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Vimeo is video sharing resource that gives internet users another place to search for and post their videos. Anyone can browse the videos added to Vimeo. The website encourages creative contributions and gives users an easy way to share their work with others. Individuals can also use Vimeo to share personal videos with family and friends.

Each video is presented with recommended videos, a summary, the author’s name, how long ago it was added and sharing tools. Users can also “like” a video, embed videos in other websites and blogs and save videos for viewing later. A couch mode button is also included on each video page which causes the video to enlarge and take up almost all of the browser (so it looks more like a television show than an internet video).
A chart with video-related statistics is also visible and shows how many times the video was played, liked and commented on during the past few days (along with totals for each count).
Vimeo users can leave comments on videos or respond to comments posted under their videos.

Vimeo was created by Zach Klein and Jake Lodwick and launched in late 2004. The application was intended to provide an easy video upload and sharing service to any internet user that wanted to try it out.

Vimeo has been evolving since it was first introduced. Earlier in its video sharing career, Vimeo was updated to include email submission options and Flickr related features. Many users also complained about the limited amount of storage space the application originally offered. This was later increased to better accommodate user needs.

Sharing videos online is not a new concept. Websites like YouTube do it all the time. However Vimeo does things a little differently. The detailed features and streamlined user interface are what make Vimeo so appealing. Users can embed videos, change viewing options, comment on videos and more while easily navigating the clean, eye-catching design that makes Vimeo so special.

The look of Vimeo is one of its greatest assets. New users can really enjoy the bright colors and cheerful graphics that have gone into the site’s overall design. The layout is very clean and clutter free and never pressures the user into making a purchase or clicking links. The individual video pages are very well-organized and make the video clip the main attraction. Vimeo’s sleek user interface give it a professional feel that doesn’t take away from the personable attitude of the website.

A new user is not required to sign up or log in to view and search for videos on Vimeo. However those who wish to experience all of the site’s features should create an account. This can be done by clicking the green and white “Join Vimeo” button found near the top, center of the homepage. The following page asks the user to choose between a free or paid membership plan. After selecting a plan, the user is asked to provide their first and last name, email address and billing information (when choosing the paid membership).

Vimeo offers its services in two flavors: free and paid. The free Basic account is intended for casual users and includes high quality video, up to 500 MB per week of upload space, the ability to upload one HD video per week, three albums, one group, one channel and no limits on run time or bandwidth.

The Plus account costs around $60 per year or $10 per month and includes higher video quality, 5 GBs of upload space per week, unlimited HD video uploads, advanced stats, priority uploading, original file storage and download capabilities, customizable video player, privacy controls and no advertisements.

Vimeo.com is a great tool for anyone who would like to share videos online. The application is one of the few that can accommodate both casual users and professionals who need an easy, inexpensive way to share their video work or product demonstrations. The site doesn't have as much content as YouTube, but the technical quality of the site is outstanding.

• Choose between a free and paid membership plan
• Embed videos in blogs, websites and forum posts
• View full screen videos using Couch Mode
• Create multiple albums (based on membership level)
• Add password protection on personal videos

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