Do you wish to optimize videos for your WordPress website?
When given a choice, many people would watch a video rather than read the text since videos can convey much information quickly. Conversion rates might even rise by 80% when landing pages use videos. Videos can also help visitors stay on a website longer, reducing bounce rates and resulting in purchases.
However, videos can be heavy in size and bandwidth use, which might provide performance challenges. In fact, you can’t even stream videos with certain hosting companies.
Another issue is that you end up with a lot of overhead from third-party scripts when you add Vimeo or YouTube video embeds to your website. PageSpeed Insights issues such as “reduce unused JavaScript” are the outcome of this. Videos on YouTube even load extra web fonts.
Here is a survey conducted by Renderforest, Survey Findings on Video Use
- 78% of users increased website traffic through videos.
- 83% of video marketers reported increased website time.
- 83% of users generated new leads through video content.
- 44% of users increased sales.
Although videos are a great way to interact with your audience, they may be large files. They may impair user experience and cause your website to operate more slowly. This is the reason why video optimization is crucial.
In this guide, we’ll teach you how to optimize videos for websites.
Tip #1 Use Compact Video Formats
When incorporating videos into your WordPress websites, it’s advisable to use smaller file formats like WebM and MP4. Here’s a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of each:
WebM:
- On average, 30% smaller compared to MP4.
- Compatible only with modern web browsers.
- Open source in nature.
- Supports VP8 and VP9 video codecs.
MP4:
- Slightly larger in size than WebM.
- Ideal for high-quality video content.
- Enjoy broader support across various web browsers.
- Not open source.
- Supports the H.264 video codec.
It’s recommended that trials be conducted to determine which video file format suits your needs best.
Tip #2 Pick a Video Hosting Service
To start, find a trustworthy platform to host your videos. Through our experience with WordPress, we’ve learned that using a separate video hosting provider is better than storing videos on your own website.
Using embedded videos instead of self-hosting is simpler and more efficient.
Platforms like YouTube and Vimeo handle file formats and resolutions, allowing you to embed the video into your WordPress site using a Video block and content URL.
Afterward, just embed the video into your WordPress site using a Video block and the URL of your content.
Here is an example of that:
Tip #3 Video Compression
It’s essential to compress your video if it’s in the wrong format or too big for the platform you’re uploading it to. But don’t worry, there are some excellent free online tools for video compression.
Let’s explore the top ones:
- VEED: Ideal for changing format and resolution, quick to use.
- FreeConvert: The fastest way to change the format.
- Wondershare: Good for format changes.
Among these, we recommend VEED as the best option for compressing videos. It’s user-friendly and offers additional customization options, including free resolution changes.
But why bother compressing a video file? Compressing reduces its size, making it more suitable for your website by requiring less storage and bandwidth. However, compressing a video inevitably reduces its quality, although the extent of quality loss depends on the level of compression applied.
Tip #4 Optimize with Lazy Loading
Lazy loading is a clever alternative to traditional loading methods. Instead of loading all resources at once, it delays loading videos until a user scrolls down to the video section. This speeds up the initial page load because only visible content loads first, easing the load on servers and bandwidth.
By implementing lazy loading, you improve user experience by prioritizing quick loading of essential content. Additionally, search engines recognize this optimized loading method, which can enhance your SEO efforts.
Tip #5 Switch to HTML5
In the past, you needed to install plugins like Adobe Flash Player to embed videos on your website. Now, with HTML5, you can directly embed videos without these plugins.
But why make the switch from plugins like Adobe Flash Player? Well, HTML5 enables your videos to play smoothly on websites optimized for mobile devices.
To ensure compatibility across all browsers, it’s recommended to use the MP4 file format. However, formats like WebM are supported in Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
Wrapping up
Optimizing videos for your WordPress site is critical for enhancing user experience, increasing website performance, and boosting SEO results. By following the advice in this article, you can guarantee that your videos load quickly, play smoothly, and are compatible with a variety of devices and browsers.
From selecting the best video hosting provider to compressing your movies and using lazy loading, these optimization approaches can help you optimize the impact of your video content while putting less demand on your website’s resources.
FAQs on Optimize Video for WordPress
What are the benefits of using a third-party video hosting service?
Websites that host videos for third parties, like Vimeo and YouTube, automate processes like format conversion and resolution modifications for better video optimization. This secures compatibility with a broad range of devices and browsers and lessens the load on the server hosting your website.
How might video compression help with optimization?
Video compression decreases the size of video files while maintaining quality. Compressed videos load quicker, need less data, and are more compatible with a variety of devices, making them critical for optimizing video content on WordPress websites.
What is lazy loading and how does it improve video content?
Lazy loading causes non-essential material, such as movies, to load after the user scrolls down to view it. This optimization strategy improves page load speeds, decreases server stress, and enhances the overall user experience by loading vital content first.
Are there any plugins that can help you optimize videos on WordPress?
Yes, there are various WordPress plugins that can help with video optimization, including Insanity for picture scaling and WP Smush for image and video compression. These plugins automate the optimization process, allowing website owners to manage their video material more efficiently.
