Video is an incredibly powerful tool, with millions of hours of video watched online every single day. While a lot of us associate WordPress with creating a blog, it can be an awesome way to host your videos too.
We’re not just talking about embedding videos from other platforms like YouTube, either. Creating a WordPress blog with video content can be an excellent way to engage viewers, boost your reach, and even drive more sales.
Whether you’re creating tutorials, interviews, or other types of videos for your site, there are some great plugins available to help make the process easier.
In this guide, we’re exploring the best WordPress plugins and methods of embedding video in your posts.
Why Use WordPress For Video?
If you already have a blog, you might well want to explore which WordPress plugin can help you to start publishing videos .
With so many options for hosting your video, and many of them being free, you might wonder why you should use WordPress for video content. What are the benefits of doing so?
Well, one reason is that you may wish to keep traffic on your own site and not rely on a third party. You can host WordPress on your own hosting, which means that you are not reliant on another site, abiding by its rules and putting up with advertising options.
For instance, if you want to host a video to show people, but you don’t want to worry about them having to sit through ads, then this is a great option. Also, if you want to show your video on your WordPress website, you don’t want the branding of other sites creeping in. If you use YouTube or Vimeo, this is a possibility.
If you are going to use WordPress for video, then you will need to ensure that the video is neatly polished before you upload it, so as well as tools on your website, quality video editing software is a must.
Using Plugins For Your Blog
Many developers have set out to create a WordPress plugin to solve the video issue that people have. WordPress has its own inbuilt upload function for media, but this is far from perfect, and it can take up a lot of bandwidth (cloud cost management is a crucial way to avoid spending a fortune on this) as well as causing display problems.
It should also be said that there are so many different tools for WordPress, including plenty that have nothing to do with video. When you are working on trying to grow your blog, some of the tools that allow you to tailor the site to the exact design you are looking for are a great way to fit your own requirements from the site.
This awesome list of the best WordPress plugins shows you how many different examples there are of tools that can help your development, whether you are trying to rank in the search engines, add HD video, or even add features and functions like user registration or e-commerce.
How to Embed a Video on WordPress
The standard method of embedding videos on WordPress is to use a video block within the Block Editor.
When you add a new block, simply choose a video block or type “/video”. This will give you the option to upload your video within the post. It puts the video directly into your post, but you need to be careful, as it is possible that the video can take up a huge amount of bandwidth.
Other options include embedding from YouTube, which could not be easier in the Block Editor. All you need to do is copy the URL of the video directly into a block, and it will automatically embed.
However, for those who want a more advanced method of embedding videos, there are some good plugins.
Tools For Embedding Videos When You Create a Blog on WordPress
You may want some extra features and functions when you embed videos, and the inbuilt option for WordPress may not give you the exact video playback you want. These plugins can help.
Easy Video Player
Easy Video Player still relies on uploading video to the Media section of your site, but it provides you with many more options for how the video plays, including looping and autoplay functions. It means you can display the video in the exact way you want to, customize it, and even add HTML5 video to your site.
Ultimate Video Player
This is a paid plugin, but it is great for those who are looking to monetize their site. Ultimate Video Player allows you to connect to add networks in order to display ads before your videos and optimize your site for a potential income. It also supports multiple video qualities, so you don’t always have to serve in high definition and take up a lot of bandwidth.
Presto Player
Presto Player is the only video plugin for WordPress you’ll ever need. You can add email opt-ins, calls to action and monetize videos. You can make the player sticky, use muted autoplay, create chapters for longer videos and use videos from multiple sources. You can even integrate Google Analytics so you can monitor the performance of your videos.
If you want to use video on your blog, Presto Player helps you take it to the next level!
Examples of Cool WP Blogs
Ted Blog
The Ted Blog is a great example of a site that uses video perfectly, as well as images and easy-to-read text. The site is built on the WordPress platform, which shows that even huge brands are using the infrastructure.
Windows Blog
Another tech giant using WordPress is Microsoft. The Windows blog uses the platform and does a brilliant job of sharing text as well as media clearly and staying within the Windows branding.
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is one of the top sources for tech, startup, and innovation news. Once again, it showcases how WordPress can be used to power huge sites with lots of media content.
Evernote
Incidentally, Evernote is also powered by WordPress. This great example of a blog showcases how WordPress can be used for any purpose, from the simplest personal blogs to huge corporate websites.
==> Also read: How to Improve Booking Management System With Appointment Booking Plugin
Summary
Although WordPress wasn’t built with video in mind necessarily, it has grown and evolved to the point where it can support video via its media uploader or via embedding from some of the most popular platforms. WordPress plugins can take your site in pretty much any direction you need and enhance the functionality.
Knowing your options for embedding videos can help you to better customize your site for a unique look and feel. With the right plugins, you can make sure that your website is packed with features that are both useful and eye-catching.
