With video projected to make up 82% of consumer internet traffic by 2020, and global internet traffic in the same year set to be 95 times greater than it was in 2005, there remains little doubt in the tech industry that video is the the best place to hedge your bets when it comes to communications.
From B2B software to consumer-facing apps, these seven startups are hoping to stay ahead of the pack when it comes to innovative video solutions.
- FrameFreak: Animated Sales Videos
If you’re an SMB looking to promote your service online via an affordable yet memorable medium, FrameFreak believes it has the perfect solution.
Its template-based animation package starts at a fraction of the price of its original animation option, includes most of the same features – high converting script, captivating studio voiceover, etc – and can be delivered in a quarter of the time.
While it does use generic templates and is worked on by the junior rather than the senior team, if you’re hoping to get your point across quickly, and don’t have $1000s to spend, its template-based package may well be a good investment.
- BombBomb: Video Email
With more than 205 billion emails sent and received in 2015, how can you ensure the important one you send gets read, let alone gets a response? Here, BombBomb believes it can help.
Its video email add-on seamlessly integrates with Gmail, Salesforce, and Outlook, and allows you to record, send, and track your videos from within these existing platforms. With 81% of beta customers reporting a higher reply rate when compared to traditional email, no video size limit, and a free 14-day trial, there are more than a few good reasons to give it a go – just bear in mind that the cheapest plan thereafter is $39 per month, and if you’re not with one of the three supported platforms, you’ll have to wait for future developments.
- WhatUSee: Location-Based Smartphone Camera Sharing
Allowing “anyone to see everything, anywhere, anytime,” may sound like an ominous security breach, but WhatUSee is a strictly on-demand service. Users who download the app have full control over when, where, and with whom they choose to share their smartphone cameras, and can broadcast live or upload and archive their videos for later.
If you’ve little chance of ever getting to your dream destination, or simply want to check out what the vibe is like before booking those flights, WhatUSee might well be the next best thing to actually being there. However, with no reviews yet on the AppStore, just how many people will feel comfortable allowing those outside of their personal network to access their cameras, remains to be seen.
- ClipChamp: Video Converter, Video Compression & Webcam Recording
Whether it’s converting a one-off video for personal use or recording, sharing, or collecting user-generated files on a more regular basis for business, ClipChamp’s software-free solution aims to make the process faster and more convenient than whatever you’re using currently.
Free to use up to a maximum of five videos per month, no file limits, and with nothing to download or install, it makes sense to try it out if you’re unhappy with your current solution. However, the free version only supports MP4/WebM – you’ll have to upgrade to the $9 per month professional package from the get-go if you need access to the full suite of compatible formats.
- NIghtshift: Movie Preload Software for Slow Internet Connections
Suffering with limited high-speed data or slow cable internet? If your connection is far from lightening-fast and you’re falling behind on the latest Netflix must-sees, Nightshift thinks it can help. Its internet modem add-on allows you to preload selected shows and movies overnight, meaning you can play them buffer-free, in all their HD glory the next day.
So what’s the catch? The one-off cost of $99 and a monthly subscription fee – starting at $6.99 – may seem too steep for many, especially as it’s for a supplement rather than a better alternative to your current internet provider. However, the Nightshift solution would save on over-limit charges and costly high-speed packs, so it may well work out cheaper in the long run.
- StreamSpread: Live Stream Promotion Network
If you’re looking to monetize your website via unique content or scale the target audience of your live video broadcast, StreamSpread could be for you.
Purported to be the very first live stream promotion network, it allows streamers to boost their channels’ popularity by purchasing viewports on associated websites, while offering website owners the opportunity to maximise their revenue through relevant live content.
Its published ESL case study certainly seems impressive, achieving more than 2,500,000 minutes watched in one viewport over just 7 days, but with no upfront costs or in-depth detail publicly available, you’ll have to register to find out more.
- Unreel: Branded Video Streaming Sites and Apps
For a fuss-free way to create and manage your own engaging video community, Unreel believes it is the best service provider on the market.
Offering users a free customisable platform with unique domain name, the ability to easily connect existing video accounts (including YouTube and Facebook), and a series of plugins (from a Shopify shopping cart to paid content areas), it aims to give creators full control over their distribution and monetization – something that the majority of online video channels fail to do.
With Unreel committed to giving away the first $1 million earned by its microsites commission-free, now is certainly the time to jump on board if video is a major part of your marketing strategy – if not, it may well end up being yet another forgotten content channel.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that the commission on all sales through Unreel will revert to the standard 15% as soon as the $1 million giveaway has ended – whether this works out cheaper than monthly subscription-based hosting platforms is a task for your CFO.
