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SOCIAL MEDIA
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CREATION

What Are the Different

Types of Video Formats
There are different video types to be
aware of, whether you’re uploading to a
website or creating a short film. Learn
about the types of video files here.

V
ideos play a crucial role in today’s
world, so knowing about the
different video types is essential, whether
you’re uploading a video to YouTube or
learning about video marketing. There are
several benefits to creating video content
— it’s an attention-grabbing format, you
can pack a lot of information into a video,
and videos tend to increase conversion
rates.

Creating great video content is di#icult

for several reasons, but it’s partially due
to the different types of video files. Each
video file format has its pros and cons;
some formats are smaller so they load
quickly while others are larger and offer
higher quality. Choosing the right file
types for videos is essential for everything
from social media content creation to
email marketing.

So, how do you know which video types

to choose for your videos? In this guide,
we’ll break down the different types of
video files and the pros and cons of each.
We’ll also talk about how to determine the
format of a video and what to look for in a
video file format. Keep reading for a full
breakdown of different video types.

What is a video file

format?
A video file format is an extension at the
end of a video file, such as AVI, MP4, or
MOV. These file formats may vary in
several ways, including file size,
compression, encoding, and
compatibility. You might want to choose
the format with the smallest file size for
some projects, but resolution and video
quality might be more important in other
cases. Anybody who creates video
content should have a basic
understanding of the different types of
video files.

What are the different

types of video files?

There are lots of different video types, but

there are 7 that you really need to know if
you’re creating video content. Any time
you save a video, you’ll have to choose
between these different types of files.
From email marketing and social media to
YouTube, these are some of the most
commonly used file types for videos.

1. MP4

MPEG-4, also known as MP4, is the most

common file type for videos. The MP4
format is the standard format for web
videos because MP4 videos are high-
quality with relatively small file sizes. Not
only is MP4 the standard for the web, but
this video format is also used for TV. If
you’re adding a video to your website or
uploading a video to YouTube, using an
MP4 video format is a safe bet.

The only real downside to the MP4 format

is the fact that the encoding and
decoding processes require a lot of
resources. While the actual file sizes are
small, compressing the video when you
save it is demanding on your PC. When
people watch these videos, they have to
be decompressed in real-time for
maximum quality.

2. MOV

The MOV file format was designed by

Apple to support the Quicktime player
and is used primarily for video editing.
People don’t typically publish MOV videos
directly to the web or send them in emails
because of the large file size. However,
this large file size means that MOV files
typically offer higher quality than MP4s
and other video types. People use MOV
files in the editing stage because you
want to edit with the highest-quality
version of your video. However, once
editing is complete, you’ll have to
compress it and format it for the web,
which can take up time and memory
space.

3. AVI

AVI files are unique because they offer

very high-quality audio, which is a feature
you don’t get in some of the other video
types. Because AVI files offer excellent
video and audio quality, file sizes are
typically much larger. This is an even
bigger concern when you’re using
lossless AVI files that haven’t been
compressed; you don’t need to decode
these files to watch the video, but each
minute of video results takes up
gigabytes of space.

AVI files can be used for YouTube as well

as TV production, but they’re not great for
web use because of the large file size.

4. WMV

WMV, or Windows Media Video, is a video

format that was developed by Microsoft
for use with Windows operating systems.
Because WMV was created for Windows,
Apple and Linux devices don’t typically
offer out-of-the-box support for WMV
playback. However, WMV files offer
excellent quality with small file sizes,
which makes them a popular choice for
web use in some cases. That being said,
compatibility with Apple and Linux
devices is a concern.

At the end of the day, WMV isn’t a

standard format as a result of its lack of
compatibility with certain operating
systems. There are some niche uses for
WMV files, but MP4s reign supreme for
web use.

5. AVCHD

AVCHD is a format that was originally

developed by Sony and Panasonic for
camcorders. This file format is designed
to capture a high-quality version of a
video directly after it’s been recorded,
that way you have a high-resolution video
you can use when you’re ready to edit
your video. While AVCHD videos typically
offer slightly higher quality than MP4
videos, MP4 file sizes are smaller. As a
result, many newer camcorders actually
record MP4 videos instead of using the
AVCHD format.

6. WebM

The WebM format was developed by

Google and released in 2019 as HTML5
grew in popularity. This video format is
specifically designed for the web, but the
biggest issue it faces is a lack of support.
WebM videos have an extremely small file
size without sacrificing too much in terms
of quality. Unfortunately, Internet Explorer
and Safari don’t offer support for WebM
videos unless you use additional plugins.
The result is that MP4 is still the champion
in terms of the best web video types.

7. FLV

There was a time when Flash video (FLV)

was the most common video type, but
that’s no longer the case since Flash
Player was discontinued at the end of
2020. Flash Player is no longer included
with popular web browsers, and anyone
who tries to play an FLV video on the web
will see an error message instead of the
video. You can still use a third-party video
player to open FLV videos on your phone
or computer, but you can’t use them for
the web. Essentially, there’s no reason to
spend money creating Flash videos
anymore.

What is the most

common type of video
file?
The most common type of video file is the
MP4 format. When you want to add
videos to a campaign, embed a video on
your website, or upload a video to
YouTube, MP4 is the ideal format. The
biggest reason for the popularity of the
MP4 format is the combination of high
quality and small file sizes.

What features should you

look for in video files?

Having a basic understanding of video

types and what separates them can help
you choose the right format for your
videos. Here are some of the things you
should look for when it comes to video
file formats:

Container: The video container is

what contains everything that makes
up your video, including the audio and
video content, metadata, and more.
Codec: Codecs determine how videos
and audio are compressed, which
affects the file size and quality. There
are separate codecs for audio and
video compression.
Frame rate: The frame rate, shown in
frames per second, describes how
often a new frame is shown. A higher
frame rate typically results in a
smoother video.
Frame size: This is the size of each
individual frame measured in pixels,
which is connected to the resolution
and aspect ratio.
Resolution: The resolution of the
video is the number that describes its
quality, such as 1080p and 4k.
Different resolutions use different
numbers of horizontal lines and pixels
to create images.
Aspect ratio: Aspect ratio refers to the
width versus the height of a video.
Common aspect ratios include 4:3,
16:9, and 21:9.
Bitrate: Bitrate essentially refers to the
quality of a video, with a higher bitrate
resulting in a higher-quality video.

How do you find the format

of a video file?

If you want to find the format of a video

file, there’s a simple process. However,
the process is slightly different based on
what type of device you’re using.

On a Windows PC, right-click the video

file and select “Properties,” then click on
the “Details” tab. This will tell you the
video and audio codec, file format, and
more.

On a Mac device, right-click your video

file and select “Get Info,” then navigate to
“More Info.” This will show you the file
type, codecs, and more.

Key takeaways: Types of

video files
From knowing when to use videos in an
email marketing campaign to choosing
the right file types, video marketing can
be di#icult. With a little research and hard
work, you can create high-quality video
content that helps boost your business.

With Mailchimp, getting the most out of

your marketing campaign is easy.
Mailchimp offers simple marketing tools
that you can use to build your online
presence and drive more tra#ic to your
website. Try Mailchimp today and see
how we can give your business a helping
hand.

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