Vimeo Launches Stock Footage Marketplace for Creators [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Video platform Vimeo today is expanding its recent focus on software tools for video creators, part of a continued pivot away from earlier attempts to get into original content creation itself. Vimeo CEO Anjali Sud confirmed the move to Axios today, explaining that the company saw "so much organic growth" from software tools it already sells that the pivot "became a no-brainer."

Currently, Vimeo calls itself "the high quality home for video hosting and watching," with many videos like short films, documentaries, and more residing on the service. Vimeo found a niche for smaller content creators to host their videos on its site, since they could sell their content to interested viewers and take 90 percent of the revenue each video earned after fees.

Now, as more tech companies enter the already "saturated" video viewing market, and are willing to invest billions in original content, Vimeo has pulled back from competing in that space to focus on helping professional creators through the launch of tools such as stock video clips.

The pivot allows Vimeo to go after a less competitive social "SaaS" (software as a service) market that focuses on stock video, as opposed to the saturated original content viewing market, which is dominated by massive tech companies investing billions in original content to win eyeballs.

"Today 100% of our business model is software as a service, like a Dropbox or a Slack ... We just saw so much organic growth from the software tools side among the creators that it became a no-brainer that this is what we should focus on."

Although Apple is not directly mentioned, the company has set aside a "$1 billion war chest" in planning its upcoming streaming television service, and Vimeo has recognized that this expensive pursuit of original content is making for a very crowded marketplace. Ahead of a rumors 2019 launch, Apple has hired executives from Sony Pictures and Amazon Studios, prepared a lineup of over a dozen original shows, and is said to be "completely all in" on original content, according to iTunes chief Eddy Cue.

Vimeo does have a small collection of original series, but its Vimeo Originals platform never took off in comparison to rival video services. Ahead of the pivot, over the past year Vimeo has been "trying to pull back" from being a video viewing platform by "no longer investing in original content." Instead, Vimeo will now present itself as an "agnostic and independent home" full of tools and services that let creators edit their work, to then be shared on other platforms like YouTube or Facebook Watch.

"Most large video-viewing destinations, like YouTube and Facebook, are ad supported, and are focused on keeping content and eyeballs on their platform. But if you're a creator, you need an agnostic and independent home to create and distribute your work and there really are no other creator platforms that do that at scale."

Vimeo's new tools will be called "Vimeo Stock," with HD clips starting at $79 and 4K clips starting at $199. Vimeo is also offering paid memberships with various upload limits, tools, and team member limits, with memberships and clips available at discounted prices when purchased together.

On the other side of the equation, Vimeo says it will offer contributors of stock footage for the service a "higher revenue share" than its competitors, as much as 60-70 percent of revenue generated from their content.

As part of its quiet year-long move away from its own original content creation, Vimeo in April launched a dedicated macOS app aimed at Final Cut Pro users. The app gives these users "more control over file formats and video codecs," and integrates Vimeo with Final Cut Pro to export ProRes videos, manage uploads, share videos for team reviews, and more features that are exclusively focused on content creation and editing.

For Apple devices, Vimeo is available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, but the company did not give any word regarding how these apps will change following the pivot.

Update: This article has been updated to clarify that Vimeo is not moving away from its traditional video hosting platform for creators. The company's ongoing shift away from its own original content is being augmented with today's launch of Vimeo Stock tools to assist independent creators with producing their own content.

Article Link: Vimeo Launches Stock Footage Marketplace for Creators [Updated]

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

HUGE Mistake for that company

 

[mtneer]

I never got what Vimeo's model was. They only hosted short clips and esoteric content (well made, no doubt) but without any apparent commercial value - either to Vimeo or to the creator (other than maybe serve as a portfolio host for the creator looking for new gigs).

Maybe this software/ tools focus can deliver some value. But how that would work in a world dominated by Premiere and Final Cut is also unclear..

