Why You Should Use Video Library Footage For Your Website
If you run a website, you might not spend a lot of time thinking about where you get your videos from. Many people use any relevant video that they find in a web search, thinking that there is no problem with using any video they find. However, this isn’t actually true at all. Most videos and images are copyrighted in some way, and using them on your site can result in a “Cease and Desist” letter or even a lawsuit. While many video owners won’t act to protect their copyright, some will, and there is no easy way to determine which is which.
Thankfully, there is another very good option. One way to avoid these stressful and potentially very expensive mistakes is to download video library footage which is royalty-free. You can use a royalty free stock video library to get the video footage you need for your site. Once you have paid for the rights to these videos, you will be able to use them legally, as much as you like.
There are a number of different libraries like this. Some are subscription based; you pay a small fee, and can then use the video as much as you like. Others have you pay per video, while others still offer videos for free.
It can be hard to determine which option is best for you. There is no one right answer. It really depends on the individual site and the kinds of videos you need. Some sites will be able to use free videos, but other sites need the kind of variety and quality that you can only get from a subscription site.
Free video libraries
Commercial stock footage
The biggest advantage to using free videos is that you never have to pay for anything. The selection of free stock videos available is very wide, and it increases by the day. Major video libraries are regularly increasing the amount of free videos they offer, as they know that they can be a great way to draw new customers in.
The biggest disadvantage to using free stock videos is that the selection available to you is extremely limited. You may find that you only have a handful of videos to choose from, and if you need a very specific kind of video, you may not be able to find anything that fits your needs.
Another disadvantage is that free videos tend to be lower resolution than paid videos. For sites that use a smaller video image, this may not be a problem, but for a site that needs better quality HD videos, this can become an issue.
Some people rely on free videos and pay for individual videos on the occasions where they do need something specific. There are several ways to do this and keep things affordable. For example, some sites allow you to buy a handful of paid video credits. You can then use these videos any time you need to get a non-free video for your site.
Subscription video libraries
The great thing about a subscription based site is the sheer number of options you will have available to you. You can find all kinds of video footage no matter what your needs are. It’s like having a search engine full of videos that are legal to use. You can get video about industries, medical issues, food, animals, people and many more.
The most obvious disadvantage to a subscription site is that you have to pay. If your site is not monetized, or if its profit margin is slim, it can be hard to justify the high amount of money you will have to pay on some of the more famous sites. However, there are a number of affordable options, and if you look around, it is likely that you will be able to find a great site that is within your price range.
Sites that need a wide variety of videos would be best served by a subscription to a video library. It is the only thing that can deliver the variety of videos high volume users need. Using free videos will leave you unable to find the range of footage you need.
Pay as you go video libraries
A third option is to find a pay-as-you-go video library such as StockGiant. This type of site is really good if you have occasional or even regular need for high quality HD video footage which is royalty-free. Their prices are very affordable so you can go back regularly to get more videos for your website, presentations or whatever else you need moving images for. They also have a huge archive of video footage in dozens of different categories so whatever your topic or theme is, you should be able to find video footage that will suit your needs.
A third advantage of using an affordable video download site like StockGiant is that they only have high quality videos. This is a distinct advantage over the free sites where the standard of video can be questionable.
Webmasters that only use videos occasionally, or websites that rarely need a specific kind of video, should be fine using free video libraries. You may need to purchase a stock video every once in a while, but for the most part, you should be able to find videos that meet your needs.
You may also want to consider making original videos of your own. These days, most phones have a decent camera, and you can take some very nice videos if you’re willing to put in the effort. Combining your own videos with stock videos will give your site its own unique flair.
Anyone who owns a website should take advantage of a royalty free stock video library. Whether you decide to buy a subscription, rely on free videos, or choose a pay-as-you-go option, you will be able to get all the video library footage you need for your site, and you will be able to use them legally.