As the digital revolution came, videos and photos took a different turn than what it was decades ago. A few years back, you could just shoot videos in your camera and then transfer them to your laptop later. You need not worry about anything else.
Today, videographers have to do more work. When shooting for a video, they have to choose the correct settings on the camera. After transfer and edit, they must select the correct format of the video so that it can be used. Video formats help professionals to open and play videos on different platforms. The format depends on how the professional is planning to use the video.
As visual content continues to soar in popularity, video plays a vital role in content marketing today. Almost 80% of the audience makes a decision by watching a video. For this reason, products unboxing videos, guides, and video testimonials are so popular. Also, videos make things more credible. If you have an MP3 file, you can use the MP3 to MP4 converter to change the audio to video.
Video content is something that every business – both small and big, content creators and social media managers need to consider growing digitally. Creating great video content is more than knowing how to shoot accurately or having great editing skills. You can benefit from learning the correct video formats and when to use them.
Not all video formats are supported by social media platforms. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this. It depends on several things. This article can serve as a guide to the most-updated video formats you can use for your business.
What Is Video Format?
A video format is a file in which the audio and video are stored. The size of the video, resolution of the video, and platform where it will be played all play a significant role in determining which video format you choose.
The video format also determines combining all the parts of a video. A video file may contain audio, images, texts, i.e., subtitles. The video format will determine the output of these. Some video formats may not support text; as a result, it may not show the subtitle.
Before shooting a video, you need to set your camera settings accordingly. Also, after you edit, you can render the video file in your required format.
The 3 Best Video Formats
Here’s a list of the 3 best video formats that businesses should use:
- MP4
An MP4 is almost like the universal format, the most common format used everywhere. It is also known as MPEG 4 Part 14. This format is supported on most social media platforms and digital devices. Using the MP3 format, a variety of files can be stored, including audio, video, a video containing audio, text, images, or just audio. Using this diverse format, you can keep the file size relatively small while enjoying high-quality files.
You can play MP4 on all operating systems and software.
- FLV
FLV or Flash Video Converter is another versatile video format supported by all web browsers and devices. While it is specifically designed for Adobe Flash Video Players, it is used on most online video streaming platforms like YouTube and Google Video. It’s been popular in the market for many years because of its small file size. This also makes the videos quick to download and is good for storage. Flash videos have another format called SWF.
There is one downside to this format; it is not supported on the iOS platform and some mobile devices. So, iPhone users cannot watch FLV videos.
- AVI
AVI or Audio Video Interleave is one of the oldest video formats introduced by Microsoft in 1992 for its video software which can be played on different video players. Most digital devices and web browsers support this versatile format. Popular operating systems like Windows, MAC, Linux support AVI format. You can watch high-quality videos with AVI format, but the size tends to be quite large. As a result, it is not compatible to stream online or download.
You can use this format if you plan to keep the files stored.
How to Choose A Video Format?
The final format you choose for your video depends on a few things. Here are a few steps to decide how to choose the best format.
What Are the Video Quality Requirements?
Do you require a good quality video along with a small size? Or are you okay with the size of the file being big, but the video quality should be top-notch?
Different video formats have different video requirements. MP4 can be a good choice if you plan to upload the video to different websites, watch it online, and allow your audience to download it.
Determine its Purpose
Are you planning to upload the video on social media platforms? Or simply keep it with you? If the video is to be uploaded on the web, consider how your audience will watch it. While MP4 is supported by all social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Instagram, YouTube supports a lot of other video formats as well. If you want to store the file on your PC, use MP4 as the size can be small, retaining high-quality video.
Determine the Operating System
If you’re using Windows or MAC, the video format needs to be determined accordingly. For instance, FLV is not supported on the iOS platform. In contrast, MP4 and AVI are supported on all platforms. There’s another popular format developed by Apple called MOV. It is compatible with both Windows and MAC.
Even while using Windows, it may not support all video formats if you are using an older version. So, try and use the latest version of Windows OS.
Other Specifications
Beyond video formats, there are other specifications one should keep in mind, like video layout, size, aspect ratios, etc. One should keep up as companies release new video formats and update old ones.
You need to know each social media platform’s layout and video specifications. LinkedIn only supports horizontal layouts. Facebook supports different types of layouts, including vertical and horizontal. Although Instagram supports various formats, stick to a vertical layout for reels and horizontal for IGTV.
To grow, you need to have an effective video marketing strategy in place. Getting the layouts and formats right alone will not help you reach your goals.
So, which is the best video format?
Unfortunately, there is no correct answer to this question. Yes, it is not that easy. We cannot give you just one option, and you use it for all your videos.
It all comes down to what your preference is. Consider how you will distribute your video. Consider your audience and the social media platforms. Only these factors can help determine the best video format for your video. Applying the same format to all your videos may not be such a great idea.
Besides the video formats mentioned above, there are other formats like WMV, MOV, AVCHD, etc. We have listed the most popular video formats that businesses should use. These formats are supported by all popular social media platforms and web browsers.
Refer to our article when you are confused and cannot decide which format you require. If you are looking for more video content tips – whether for your LinkedIn business page, or Instagram business page, or your personal blog on Pinterest, you are at the right place.
Typito can help take your video marketing to another level. From Video Templates to Tools to Edit your video, Typito can help you create engaging videos with a few simple clicks. For more tips, you can read our blogs.
We wish you great success in your video marketing!
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