Hosting your video on the web is very popular these days

The first thing I'd check when signing up with a web video hosting service site is the storage limit for videos allocated to each user. Different sites have varying limits in the size of the video files they allow a user to upload. Given that you might be uploading dozens and dozens of videos, this aspect of the service is clearly an important one.

Another thing to look out for in a web video hosting service is to find out what uploading formats the site accepts. You should find one that accepts as many formats as possible. In particular, it should at least support popular formats such as Quicktime, Windows Media and MPEG.
 

Make sure your video hosting service accepts your video format

Another related question is the availability of viewing formats. Flash tends to be the standard for viewing videos on the Web, but check out if the site supports other formats. If you want to quickly convert your videos into a Flash format, then check out this software which does a great job.

You'll also want to check that the web video hosting service does not allow anonymous downloads of your video. Remember, copyright laws apply to web video, and many web video hosting sites assume that owners of uploaded videos do not want their videos downloaded and distributed.

Many web video hosting sites now offer online editing features. If you look at JumpCut, it offers extensive online nonlinear editing capabilities. At other sites, you can also remix your video or add titles, narration or photos. These editing features are simple and basic though - they won't have the power and flexibility of a full-fledged editing suite. If you feel online editing is important, then look out for this feature in the web video hosting service you select.

The last point here relates to the audience who visit the web video hosting service. Why is this important, you ask? It is critically important. Some web video hosting sites allow target audiences and uploaders who like illegal or distasteful videos - and if your uploaded video is situated next to these in the site, it isn't going to be too appealing is it?

I hope this article has shown you 7 of the more important things you need to look out for when selecting a web video hosting site. Try to bear the above in mind when making your selection, so that you can enjoy a better web video experience.