Seamless video transition with preloading

As an online publisher there is certainly a large stock of videos that piles up in your system. Imagine your viewer decides to watch one of these pieces. Wouldn’t it be great to give him or her the option to choose a related video? You can help them nurture their interest by providing a seamless transition to the next video from your library. That just takes a simple tweak by adding preloading capabilities for multiple video.

What is preloading?

Preloading means to load parts of a video source before the video starts playing. Simply put, it tells the player to start getting content. Why? To notify the player that it is going to need that resource soon. This way, the video can start playing much faster since some data has already been downloaded.

This can improve the viewer experience dramatically when you expect the user will play a certain follow-up video. However, when the video is less likely to be viewed you can configure the player to not preload it and save bandwidth.

Seamless transition with THEOplayer

THEOplayer’s new preloading API allows you to start preloading multiple videos at once while the current video is playing, so that you can switch to the next video faster. Using the controller API, you can easily manage which videos must be preloaded – this can be one or even more videos. Even by hovering over the next video that is indicated in the playlist can trigger the player (upon configuration) to start preloading that content. This will create a much smoother viewer experience.

How to use preloading to create interactive video

Interactive video is a digital video that supports user interaction through gestures, voice, touch, and clicks. When the viewer is watching a video, he or she is able to interact directly inside the video. Try to imagine it as playing a game that enables you to make decisions on the progress and outcome of the video.

In order to create this experience for your viewer you can easily combine preloading and multiple video features. The preload controller can be configured to start preloading all available options, and load the selected video when the user has made their choice. It is an opportunity for your viewers to not just watch the video but also to click, swipe or even engage inside the video using call-to-action overlays.

The many forms of interactive video make it easy to tailor the video to your business goals. You can allow users to make a purchase or users can complete educational tutorials and training. Get your users' attention by offering them choices or just use it as a way of entertainment to drive engagement. Contact us to know more about how to engage with your viewers.