Customized Video Players

If your website or video content requires customizing your video experience with customized video players, we can provide you with numerous customization options for a low-cost one-time configuration fee.  If you desire a customized video player, please arrange with Brightcast prior to video installation since it will require a different set of video code.  Customization options can include:

• Change the video player size or change if the player plays automatically or not.
• Change the video player colors to match your site or add branding to the video player with your logo.
• Build a multi-video player that can serve from 2 to over 2000 videos and provide an RSS feed that people can subscribe to.  A variety of multi-video configurations are available based on your needs.

Website Design Recommendations for using Brightcast Video

Video Size - For best viewing experience, allot 486 pixels wide by 412 pixels high for the video player when you are designing the page on your site where the video will reside.  If for page design reasons, you need to reduce the size of the player, the width and height dimensions can be adjusted proportionately, but this may reduce the overall quality of the video viewing.  You will need to experiment with various sizes to see what works best for you.  Please note however, that there is an expand button on the player allowing the viewer to expand the video to full screen while it is playing if they like.  (Note: You can preview the actual size and appearance of the video on the same page where we provide you access to the Video Streaming Code.)

Encourage Sharing - The video player showing your video has built-in viral syndication ability with the email button.  This allows anyone viewing the video to share it via email with anyone they wish.  Consider encouraging them to share the video by adding text to your website that says something like "Email our video to a friend by clicking on the Email button on the video player."

Where in your Website? - The default video player is set to play automatically.  So, if you would prefer that your video Not play automatically whenever someone visits the front page of your Website, we suggest placing your video on an interior page.   If it is placed on an interior page, use a graphic link on your main page that invite people to visit your "video page." If you prefer, we can do a custom player for you for an additional fee, just let us know.  (See "Graphic Link Available" below.)

Graphic Link with "Play Video Box" - We encourage you to use the "Play Video Box", custom designed for you, as a graphic link to your "video page."  This graphic element, which features an animated play video button, helps invite Web users to go directly to your "video page."  Simply place the "Play Video Box" graphic on any page in the site (especially your front page) and embed a link in the graphic directly to your "Video Page".  The "Play Video Box" is 110 pixels by 110 pixels in size.  (Note: The graphic can be seen on the same page where we provide you access to the Video Streaming Code.)

Where on the Page? - Place the video as high on the page as possible so that viewer sees the video the moment they arrive at your page.  Remember: The video will be playing immediately; so you want them to see the video right away, without having to scroll down the page.  We also recommend placing the video as close to the upper left corner as your page design will allow since this is the most prominent placement on the page.

No Pop-Ups - Avoid setting up the video as a pop-up window, as some browsers disallow pop-ups.  What's more, having a pop-up window launch suddenly without any accompanying information may just confuse your Website visitor.  So, we suggest placing the video on its own, dedicated page with a small text description (see Additional Information below for suggestions).  Additionally, if you are using Brightcast's Brandsmit Email Branding to promote your video, we won't be able to link directly to the video on your website if you have it setup as a pop-up.

Navigation - Make sure the "video page" on your Website has navigation to other parts of your site (particularly your home page.)

Additional Information - We recommend accompanying your video with additional complimentary text information such as contact details, product summary descriptions, or other info about your business or the subject matter of the video.  This will help Website visitors take immediate action, without having to hunt for your contact info.

Other Video or Audio Elements - DO NOT have any other video or audio elements on the same page as your video.  This could cause confusion or frustration for your Website visitors if multiple elements are playing simultaneously.

Maximize the use of your Video on the Internet

Your Website - Placing your video on your own website is possibly the most important way that you can use your video.  Some very important design recommendations for the placement of your video on your website are found above.  Please read them.

Blogging - If you maintain a blog for your business or contribute to a blog for your industry, consider promoting your video by placing it directly in a blog entry.  Most blog sites will accept the HTML code we provide for inserting your video into a webpage. 

Facebook, MySpace, or Social Networks - Social networks are among the hottest sites on the Internet today and are potential market places for connecting with new clients.  If you have a personal profile or even a company profile on one of these social networks, use it to promote your video there.  The Brightcove.tv page for your video even provides tools for directly submitting your video to your profiles on several of these popular sites.  Just click on your Brightcove.tv page above and check out the links to Digg, Facebook, Del.icio.us, and StumbleUpon.

Business Directories - Increasingly numerous business and professional directories are allowing listings to include video content ... even video content from external sources such as Brightcove. 

RSS Feed - If you have multiple videos in a player, then your video content can also be provided via RSS Feed.  This is a way of continually linking your newest video content to newsfeeds that people subscribe to with their Mail Applications, RSS Readers, or on select websites.  If you need the RSS for your multi-video player, just click on the menu button and then on the RSS feed logo to be provided with RSS Feed options.  Consider providing this RSS feed as directly related to your website (consult with your webmaster to find out more).

Brandsmit Email Branding - Sign up for our Brandsmit Email Branding.  With this special service, you will graphically promote your business identity and link directly to your video with every email that you send.  To find out more, select Brandsmit from the drop down menu at the top of the page.

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