 

[gotluck]

youtube needs competition

 

[DonutHands]

HUGE Mistake for that company

If there was no profit to be made in hosting content, not a mistake to shutter that service.

 

[maverick28]

As part of its quiet year-long move away from focusing on video watching, Vimeo in April launched a dedicated macOS app aimed at Final Cut Pro users. The app gives these users "more control over file formats and video codecs," and integrates Vimeo with Final Cut Pro to export ProRes videos, manage uploads, share videos for team reviews, and more features that are exclusively focused on content creation and editing.

FCPX users have all of that with the software and this demand is to be met by Apple providing quality tools not a 3rd party online service. I don't understand what novelties we're exposed to here. Vimeo as a sharing platform was what these users needed for ages. The only requirement is that for their compression algorithms to preserve the original quality without being compromised while uploading which is the case with YouTube. We don't need any additional "tools", we demand that from Apple. Likewise Adone Premier Pro is a tool that if going to be challenged then by specialized companies not by online services. Exaggerated Cult of the almighty Online became irritating on its own with these companies pushing this agenda down our throats.

 

[robbyx]

FCPX users have all of that with the software and this demand is to be met by Apple providing quality tools not a 3rd party online service. I don't understand what novelties we're exposed to here. Vimeo as a sharing platform was what these users needed for ages. The only requirement is that for their compression algorithms to preserve the original quality without being compromised while uploading which is the case with YouTube. We don't need any additional "tools", we demand that from Apple. Likewise Adone Premier Pro is a tool that if going to be challenged then by specialized companies not by online services. Exaggerated Cult of the almighty Online became irritating on its own with these companies pushing this agenda down our throats.

Until Apple does to FCPX what it did to Aperture. Or OS X Server. I wouldn’t trust Apple with any professional software. Too many professional and enterprise users have been burned by Apple over the years. That said, I don’t get why anybody wants or needs these tools from Vimeo either. They’re hardly shoving anything down your throat, though.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

HUGE Mistake for that company

How do you know?

 

[maverick28]

They’re hardly shoving anything down your throat, though.

I talked about them as a special case following the trend to move everything from your machine to the Internet to increase the profit not about Vimeo specifically. Adobe CC subscription model is a typical example (you don't pay monthly - you can't create). There's going to be a long ride until online software become as much effective as that locally deployed but even then the fact that I'm dependent on something that's outside of my cave feels psychologically uncomfortable. Sharing service? Fine. Online tools? No. That's my take.

 

[CBlakeston]

I wish they were clearer about about happens to existing hosted videos going forward.

It explicitly says they’re getting out the hosting business to to become a central place from which filmmakers will upload their work to other platforms.

Just tell me what will happen to the 300+ films I have hosted with them and the pro account I recently resubbed to for $200.

 

[aaronhead14]

Wait, so they're completely getting rid of their video hosting service??

 

[CBlakeston]

Wait, so they're completely getting rid of their video hosting service??

It seems to say that then reference supporting creators with their new stock video site. ? As a Vimeo user this corporate speak ridden press release is bull ****. I just want to know what’s going on with my videos that are currently hosted.
[doublepost=1536165962][/doublepost]So I just got an email from Vimeo announcing their 'Vimeo Stock' service and paid members of Vimeo get a discount of buying clips. There's nothing to suggest they're stopping hosting videos or abandoning their current business model. Just adding to it with new services.

If that's the case, Mac Rumours and Axio who they got the story from are spinning it out of all proportion.

 

[macduke]

Saturated…by YouTube only? I really wish someone could shake this up, but the sheer resources needed to even begin competing are overwhelming.

 

[aaronhead14]

It seems to say that then reference supporting creators with their new stock video site. ? As a Vimeo user this corporate speak ridden press release is bull ****. I just want to know what’s going on with my videos that are currently hosted.

