The opportunities for HTML5 video on the Internet are sizable. Its open structure makes it the best fit for the web as mobile engagement and interactive video grow. Brightcove has chosen to focus on this technology for our players moving forward, allowing our customers to enjoy faster load times, enhanced security, smoother mobile experiences, and an edge on interactivity and other developing video directions.
Industry interest in HTML5 has grown as Flash continues to come under fire. Flash is unable to run on iOS and Android devices, and HTML5 will benefit from their support as the market for mobile continues to grow. As of 2015, nearly 64% of adults in the United States are in possession of a smartphone, and more than 25% of internet visits occur on a mobile device. Companies that do not enable their videos to run across all devices miss connecting with a large portion of their audience.
Several major publishers and firms, including AOL, Forbes, and The New York Times, have already pushed to implement the HTML5 standard for their mobile ads. Not only is the ability to play ads on all platforms crucial for publishers, but also directly affects a customer’s ability to purchase. Unreliable video play results in lost revenue as viewers are unable to move from the ad to the purchasing page. If customers are disconnected at any point in the purchasing process, it signifies a critical missed opportunity for the retailer.
HTML5’s semantic structure is especially powerful for interactive videos. One of the key selling points for including video as part of your marketing strategy is the SEO advantage of video. Search engines can’t see inside Flash, and consequently cannot identify content within videos with multiple interrelated pieces. In other words, HTML5 ensures Google helps prospects and customers find your content.
We would like to see publishers build on a semantic structure to define specific content using tags. Structuring video content in this way allows search engines to read a single video as multiple pages with discrete content. This makes it possible for viewers to search for a single clip from the video without knowing the exact time stamp and results in higher-ranking search results.
For brands and content creators, Brightcove focuses on delivering all the benefits of HTML5 in an intuitive, easy to use platform.
Brightcove Video Cloud is capable of running as a Flash player or as an HTML5 player. Video Cloud smart players play your videos in a Flash player on devices that support Flash and have it installed, and otherwise play your videos in HTML5 players. Initially intended for Apple devices, this functionality will increase in importance as more and more devices move away from Flash.
HTML5 is becoming the universal format for web development. Brightcove’s platform continues to evolve and expand to leverage its video capabilities, delivering a premium video experience for our customers.
Try Video Cloud for Free for 30 Days!