You have a particular evening at home with friends in mind: music, dinner and then a good film on the sofa. On the other hand, after you have followed my advice to the letter and have recently purchased a 4K Smart TV , you will also have to make good use of it! Well, in addition to offering you my most sincere compliments for your new technological gem, I can’t help but agree with you, I fully agree with your plans for the evening…but keep in mind that next time I expect an invitation from you!
Ok, now let’s get serious; if you are here now and you are reading these lines of mine it means that there is something wrong. Tell me everything: how can I help you? How do you say? Would you like me to explain how to search for videos, why would you want to see a movie trailer before suggesting it to your friends? Of course, I can immediately explain how to do it. You should know that there are many sites on the Internet dedicated to searching for videos, both musical and related to the entertainment sector. So, whether you are looking for the trailer of a film to watch or a music video to create a playlist to serve as the background to your evening, you can turn to very simple free tools on the Web.
In today’s guide, therefore, I will explain how to search for videos on the major video sharing platforms, such as the very famous Google platform, Youtube. Aside from YouTube, I will also tell you about other lesser-known but equally valid video platforms, so that you can have a wide choice in the videos you want to search for. Don’t worry if you are not an Internet expert, these platforms are very simple to use but, in any case, I will explain everything to you in detail. Are you ready to find out how to search for videos on the Internet? Very well, then let’s not waste further time talking and let’s get straight to the heart of the matter. As usual, before starting, I can’t forget to wish you a good read!
Youtube
Developed by Google, Youtube is the most used videosharing platform due to its multiplatform nature. Youtube, in fact, is not only accessible from Windows PCs and Macs via the web , but the app is available on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets , on most gaming consoles, and on many Smart TVs. It is precisely this widespread diffusion, combined with the age of the platform, that is its strong point.
Youtube is a platform created for sharing personal videos with friends, but its popularity meant that it was then used for other purposes: sharing gameplay videos, make-up or fashion tutorials more generally speaking, video reviews of technological products , sharing music videos, sharing movie/TV series trailers and much more.
Searching for a video on Youtube will be the simplest thing in the world, if you read my explanation in the following lines. I will explain the procedure you will have to follow to search for a video on Youtube via the official website, then using the browser on a PC or Mac. In any case, once you understand how to search for videos on Youtube via the website, you will be able to able to do it using any other device (on the official website you will find the list of all supported devices) on which you have installed the Youtube app.
So start by going to the official YouTube website and, first of all, start exploring the various sections to become familiar with the platform. Youtube is a video sharing website which, thanks to an algorithm, will offer you videos to watch in line with your interests. Clearly, if this is your first time using the platform, most of the videos may not reflect your tastes, but you will see that Youtube will improve a lot with frequent use.
Youtube videos are mostly accessible from the home screen and divided horizontally by categories: Trending, Popular Music Videos, Popular Movie Trailers, Music, Games and much more. Alternatively, using the search engine above, you can manually search for a video on Youtube by typing a search keyword.
Want to see even more videos? I’ll satisfy you right away. Take a look at the side menu: you are currently in the Home section , but you can click on the Trending item to see the most popular videos of the moment. Below, however, you will find the section The best of Youtube , divided into categories: Music, Sports, Games, Films, TV Programs, News, Live and 360 degree videos . If you click on each one you will find tons more videos to watch. Youtube is a video platform with a community: you can comment on videos, like or dislike , subscribe to channels to receive notifications when a new video is available and add a video to personal lists ( Playlists ) that you can customize.
Youtube is a free video sharing platform with which you can search for videos that is supported through banners and advertisements in videos.
Vimeo
A videosharing platform alternative to YouTube, Vimeo stands out for its dedication to independent authors and presents itself as a platform used as a virtual and international showcase for directors and creatives from all over the world. Vimeo gives you the opportunity to share and publish your videos, integrating a community of users ready to comment on them.
On Vimeo you will find mostly videos made by passionate users or filmmakers: documentaries, shorts, 360 degree videos, music videos, short comedy and drama videos. Unlike Youtube, Vimeo is mainly characterized as a platform reserved for independent authors; you will therefore not find gameplay videos or tutorial videos.
