Youtube vs. Wistia: Which Platform Should You Be Using for Your Nonprofit Video Content and Why?
YouTube is the core platform for many folks when it comes to nonprofit video content. There is a whole culture around YouTube, and many folks just assume that it is the only platform to use to host your videos.
But as video becomes more and more important for politics, nonprofits, and associations as a way to connect with folks, get conversions, build an audience and grow authority, it is time for us to look at YouTube and say, is it the only way to go?
Enter Wistia. Wistia is a video platform similar to youtube but with one core difference. It allows you to host a video on your website, rather than host it on youtube. This allows you to fully understand your video metrics and increase your SEO on your website. With YouTube, you can’t host the video on your site. Instead, it would link back to your youtube channel.
So, what are the pros and cons of Wistia vs. YouTube?
YouTube has its own universe. YouTube is a platform unto itself it has a built in audience, that can connect with your issue or cause. This is awesome, but sometimes it is limiting.
YouTube has built-in ads. That can distract viewers or drive them to a competitor.
YouTube drives links elsewhere. If folks link to your YouTube video, they will drive traffic to YouTube, not to your site, so you are not building backlinks to your site or site authority. It is also not intuitive to integrate donations, and advocacy asks into ads for all sectors. Recently, YouTube incorporated donation cards for C3s and some C4s, but it is not available for all 501c4 and other political organizations. Wistia makes this easier.
Don’t ignore YouTube. It has a built-in audience, and it is used a ton for a reason.
Cost isn’t everything. Wistia has a added cost, but it is not outrageous, and it gives you more control over your nonprofit video content than with YouTube alone.
So give Wistia a try by using a free trial, or email us, and we can chat with you about your options.
Check Out The Campaign Workshop's Youtube Channel here, and our Wistia Channel here!