Free User Generated Video Sharing Websites

A number of websites, most notably YouTube.com, allow any user to freely share videos with other users and the public. Their revenue is generated by displaying advertisements on the pages alongside the user-generated video listings. Some of the user generated videos featured on such websites are actually generated by the user personally, while others are clips from television programs or other sources, sometimes with commentary added by the user.

Two advantages of using free video sharing websites are that there is no need to host the videos on your own website, and that the videos receive free promotion because people can find them on the video sharing services’ search features, and they may appear in a featured videos area as well. This eliminates the need for a website, and even if you do have a website, it prevents a large amount of bandwidth and storage space from being consumed by hosting videos.

There is some equipment necessary to make your own videos, along with a few additional items which are helpful but not required. A digital video camera can be used; some of these have a built-in microphone for the sound portion, although a camera with a microphone jack and external microphone is preferable for some types of videos. If you are to create such videos, your computer should have a free USB port (there don’t appear to be any serial port cameras of this type available, and such a camera would take a very long time to transfer a video to the computer if it exists) and a substantial amount of free hard disk space. Another useful accessory is a tripod, for holding the camera steady and/or eliminating the need to hold the camera during recording.

In addition to providing free entertainment, user generated video sharing services can be used for a variety of purposes, including expressing an opinion or promoting your website. Some YouTube members place their website URL in the description of each recording, or have the URL appear at the top or bottom of the screen while they are played. When such advertising is implemented in a manner which is not obnoxious to users, it will likely be useful for increasing website traffic if the video is interesting and of good quality.

Other examples of video sharing websites include Sharkle.com and ClipShack.com. Some websites which are better known for other services, such as Google (video.google.com), Yahoo, and PhotoBucket, also offer services of this type.