Businessweek

Brightcove Inc. provides cloud-based solutions for publishing and distributing professional digital media. Products and Services Brightcove Video Cloud (Video Cloud) Video Cloud, the company’s primary product is an online video platform that enables its customers to publish and distribute video to Internet-connected devices. In 2012, the company’s customers used Video Cloud to deliver an average of approximately 699 million video streams per month. Principal Features and Functionality Uploading and Encoding: Using Video Cloud, customers might upload videos and related metadata in various formats for adaptive video encoding that improves quality and minimizes file size. Video Cloud then automatically enables the content to be delivered to end users through a third-party content delivery network, such as Akamai Technologies, Inc. or Limelight Networks, Inc. Content Management: Video Cloud organizes a media library. Videos could be grouped together with drag-and-drop controls or smart playlists that automatically organize content. Customers could set rules for geographic access and schedules to define where and when their videos could be viewed. Video Players: Video Cloud allows for point-and-click styling and configuration of video players that could reflect the brand or design of the customer with tools for customizing colors and graphics. The company’s video players also include a set of standard features, such as full-screen playback, sharing through social media and localized player controls. Multi-platform Video Experiences: The company has built Video Cloud to support various operating systems, formats, and devices. In addition to Web-based experiences, Video Cloud provides publishing and delivery services for cross-platform devices, including smartphones, tablets, and connected TVs. Its solution includes automated device detection and manages multiple renditions of the same video encoded in different forms with optimized delivery protocols for different target formats. The company’s native player software development kits (SDKs) extend the native video player capabilities of Apple iOS and Google Android devices with additional functionality and integrations that could accelerate the development of consumer experiences. These native player SDKs have built-in support for mixed video types and automatic buffering, and have been integrated with advertising, analytics, audience measurement, and digital rights management providers. Live Video Streaming: In addition to on-demand video distribution, Video Cloud includes support for live video broadcasts. Video Cloud accepts multiple streams at different quality levels and delivers the rendition that attempts to match each viewer’s available bandwidth, processor utilization, and player size. Distribution and Syndication: Video Cloud supports a blended distribution strategy across the Internet, allowing customers to distribute videos on their own Website, partner Websites, or video-sharing sites, such as YouTube. These tools help content owners to drive site traffic, increase brand awareness, and expand their audience. Social Media: Customers could expand their audience by utilizing the social network of their viewers. Through integrated Video Cloud capabilities, users could share videos through Facebook and other social media destinations. Advertising and Monetization: Video Cloud could help customers improve and monetize their audience with video advertising features, such as tools for ad insertions and built-in ad server and network integrations. Video Cloud includes tools to support synchronized in-player advertising with embedded link functionality and overlays for persistent branding. Video Cloud also supports established video ad formats, and accommodates pre-, mid-, and post-roll ads with tools to define insertion points. Analytics: Video Cloud’s integrated video analytics present information to optimize and support customers’ online video publishing and distribution strategy. Reports include audience metrics, such as viewers, technology profile details about operating systems and devices, and engagement analytics, such as viewed