Me too. In my opinion, for filmmakers, Vimeo Plus/Pro is VASTLY superior to YouTube. It allows streaming content in a higher bitrate than YouTube, and it has really important features that YouTube lacks, such as the ability to update/replace a video whilst retaining the same URL. This is a must-have feature for film festival submissions!

 

[MikeAnd]

Unfortunate, but understandable. It's hard to compete with the sheer breadth of YouTube, even if 99% of it is a cesspool.

 

[CBlakeston]

This is Vimeos Actual announcement from their email. At no point does it say they're getting out of the hosting business. MacRumours.. why are you reporting they are?

Vimeo Stock is here: featuring exclusive stock footage for your next project
Starting today, you can find the best clips for your project with the all-new Vimeo Stock: handpicked, royalty-free stock footage you can’t find anywhere else, and special savings for Vimeo members.

Save 20% on every clip
Vimeo members with a Plus plan (or above) save 20% on every clip. On top of that, if you buy a membership and clip together, you’ll also save 20% on the membership.

Stock that doesn't look like stock
Vimeo Stock combines the best clips from around the world — carefully curated by our team — from creators sharing footage for the first time, exclusively on Vimeo. The result? High quality footage that looks like nothing else.

Fits your workflow
After you purchase a clip, it’s added to your videos page (and doesn’t affect your storage). So you and your team can organize, review, showcase, or customize your stock clips just like the rest of your videos.

Supporting Independent Creators
Vimeo Stock is about supporting our community, which is why creators keep up to an industry-leading 70% of their clip revenue. So when you buy clips from filmmakers in our community, you’re directly supporting independent creators.

 

[Gorms]

If that's the case, Mac Rumours and Axio who they got the story from are spinning it out of all proportion.

I dunno dude, the CEO of Vimeo is probably a pretty reliable source.

 

[CBlakeston]

I dunno dude, the CEO of Vimeo is probably a pretty reliable source.

I'm as confused as you are. So the quotes from the CEO the articles are based on are these.

“Today 100% of our business model is software as a service, like a Dropbox or a Slack … We just saw so much organic growth from the software tools side among the creators that it became a no-brainer that this is what we should focus on.”

“Most large video-viewing destinations, like YouTube and Facebook, are ad supported, and are focused on keeping content and eyeballs on their platform. But if you’re a creator, you need an agnostic and independent home to create and distribute your work and there really are no other creator platforms that do that at scale.”

From that, the headlines of both articles are:
Axio: Vimeo pivots business from media to tech
Macrumours: Vimeo Pivoting From Video Hosting to Selling Software Tools

He doesn't actually say they are ending hosting, it's just the headlines that infer that. What they are doing is launching a stock footage service - which you get a discount from if you sign up to join vimeo at the same time (or are an existing Vimeo member). Which implies they will continue to host videos??

 

[CarlJ]

I never got what Vimeo's model was. They only hosted short clips and esoteric content (well made, no doubt) but without any apparent commercial value - either to Vimeo or to the creator ...

The impression I always got was, all the good stuff got posted to YouTube, and Vimeo got what was left over - not that they aimed for "short clips and esoteric content", but that they got content almost accidentally.

Which is a shame, because I'd like YouTube to have a really good competitor (to keep them on their toes if nothing else). But that would take a great design and a whole lot of mindshare / public interest. And then I suppose I'd complain that my viewing needs were split between multiple sites. Sigh.

 

[robbyx]

I talked about them as a special case following the trend to move everything from your machine to the Internet to increase the profit not about Vimeo specifically. Adobe CC subscription model is a typical example (you don't pay monthly - you can't create). There's going to be a long ride until online software become as much effective as that locally deployed but even then the fact that I'm dependent on something that's outside of my cave feels psychologically uncomfortable. Sharing service? Fine. Online tools? No. That's my take.