Vimeo is available via the web via browsers for Windows PCs and Macs, but also as an application for Android , iOS and Windows Phone mobile devices . Additionally, Vimeo is available as an application for most Smart TVs and home consoles.
Searching for a video to watch with Vimeo is very simple. First, connect to the official website and start exploring the various categories. First of all, you will certainly notice the scrolling section entitled Staff Picks : it is a section that includes a list of videos chosen by the Vimeo Staff and particularly appreciated by the public.
Below you will find the Best of Month section with the best videos of the current month, which have always been selected by the Vimeo Staff and have stood out for their quality. Continuing to explore, you will find the See What’s Trending section , dedicated to the most popular videos among those uploaded to the platform. Scroll down the page to explore all the other categories on the Vimeo Home , or choose a category of your choice from those indicated under Explore all categories . Alternatively, using the search engine at the top right, you can manually search for a video on Vimeo.
Among the most notable features of Vimeo is the On Demand section which allows you to purchase or rent some videos to support the authors. In addition to videos by independent artists, Vimeo is a platform that offers the possibility of purchasing TV series in English : Mad Men, Ascension, Orange is the new Black are the titles of some of the most popular TV series that can be purchased.
TED
TED is another platform for searching and watching videos which, in my opinion, is unfortunately little known in Italy. Despite this I am absolutely sure that you must give it a chance. Do you want to know why? Continue reading, I’ll explain it to you in the following lines.
How many times have you found yourself bored during a work meeting? If the answer is often, then you should absolutely show your boss the TED videos, so that he understands the importance of story telling in public speaking , a commonly used expression in English which, in Italian, we could translate as the art of knowing how to tell an engaging story, speaking to the public.
Unlike the video platforms previously indicated, the TED website offers the viewing and search of videos taken from the TED Talks conferences which, managed by a non-profit organisation, aim to share ideas capable of changing the world. Each TED Talks speaker can give a lesson on the topic of his choice (science, art, politics, global issues, architecture, music and more) as long as he condenses his speech into about twenty minutes maximum. The conference videos are then uploaded to the platform to be available for viewing at any time.
So, if astrophysicists, doctors, entrepreneurs, motivators and journalists from all over the world have managed to engage the public with speeches lasting around 18 minutes each, it is certainly worth understanding why these videos are so successful.
To search for a video to watch on TED, connect to the platform’s official website and start exploring the videos of the conferences that you think might interest you. The Newest Talk section contains recently uploaded videos, while the Trending section is dedicated to the most popular ones. There are tons of other videos to watch, just click on the Explore Playlist section to access a new section with tons more playlists and videos.
Even though TED’s user interface is completely in English, don’t be discouraged: many videos have subtitles in several languages, including Italian. Furthermore, for each video, it is possible to read the textual transcription and the relative translation into Italian, if available. Some videos uploaded to TED can also be downloaded for free in MP4 format (video and audio with subtitles) or in MP3 format to listen to just the audio. To see the videos uploaded to TED you can also use the app for Android , iOS and Windows Phone .
Other Internet sites to search for videos
Isn’t the list of websites I recommended for you to search for videos enough? Then don’t waste any more time and try taking a look at two additional video sharing platforms: Vevo and Dailymotion . I’m sure you will like them.
- Vevo ( Android / iOS / Web ): Are you looking for a website that allows you to search exclusively for music videos? Then you should definitely take a look at Vevo , one of the most well-known videosharing portals which, like YouTube, allows you to watch music videos for free. The strong point of Vevo is the presence of time-exclusive music videos, as well as the possibility of creating GIFs starting from a video, via the web version of the video viewing and sharing platform. Vevo is also available via a free app for Android and iOS.
- DailyMotion ( Android / iOS / Web ): website that presents itself as an alternative to Youtube, DailyMotion is a videosharing platform from a Parisian company. The videos uploaded to DailyMotion are numerous and touch on various topics: Music, Video Games, Sports, News and Cinema are the most prominent categories. The videos uploaded to DailyMotion can be viewed and searched via the official website accessible via the Web but also via the free app for Android and iOS.
