The Importance of Web Video Optimization

When you film a video, than you are more than likely not going to be able to simply upload it in the exact same format that you shot it in, because video files are usually huge in size and would weigh down any web server, which is why you must optimize your web video.  Many people who are first getting started in making and distributing their web videos do not understand that it is extremely important that they optimize their video for the web.

The reason why you must optimize your web video is because you have to have a video that is under a certain size, or it would simply take too long to download, and would cost you massive amounts of bandwidth whenever someone views it.  But how do you exactly optimize a video for the web? 

Optimizing your video for the web begins when you first take your camera out of its case.  How you film your video will play a major role in how well it will interact with the Internet.  There are several production tips that you must follow if you want to have a video that is perfect for the web.  Make sure that when you are filming a video you minimize any type of camera movement.  This includes zooming and out, as well as panning over to view another object.

If you do have to move the camera in your video, use a tripod because you will receive smooth transitions, and you can move the camera so slowly that it will not cause a disruption in how the video will be seen.  Another tip for optimizing your video for the web while you are actually filming it is by using ample amounts of light.  Make sure that you stay away from "hot spots," which are areas of extreme bright white light, but it is very important that you use ample lighting for the individuals in the video to be seen.  

After you have filmed and edited your web video, begins the process of optimizing its actual size for the internet.  When you are in this process, it is always a good idea to cut the frame rate below 15fps, or frames per second.  The reason for this is because when you cut the frame rate, it allows more data to be stored in each frame, thus giving you picture quality that is much better than if you were to keep your frame rate at a higher pace.  Of course, you must also make sure that the overall size of the video fits within the standard requirements for web videos.

With all web videos you will want to make sure that they are sized at 320 x 240 pixels.  This is the perfect size for the Internet, because it is not too small, or too large.  Thus, it is the perfect size for speedy viewing, without loosing the quality of the video.  However, make sure that when you re-size your web video, you do not make it any smaller than 320 x 240 pixels because it will make the video so small it will be hard for most individuals to even see clearly what is on the screen.