I think the subscription model is great so long as it’s fairly priced. I appreciate why people want to own (even though you don’t really “own”) software. But software as service makes a lot more sense if you’re a developer. Rather than getting big chunks of money when a new version launches, your income is spread out over a period of time. If it’s fairly priced, the cost to the end user is ultimately the same. Take Adobe. I don’t hear any true professionals complaining about Adobe CC being subscription. What did Photoshop cost new? $800? At $10/month, you’re looking at years before you pay that much. You would have probably upgraded too under the old model. I think Adobe’s products are priced quite fairly. I can’t say that for others. That’s why I won’t pay for 1Password. At $3/month, it’s not worth it. At $1/month, I’d be a subscriber for life.

 

[diamond3]

I think the subscription model is great so long as it’s fairly priced. I appreciate why people want to own (even though you don’t really “own”) software. But software as service makes a lot more sense if you’re a developer. Rather than getting big chunks of money when a new version launches, your income is spread out over a period of time. If it’s fairly priced, the cost to the end user is ultimately the same. Take Adobe. I don’t hear any true professionals complaining about Adobe CC being subscription. What did Photoshop cost new? $800? At $10/month, you’re looking at years before you pay that much. You would have probably upgraded too under the old model. I think Adobe’s products are priced quite fairly. I can’t say that for others. That’s why I won’t pay for 1Password. At $3/month, it’s not worth it. At $1/month, I’d be a subscriber for life.

There's a lot of people complaining about Adobe in general. The only real benefit seems to be they can roll out updates (bug fixes) much faster and more often. It seems as though you're always getting beta versions followed by updates to fix issues. The problem is that there seems to always be a critical bug that requires you to update so its not like you can sit by idol and a nice update. Honestly, for the amount of money from subscribers and the revue it brings in, I'd say they're failing at providing a consistent product that works. Being in the video profession, a lot of users are using Adobe, a large part want to leave it but they have the Apple 'ecosystem' that prevents people from moving on.

And back to the article, this seems like it was a poorly researched and written article based on what actually seemed to be announced. I'm glad Vimeo is sticking to hosting video.

 

[ILikeAllOS]

As a Vimeo user this corporate speak ridden press release is bull ****. I just want to know what’s going on with my videos that are currently hosted.

I've always wondered, how does one be a "Vimeo user" in the first place? Nobody uses the site...
Do you really upload videos just for the 2 people that might ever view it, or does Vimeo have some kind of plan I'm not aware of where they give each user like 250GB or more of free storage space and so people just use it for that purpose? Sort of like how Flickr used to (or still does) offer every user like 1TB of storage and so people were just using it as a free place to store their files.

 

[CBlakeston]

I've always wondered, how does one be a "Vimeo user" in the first place? Nobody uses the site...
Do you really upload videos just for the 2 people that might ever view it, or does Vimeo have some kind of plan I'm not aware of where they give each user like 250GB or more of free storage space and so people just use it for that purpose? Sort of like how Flickr used to (or still does) offer every user like 1TB of storage and so people were just using it as a free place to store their files.

So, there's a couple different ways.

Free
Same as youtube. Join up and upload video but your limited by a certain amount of uploads per month.

Pro
You can upload much more. 20GB a week I think. You can control how the embedded player looks and add your own logos. Password protect videos for film festival submissions ect. There's a comprehensive review system where clients can make notes on a video being edited as you revise it to final cut. You can also upload your own content for distribution and Vimeo give you a generous 90% of the profit. There's more I'm forgetting, but you get the idea.

I get 150k views a year on Vimeo. That's a fraction of YouTube but its not inconsiderable. My Vimeo account also forms the back end of my website.

Vimeo is 'YouTube for creatives' I guess, if you want to get snobby about it lol. It's generally thought of (in my experience at least) as more high brow than YouTube. It generally has better quality encoding. Most filmmakers and creatives I know upload to YouTube for the views and Vimeo to share with peers. Vimeo encoding is better too. 99% of people would say it looks identical to youtube but if you're into video and want to impress others into video then you notice it.