instagram’s engagement metrics include likes, comments, shares, and story views. The platform is highly visual, and its engagement tends to be more instantaneous and reactive.
• Instagram’s direct messaging feature is a powerful tool for personal interaction with Instagram followers. It allows creators to have one-on-one conversations with their audience, increasing personal connection and loyalty.
• The use of hashtags on Instagram is crucial for discoverability. They allow content to be found by a wider audience outside of the creator’s follower base, which can significantly enhance organic reach.

Note – There also exist competitors (though smaller) to youtube and Instagram – E.g Rumble, Dailymotion, Tiktok, Tumblr etc.

Paid Social Media Distribution

What It Means

This strategy involves paying for promotions and advertisements on social media platforms to enhance content visibility and reach targeted audiences.

Pros

• Precision Targeting: Paid ads allow for detailed targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
• Immediate Visibility: Unlike organic methods, paid promotions provide immediate visibility and reach.
• Measurable Results: You can track the performance of paid campaigns with precise analytics.

Cons

• Budget Constraints: This method requires a budget, which can be a barrier for smaller creators or startups.
• Short-lived Impact: The boost in visibility often diminishes once the campaign ends.
• Complex Strategy Requirement: Running successful paid campaigns requires an understanding of ad targeting, bidding strategies, and content optimization.

Maximizing Paid Distribution

• A/B Testing: Experiment with different ad formats and content styles to see what resonates best with your audience.
• Retargeting Campaigns: Use retargeting to reach viewers who have previously interacted with your content but didn’t convert.
• Leverage Analytics: Regularly analyze campaign data to refine your strategies and improve ROI.
  

Utilizing Your Own Website for Video Distribution

What It Means

Using your own website for video distribution involves creating a dedicated space where your audience can view your videos. This strategy transforms your website into a primary hub for your video content. It means moving beyond relying solely on external platforms like YouTube or social media and taking a more direct approach in reaching and engaging your audience. By hosting videos on your own site, you control the narrative around your content, from the way it’s presented to how it’s discovered by viewers.
According to a study by Moovly, websites are 53 times more likely to reach the front page of Google if they include video, showcasing the SEO benefits of hosting videos on your own website.

Pros

• Complete Creative Control: Owning your platform allows you to tailor the viewing experience to your brand’s identity and audience’s preferences. You can design the layout, control the video player features, and decide how your content is organized and displayed without the constraints of third-party platforms.
• SEO and Traffic Benefits: Regularly hosting videos on your website can significantly boost its search engine optimization (SEO). Videos can increase the time visitors spend on your site, which is a key metric for search engine rankings. Also, as Google often displays video content in search results, having videos on your website increases the chances of appearing in these results, driving more organic traffic to your site.
• Brand Building: A dedicated website with your video content can enhance your professional image and brand identity. It provides a cohesive experience for your audience, helping to establish your brand’s credibility and authenticity in your field.

Cons

• Technical and Financial Resources: Developing and maintaining a website that can host and effectively stream video content requires technical expertise and financial investment. This includes costs for web hosting, design, and potentially hiring professionals for site development and maintenance.
• Marketing Dependency: Unlike social media platforms where algorithms can aid in content discovery, the success of video content on your website heavily depends on your marketing efforts. You’ll need to actively drive traffic to your site through strategies like social media marketing, email campaigns, and partnerships. facilitated by social media management tools.
• Time-Intensive: Building a substantial audience on your website is a long-term process. It requires not only creating engaging content but also continuous efforts in SEO, user experience optimization, and marketing to attract and retain viewers.

Leveraging Your Website for Distribution

• Content Optimization: Ensure your website is optimized for both speed and user experience. Videos should load quickly and be easily accessible to viewers. This might involve optimizing video file sizes, using a content delivery network (CDN), and ensuring mobile responsiveness.
• SEO Strategies: Implement SEO best practices specifically tailored for video content. This includes using relevant keywords in video titles and descriptions, creating video transcripts for accessibility and SEO, and using structured data (schema markup) to enhance video visibility in search results.
• Integrate with Social Media: Use your social media presence to funnel traffic to your website. Share snippets or previews of your videos on social media with links directing viewers to your website for the full content. This strategy can help leverage the audience you’ve built on social media platforms to boost your website traffic.

Platforms to create your own website and host videos

• Thinkific, Kajabi, Teachable, Hotmart for course website creation – These platforms enable you to create your own website where you can create courses, add videos and other content, engage, quiz and monetise the audience by direct subscriptions or pay per view. You can use the default video hosting solution available for these platforms or use other professional 3rd party video hosting solution.
• Wix/Weebly – These are the 2 most popular general website creation platforms when you are looking to create a website for any purpose. They have pre available themes for you to design the website as per your industry.
• VdoCipher, Vimeo, Brightcove – VdoCipher is a video player + piracy protection solution that is specifically targetted for e-learning and movie content. Its features on customisable player with highest security from illegal video downloads ensure that you are able to get maximum audience and revenues from your video.  Leakage of content also needs to be prevented to protect your copyright and non authorised video distribution by anyone on any social media platform. Other 2 popular video hosting solutions targetted towards businesses are Vimeo and Brightcove.

Conclusion

Each video distribution strategy offers unique advantages and poses distinct challenges. Organic social media distribution is ideal for building a loyal community but requires patience and perseverance. Paid distribution offers immediate reach but depends on financial resources and strategic planning. Direct marketing offers personalization at the risk of appearing intrusive, while hosting on your own website offers maximum control but demands technical and marketing expertise.

As a content creator, your choice should align with your objectives, resources, and the type of relationship you wish to cultivate with your audience. By understanding and strategically leveraging these distribution methods, you can ensure that your videos not only reach a wider audience but also make a lasting impact in the crowded digital space.

FAQ for Video Distribution Strategies

What is video distribution?

Video distribution is the systematic process of creating and distributing videos on various social media platforms (Youtube, Instagram, Facebook etc.) and own website/app to engage and monetise a maximum audience.

What is the largest video distribution platform ?

Youtube is the largest video distribution platform followed by Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook.

What is the key strategy for distributing video content ?

Leverage the audience and algorithms of each social network to grow your engaged audience for monetisation.

What are 4 types of video distribution strategy ?

Organic Social Media Video Distribution, Paid Social Media Distribution, Video on own website/app, Video on partner website/app.

How is Instagram vs Youtube Distribution different ?

Instagram is mainly targetted for short-form non-serialised content while YouTube does support long-form content, web-series and recently short-form content with Youtube Shorts.