Written by Petra Hule
Whether you’ve heard of Vevo or not, or you’re aware that Vevo hosts most of your favorite artists’ videos on YouTube. Here’s the insight you need behind this career-enhancing label.
What is Vevo?
Let’s back it up and first introduce what Vevo really is. Vevo standing for “video evolution,” was created by Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group, three of the largest recording labels. The three labels combined agreed to license premium music videos from its artists directly through Vevo, however, they also release music independently through their channel on YouTube.
What’s the difference between Vevo and YouTube?
So why does it matter if your music is streamed through Vevo or YouTube, are they not just the same thing?
Vevo, in contrast to YouTube, works and has a say in the production of an artist’s music video, as opposed to YouTube merely providing a platform for artists and users to post their content.
Who Does Vevo Work With?
Along with already-established artists, Vevo works with up-and-coming artists, which assists them in publishing and releasing their content to a greater audience. Vevo has its own channel on YouTube where videos are usually released or if an artist already has an established YouTube channel, it can be merged with Vevo.
Why Use Vevo For Your Music?
Understanding why so many musicians turn to VEVO to host their high-quality music video content is essential.
Great Exposure
One of the main reasons Vevo is great for any artist is its extensive exposure at its fingertips, releasing and distributing music videos to several partners such as Apple TV, Pluto, Samsung, and Roku. Along with having a label, Vevo promotes your content further by curating a wide range of teasers and promoting your content across these networks.
High Royalties
This is just one of many great things about Vevo, however, some other great features include quality videos with guaranteed credibility and 100% royalties. Like many other music streaming platforms such as Spotify, Vevo royalties come with a price per stream, typically around $0.0022 to $0.0025, which isn’t much if your following or exposure isn’t significant.
This is where Vevo works its magic in all sorts of ways, so when you look at it put together, it’s your one-stop-shop. Vevo ensures quality videos that have exposure to hundreds and thousands of viewers each month, which in turn allows you to keep all you make whilst assisting you in gaining exposure to the world which drives your followers and profits up.
How To Get Your Music Video On Vevo
Artists can distribute their work through one of Vevo’s content partners or an independent distributor. Although submitting your work through the right label doesn’t mean a sure thing, knowing where to apply is essential. Independent distributors such as Ditto Music, Vydia, Symphonic Distribution, or View Maniac are all great places to start.
The Submission Process For Vevo
The process of submitting is just like signing up for any new platform. First, create an account, then upload your content which automatically gets sent to Vevo, and then you play the waiting game. Typically within 10 days, your channel would be created, however, when first submitting to Vevo, there are a few requirements to meet Vevo’s standards.
Requirements
Click here to see the list of requirements for Vevo’s standards. If you’re unfamiliar with it, run it by your video editor to ensure your video hits the mark.
Another great starting distributor is Free Vevo which will send your content straight to Vevo. Still, your free Vevo account comes with extra goodies such as free unlimited video uploads, videos published within 24 hours, monthly royalty statements, monetization, and syndication to Vevo partner sites.
If you’re already a YouTube content creator and get accepted by Vevo, remember that Vevo only supports high-quality videos that meet their specifications. Don’t be disheartened if not all your videos gain Vevo recognition and be sure to maintain your own YouTube account even after they’ve picked you up.
Creating your own content and keeping it real with your fans is essential, however, is going through all this trouble to be featured on Vevo’s channel worth it if you can just make videos on your own?
Understanding Music Video Hosting Platforms
As YouTube is the largest universal video hosting platform, creating professional videos alone or with an external producer can only get you so far if you don’t already have the following count to back it up. These days, the most successful content creators are those that are “trending” which means they’ve hit the nail on the head with what they have produced to cater to a specific audience.
Trending Lists
If we look at today’s YouTube trending list, 7 out of the top 30 are produced by Vevo, the most produced by any label. So, we see that gaining that exposure is most important as these videos come in a range of different formats, as not all of them are official music videos. For example, Vevo supported and number 15 on YouTube’s trending list is Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever’ live performance on the Jimmy Fallon show.
Ready To Get Your Music On Vevo?
In a world where kids yodeling in a supermarket goes viral and with the number of amusing videos released into the world, it would make it almost impossible for everyone to be the chosen one, right? This is where Vevo comes in to help narrow it down for those looking to pursue a career in music. All in all, Vevo’s support by attaining the position they do with YouTube can only benefit you and your career.
Having a record label is great, let’s not bypass that, but even if you don’t, it’s still possible to find yourself on Vevo’s channel by creating something they can’t pass up. Remember you’re in it for the long haul, so the more help you have, the better off you’ll be. By eliminating the stresses of having to promote yourself by yourself, why not let those meant for that job take the weight off you so you can focus on what’s important; what’s put out there, not how it’s put out there.