Q&A: Where should we host our e-Learning videos?

Reader’s letter

Hi Kaine,

Our videos are currently hosted on the same server that our LMS is hosted on. We think this is slowing down loading times so we are looking at video hosting services. We considered YouTube, but it doesn't allow us to keep our e-Learning videos private. There must be a better way. Help!

Plume’s answer

There are a few issues that self-hosting videos on your LMS’ server will present:

• Slow loading for those on poor internet connections due to the lack of compression or resolution options
• Higher hosting costs because videos being streamed in their original uncompressed formats and resolutions (increasing your storage and bandwidth requirements)
• Higher demand on your server which reduces load times across the entire LMS for all users
• Even slower loading for international users due to data being sent across continents
• Zero reporting metrics

There are a huge number of private video hosting companies that will allow you to protect your content and make it available to those who have a suitable course or membership subscriptions. Services like AWS offer highly customisable video hosting services but are often reserved for larger training businesses that are serving tens of thousands of learners. 

We’ve found that Vimeo’s paid accounts are often the best fit for SMEs looking for a private and secure video hosting options, and their fees are some of the best around. With plans starting at £12 per month, it has domain-whitelisting functionality which ensures that videos can only be viewed when embedded into your learning website or app, preventing unauthorised access.

Moving to a service like Vimeo will improve the overall user experience, both in terms of loading and performance, but with additional quality-of-life features such as:

• Video chapters
• Transcripts and subtitles for accessibility
• Player branding/customisation
• Webinars and live broadcasting

Be sure to watch out for your plan’s usage limits, which include some inclusive bandwidth. Some of our corporate clients have faced additional bills from Vimeo for overage, costing them tens of thousands of pounds.

👉Slow LMS? We wrote a comprehensive guide on how to speed things up!