Streaming 101: Here's how millions of people are able to watch the same video
Live and on-demand video constituted an estimated 66% of global internet traffic by volume in 2022, and the top 10 days for internet traffic in 2024 coincided with live streaming events such as the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match and coverage of the NFL. Streaming enables seamless, on-demand access to video content, from online gaming to short videos like TikToks, and longer content such as movies, podcasts and NFL games.
The defining aspect of streaming is its on-demand nature. Consider the global reach of a Joe Rogan podcast episode or the live coverage of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft launch—both examples demonstrate how streaming connects millions of viewers to real-time and on-demand content worldwide.
I'm a computer scientist whose research includes cloud computing, which is the distribution of computing resources such as video servers across the internet.
'Chunks' of video
When it comes to video content—whether it's a live stream or a prerecorded video—there are two major challenges to address. First, video data is massive in size, making it time-consuming to transmit from the source to devices such as TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones.
Second, streaming must be adaptive to accommodate differences in users' devices and internet capabilities. For instance, viewers with lower-resolution screens or slower internet speeds should still be able to watch a given video, albeit in lower quality, while those with higher-resolution displays and faster connections enjoy the best possible quality.
To tackle these challenges, video providers implement a series of optimizations. The first step involves fragmenting videos into smaller pieces, commonly referred to as 'chunks.' These chunks then undergo a process called 'encoding and compression,' which optimizes the video for different resolutions and bitrates to suit various devices and network conditions.
When a user requests an on-demand video, the system dynamically selects the appropriate stream of chunks based on the capabilities of the user's device, such as screen resolution and current internet speed. The video player on the user's device assembles and plays these chunks in sequence to create a seamless viewing experience.
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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fighter pilot takes next giant step for India's space plans
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla blasts off into space next week as the first Indian to join the International Space Station (ISS), bearing with him New Delhi's dreams of its own manned space flight. An airforce fighter pilot, 39-year-old Shukla is joining a four-crew mission launching from the United States with private company Axiom Space, aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. He will become the first Indian to join the ISS, and only the second ever in orbit -- an achievement that the world's most populous nation hopes will be a stepping stone for its own human flight. "I truly believe that even though, as an individual, I am travelling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people," Shukla was quoted as saying by The Hindu newspaper this year. Shukla said he hopes to "ignite the curiosity of an entire generation in my country", and "drive the innovation that will make many such projects possible for us in the future". The airforce group captain -- equivalent to an army colonel or navy captain -- will pilot the commercial mission slated to launch June 10 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a joint team between NASA and ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation. - 'New era' - India's Department of Space calls it a "defining chapter" in its ambitions, naming Shukla as "among the top contenders" for its maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, "sky craft" in Hindi, scheduled for launch in 2027. "His journey is more than just a flight -- it's a signal that India is stepping boldly into a new era of space exploration," the Department of Space said ahead of the launch. New Delhi has paid more than $60 million for the mission, according to Indian media reports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced plans to send a man to the Moon by 2040. India's ISRO said in May that it planned to launch an uncrewed orbital mission later this year, before its first human spaceflight in early 2027. Shukla's voyage comes four decades after Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma joined a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. "What sets Shukla's mission apart is its strategic importance," the department added. "Unlike the symbolic undertones of India's first human spaceflight, this time the focus is on operational readiness and global integration." Shukla also trained in Russia, in 2020 along with three other astronaut hopefuls, at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center -- before further training at ISRO's centre in the southern city of Bengaluru. He has said the journey aboard the Axiom Mission 4 -- and then the expected 14 days on the ISS -- will provide "invaluable" lessons to bring back home. - Space yoga - Shukla will be led by mission commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, and joined by European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The son of a government ministry official, from Lucknow in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Shukla is a veteran fighter pilot experienced in flying Russian Sukhoi and MiG jets. He has promised to perform yoga poses in the ISS. If he is unable to fly on Tuesday, fellow airforce pilot Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, 48, is expected to take his place. India has flexed its ambitions in the last decade with its space programme growing considerably in size and momentum, matching the achievements of established powers at a much cheaper price tag. In August 2023, it became just the fourth nation to land an unmanned craft on the Moon after Russia, the United States and China. Waiting at home will be Shukla's family, including his wife and son. "I've been having goosebumps by just thinking that soon my brother will be in space," his older sister Suchi, a school teacher, told the Times of India newspaper. abh/pjm/fox/sco
