Video uploads had existed earlier launched into a limited beta this June, first with simply under a dozen select areas. Other areas were later granted to opt-in to try out the innovation themselves. Now, Reddit tells us that regional video will become open across the bulk of its “safe for work” areas with this launch.
Video uploads will also be maintained across platforms, including desktop, iOS, and Android. On the desktop, you can select a video file to upload to Reddit’s site, while Reddit’s official mobile apps now enable you to select a pre-recorded video on your phone or record video straight and share to Reddit. The mobile apps also enable you to trim your uploaded videos and GIFs, so you can highlight the part you want to post.
The feature maintains MP4 and MOV file types, and videos of only up to 15 minutes in length. And video spectators can watch while they also discuss and read through others’ replies to the posting.
While Reddit certainly won’t stop users from sharing videos from third-party places, like YouTube, it believes that with the increase of video hosting, more videos will be uploaded shortly to its own site instead.
Video Platform is one the of various moves Reddit has made as of late to become its own content host, rather than a goal where content posted outside is shared via links. Last year, for example, the company abandoned its longtime alliance with Imgur to offer its own image uploads, perceiving its goal was to offer users a “more seamless” experience. It also this year worked out its own native video ads.
While these variations may be, in part, an effort to improve the end-user experience, they have a larger plan. By self-hosting content, Reddit can improve its pageviews, own the traffic, and then better monetize content through advertisement. This could probably be an attractive offering as The News reported in June, the site is the 64th most-visited in the U.S. as of ComScore’s rankings, with 48 million visits, and is the seventh most-visited worldwide, per analysis firm Alexa.
The organization also maintains it has an angle that will distinguish its video from those experienced on YouTube and elsewhere.
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