Without a doubt, video content is an effective tool for marketing strategies. And when we create videos and upload them on our websites, we prioritise video resolution over many other factors, such as video bitrate.
A high bitrate improves the quality of our video, which further increases views, improves traffic engagement on websites, attracts clients to our projects, and has a good ROI.
This article will provide a comprehensive guide to video bitrate that everyone should know. So let’s get started!
What Is Video Bitrate?
Every second we upload a video, regardless of the amount, it transmits digital information known as bitrate. Bitrate is defined as the number of bits per second. Video bitrate, in other words, refers to the amount of video data transferred per second.
Bitrate determines the size and quality of the video and audio files in general. A higher bitrate decides the overall quality of your video, i.e., the higher the bitrate, the higher will be the quality of our videos.
We all know that videos pack more data than text or photos, so we must ensure that our video bitrate is high. Consequently, it will transfer our data over the internet quickly and reliably, and our viewers can watch our content without any difficulties.
What Effect Does Bitrate Have on Video Quality?
Creating and uploading a video with a higher bitrate means that more video bits are being transferred per second, resulting in a higher-quality video. Furthermore, increasing the bitrate will accommodate higher image quality, but it increases the output video file size (since File size = bitrate (kilobits per second) x duration). As a result, the video uploading will be somewhat slower, and we may encounter buffering issues. In contrast, a lower bitrate results in lower video quality, but it leads to smaller file size and initiates faster uploads.
Therefore, it becomes crucial to use appropriate bitrates alongside keeping our goal to offer high-quality videos for our viewers.
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How Is Video Bitrate Measured?
Bits per second, or bps, are used to measure video bitrate. A bit is the smallest amount of data that can be stored on a computer. In other words, a bitrate is a rate at which bits are transmitted to an output (per second).
Because video files pack large data, the amount of data transmitted is expressed in megabits per second (Mbps), representing the millions of bits of data uploaded and downloaded every second.
What Is the Best Video Bitrate For Buffer-Free Broadcasting?
When we start exporting videos, the upload speed is affected by various factors, including the type of content, resolution, frame rate, encoding, and site to which you want to stream. Leaving these factors aside, if we want to stream videos on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or any other channels and expect the broadcast to be buffer-free, the video resolutions must correspond to the right video bitrate.
Here are some video bitrate recommendations that we should consider.
- For full HD videos accompanied by a high video frame rate (60 fps) & high resolution (1080p), set the bitrate between 4,500 to 6,000 kbps.
- For full HD videos accompanied by a standard frame rate (30 fps) & high resolution (1080p), set the bitrate between 3,500 to 5,000 kbps.
- For regular HD videos accompanied by a high frame rate (60 fps) & standard resolution (720p), set the bitrate between 3,500 to 5,000 kbps.
- For regular HD videos accompanied by a standard frame rate (30 fps) & standard resolution (720p), set the bitrate between 2,500 to 4,000 kbps.
Conclusion
So, when it comes to video bitrate, the quality of your stream comes first. And to reach a larger audience and keep them engaged, we must consider video bitrate alongside frame rate, resolution, and the equipment we use.
