Intro to File Types, Part Three: Digital Video Formats
Today’s Marketers Use Video More Than Ever Before!
Looking to take charge of your business or nonprofit’s digital marketing efforts? Having a solid understanding of commonly used file formats is key to building confidence and laying the foundation for success.
That’s why we’ve been taking the time to share some insights on common formats you’ll encounter when working with digital media – starting with a look at digital image formats for print projects, followed by a review of image formats for use on the web. Now, let’s wrap up our crash course with a quick look at common formats for digital video.
Visually rich and emotionally engaging, video has long been a cornerstone of modern marketing – but now, with more businesses and nonprofits moving towards a more virtual model in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this powerful marketing tool has become more vital than ever. With this in mind, let’s review four file formats you’re likely to encounter when working with digital video…
MP4
Recommended by most social media platforms and used as the default format on a range of mobile devices, MP4 video can be found just about everywhere on the web today. The format’s compression method cuts down file size by reducing redundant data; the trade-off is that image sharpness and color depth are slightly diminished. Nonetheless, it’s considered a fairly high-quality format, and it’s a great pick for a variety of digital video applications.
WMV
Developed by Microsoft for use with Windows Media Player, WMV isn’t quite as high-definition as MP4, but its compression method results in a smaller file size, so it’s often preferred for online video streaming or for attaching short clips to emails. One drawback, though – Apple products don’t offer out-of-the-box support for WMV, so Apple users will need to download a separate app to view videos in this format.
MOV
A web-friendly format boasting high video quality, MOV is another file type that’s quite common on the web today; along with MP4, it’s frequently recommended by social media platforms, and it’s easy to convert a MOV file to MP4 and vice versa. Developed by Apple for use with QuickTime, MOV is also supported by a number of other video players – and, because of how the format stores data, it’s become a top choice for video editing.
AVI
One of the oldest video formats still in common use, AVI uses less sophisticated compression than more modern formats, meaning file size is significantly larger – around 2-3 GB per minute of video! This makes it very poorly suited for streaming or download, but since it’s a high-quality and widely supported format, it may be a good choice if you’re distributing video on a physical medium such as a disc or flash drive.
Are you ready to boost your brand with an investment in digital video? Contact us at Rosie’s Creative. From best practices for video on social media, to tips and tricks for getting max mileage out of stock clips, we know video inside and out – and we’re ready to help your business or nonprofit harness the power of this versatile marketing tool, for big results.
Want to learn more? Contact Rosie’s Creative today– and remember, with us, your first consultation is always free!