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Time Business News
7 hours ago
- Time Business News
Should you create short form content to bring sales [Expert Research Reveals]
In our last post, we discussed how you can use videos to get B2B Leads. Now major question arises, Should you create short form content to bring sales? You've probably noticed them everywhere. Those quick, snappy videos that seem to grab attention instantly. TikToks, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts. But here's the million-dollar question that keeps business owners up at night: do they actually drive sales, or are they just another marketing fad that'll disappear faster than a trending hashtag? The answer might shock you. After diving deep into the data, analyzing case studies, and examining real business results, I can tell you this: short-form video isn't just worth it for sales—it's becoming absolutely essential. But there's more to the story than what most people realize. Let me break down what the data really shows, and more importantly, why some businesses are crushing it with short-form video while others are barely making a dent. Here's something that immediately caught my attention when I started researching this: 84% of marketers report positive ROI from short-form video strategies. That's not just 'okay' results—that's the highest-performing content format out there1. But wait, it gets even better. Short-form videos can increase sales and conversions by up to 80%[5]. Think about that for a second. If you're currently converting 2% of your website visitors, short-form video could potentially bump that up to 3.6%. For most businesses, that's the difference between struggling and thriving. TikTok alone achieves an average short-term ROI of 11.81. To put that in perspective, the average ROI from all media channels is just 8.7. That means for every dollar you spend on TikTok short-form video, you're getting nearly 12 dollars back. That's pretty hard to ignore, honestly. And here's where it gets really interesting: this isn't just about immediate returns. Beyond that impressive short-term ROI of 11.8, advertisers see an additional long-term ROI of 4.5 within 10 months1. So you're getting both quick wins and sustained growth. The revenue numbers are staggering too. Short-form video ads are expected to generate over $99.4 billion in revenue by the end of 20245. That's not a typo—nearly a hundred billion dollars. The market is so hot that ad spending on short-form videos is predicted to reach $111 billion in 2025[7]. The thing is, our attention spans haven't actually gotten shorter. We still binge-watch 3-hour podcasts and 14-hour Netflix series. What's changed is our consideration span—how quickly we decide if something's worth our time6. Short-form videos nail this perfectly. They capture attention within the first three seconds and maintain engagement throughout. Videos under 90 seconds achieve a 50% viewer retention rate[6]. That's significantly higher than longer content, and here's why it matters for sales: if people aren't watching, they're definitely not buying. Here's what makes them so effective for driving actual sales: They generate 2.5 times more engagement than long-form videos8. People don't just watch them—they interact with them. They comment, they share, they click through to learn more. That engagement is the bridge between awareness and action. 55% of consumers watch videos before making purchases6. They're not just entertainment anymore—they're decision-making tools. People are literally using these videos to research products and services before buying. People retain 95% of messages when watching them in video form, compared to only 10% when reading text6. This is huge for sales because it means your value proposition is actually sticking in people's minds. But here's something most people miss: the emotional connection factor. Short-form videos excel at creating emotional connections that leave strong impressions on viewers, increasing both retention and action rates1. When someone feels something while watching your video, they're exponentially more likely to take the next step. Not all platforms are created equal when it comes to driving sales. Let me break down the big three and show you where the real opportunities are: TikTok: The Sales Conversion King TikTok dominates with 40% of the short video market share1. But here's what's really impressive: it generated $15.5 billion in global sales in 2023—that's a 250% increase from the previous year1. The platform shows that 55% of TikTok Shop purchases are impulse buys driven by trending videos1. That's the power of catching people in the right moment with the right content. Products tagged in TikTok videos experience a 3x higher conversion rate than standard social media ads1. What makes TikTok so effective for sales? It's the algorithm. The platform prioritizes engaging content over follower count, which means even small businesses can reach massive audiences if their content resonates. Plus, the seamless integration with TikTok Shop makes the path from discovery to purchase incredibly smooth. Instagram Reels: The Relationship Builder Instagram Reels captures 20% of the market1, but its strength lies in leveraging existing relationships. If you already have an Instagram presence, this might be your best starting point because you're building on established trust. Instagram Reels excels at driving traffic to other parts of your sales funnel. The platform's integration with Instagram Shopping makes it easy to tag products directly in videos, and the Stories feature allows for follow-up content that nurtures leads toward purchase. YouTube Shorts: The Discovery Engine YouTube Shorts also holds 20% of the market1, but it has a unique advantage: superior organic discovery. 