What Is Video Hosting and How Do You Choose and Use a Service?
Video hosting is a service that stores your video files on its servers and delivers them to viewers through an embeddable player, so you don't have to serve large media files from your own web host. It differs from general web hosting (which serves your whole site, not optimized for video streaming) and from video editing software (which creates videos rather than distributing them). This guide explains what to compare and walks through uploading and embedding, using Netu.tv's documented features as a concrete example.
Video hosting vs. web hosting vs. editing software
| Tool | What it does | What it doesn't do |
|---|---|---|
| Video hosting | Stores, transcodes, and streams video; provides an embeddable player | Build your site or edit footage |
| General web hosting | Serves your HTML, images, and site files | Handle large video bandwidth efficiently |
| Video editing software | Cuts, colors, and exports video files | Store or distribute them to viewers |
If your goal is "put a video on my site and let people watch it," you want video hosting. If your goal is "make the video," you want editing software.
Key features to compare before choosing
Upload methods
- Browser upload — drag files from your desktop directly in the page.
- Remote URL upload — paste links and the service fetches the files for you. Netu.tv supports up to 50 URLs at once, and you can append
###titleto the end of a link to set the video title. - FTP upload — useful for large batches or automation.
More upload paths mean less manual work when you publish at volume.
File limits and formats
Netu.tv documents these limits:
- Maximum file size: 8096 MB
- Maximum duration: 500 minutes
- Recommended encoding: mp4, h264 (720p, 1500 kb/s) video with aac (44100 Hz / 128 kbps) audio
Check the same numbers on any service you consider — a limit that's fine for short clips may block a two-hour recording.
Player embedding and branding
Look for a player you can embed on your own site, ideally with your logo and domain. Netu.tv's page references a "player with your logo and domain," which matters if you want viewers to associate the video with your brand rather than the host's.
Monetization / affiliate programs
Some hosts run affiliate programs that pay based on views or ad interaction. Before joining, check:
- What counts as a valid view or click
- Whether the program requires specific ad placements (Netu.tv's tips mention placing their player above others "to get more money")
- Payout terms and minimum thresholds
Treat any earnings figure as variable, not guaranteed.
Practical setup: account, upload, embed
- Register or log in. Netu.tv notes that to manage your videos you need to register or log in; you can start an upload while logged out, but management requires an account.
- Upload. Choose browser, remote URL, or FTP. For URL uploads, add
###titleto set the title, then add the links to the upload queue. - Wait for processing. The service transcodes your file to its streaming format.
- Embed the player. Copy the embed code (typically an iframe) into your site where you want the video to appear.
- Verify playback on both desktop and mobile, and confirm the player loads over HTTPS.
Common issues and how to fix them
HTTPS mixed-content warnings
If you upgrade your site to HTTPS, older videos may still load over HTTP and get blocked by the browser. Netu.tv's guidance: fix the embed so it doesn't reference HTTP links.
Videos deleted by bots
Automated crawlers can trigger deletions. Netu.tv suggests loading the iframe src only after a captcha challenge, so bots can't reach the video directly.
Slow page loads hurting traffic
Faster sites rank better. Netu.tv recommends using PageSpeed Insights to check load speed, since faster sites get more traffic from Google.
Popunder ads firing at the wrong time
If you use popunders, they should fire only when a user clicks an element — not on a blank body click. Netu.tv links a script for this behavior.
Domain blocking
If a domain or subdomain gets blocked by some ISPs, Netu.tv suggests rotating domains/subdomains over time, using 301 redirects.
Choosing between services
Use the same checklist across candidates:
- Upload methods: browser, URL, FTP — which do you need?
- Limits: max file size and duration vs. your longest video
- Formats: does it accept your export settings, and does it recommend a codec you can produce?
- Embedding: custom logo/domain, iframe support
- Monetization: program terms, if you want revenue
- Reliability features: HTTPS handling, bot protection, speed tooling
Pick the service whose limits and upload paths match your actual workflow. If you publish long recordings, prioritize duration limits; if you publish at volume, prioritize batch and FTP upload; if branding matters, prioritize custom player options.