70% of YouTube Shorts views come from non-subscribers1, meaning you're constantly reaching new audiences who might become customers. The platform's searchability advantage means your content has a longer shelf life. While TikTok and Instagram content tends to have a shorter lifespan, YouTube Shorts can continue generating views and driving sales months after publication because they're discoverable through Google Search. Let me share some examples that really drove this home for me, because the numbers are one thing, but seeing actual businesses transform their sales through short-form video is another. GlowLab: From $200K to $2M in Six Months GlowLab, a beauty brand, scaled from $200,000 to $2 million in monthly sales within six months using TikTok Shop1. Their strategy combined viral product launches through micro-influencer partnerships, limited-time offers promoted via TikTok LIVE shopping events, and user-generated content campaigns. What's really impressive is that 80% of their traffic came organically from TikTok's For You Page, and their cost per acquisition dropped by 60% compared to Meta Ads1. That's the power of platform-native content that doesn't feel like advertising. E.l.f. Cosmetics: 200% Traffic Increase E.l.f. Cosmetics saw a 200% increase in website traffic directly from their TikTok strategy1. Even more impressive? Conversion rates were 30% higher for visitors from TikTok compared to other sources. This shows that TikTok doesn't just drive traffic—it drives quality traffic that's more likely to buy. Ocean Spray: The 4,000% Sales Surge Remember Nathan Apodaca skateboarding to work while drinking Ocean Spray cranberry juice? That single viral TikTok video led to a 4,000% increase in Cran-Raspberry sales17. That's not a typo—four thousand percent. The video also drove 'Dreams' by Fleetwood Mac to be streamed over 8 million times in the U.S.7. This case study is particularly interesting because Ocean Spray didn't create the content—they just benefited from it. But smart brands are now proactively creating content that has the potential for this kind of viral impact. Gymshark: 30% Lower Customer Acquisition Costs Gymshark's TikTok-focused campaigns deliver customer acquisition costs 30% lower than other digital channels1. They achieved this through consistent content creation that aligns with fitness culture and lifestyle trends, proving that authentic engagement often outperforms traditional advertising. The Silk Labs: From Zero to Viral Overnight Founder Jenna Labiak's first TikTok video went viral, garnering over 600K likes and 3.5M views, which translated into significant sales for their silk products. This shows how even new businesses can achieve massive reach and sales impact with the right content strategy. The Content That Actually Converts (What Works and What Doesn't) Here's where it gets interesting. Not all short-form content is created equal. The types that drive sales share common characteristics, and understanding these can make or break your strategy. User-Generated Content: The Trust Builder Consumers are 2.4 times more likely to trust UGC over brand-created content1. Think unboxing videos, try-on content, and authentic testimonials. This content works because it doesn't feel like marketing—it feels like recommendations from friends. The most effective UGC for sales includes: Unboxing videos that create immersive experiences and build anticipation Try-on videos that help customers make confident purchase decisions Testimonial content that builds trust through authentic customer experiences Product Demonstrations: Show, Don't Tell Product demonstrations work because they combine visuals, sound, and storytelling to showcase value1. But the key is making them feel natural, not scripted. The best product demos answer the question 'How will this actually help me?' within the first few seconds. Behind-the-Scenes Content: Building Authentic Connections Behind-the-scenes content builds trust and connection[8]. People buy from brands they feel connected to, and showing the human side of your business creates that emotional bond. This could be your team at work, your manufacturing process, or even your founder's daily routine. The Three-Content Strategy The most successful brands mix three types of content1: Sell shots (direct product showcases) (direct product showcases) Engagement shots (educational or entertaining content) (educational or entertaining content) Culture shots (lifestyle and values-based content) Each serves a specific function in the customer journey while contributing to overall sales objectives. Different platforms require different approaches to maximize sales potential. Here's what actually works: TikTok: Authenticity Over Polish TikTok rewards authentic, creator-driven content that feels native to the platform's culture1. The most successful brands on TikTok don't try to make their content look like traditional advertising. Instead, they embrace the platform's casual, authentic vibe. Key strategies that drive sales on TikTok: Partnering with micro-influencers who genuinely use your products Creating content around trending sounds and hashtags Using TikTok LIVE for real-time product demonstrations and Q&As Leveraging TikTok Shop for seamless in-app purchasing Instagram: Visual Storytelling Instagram Reels benefits from high-quality visuals and integration with existing brand aesthetics1. The platform is more polished than TikTok, so your content should reflect that while still feeling authentic. Effective Instagram strategies include: Using Instagram Shopping tags for direct product links Creating cohesive visual themes that reinforce brand identity Leveraging Instagram Stories for follow-up content and retargeting Cross-promoting Reels content in feed posts and Stories YouTube: Education and Discovery YouTube Shorts leverages searchability and discoverability, making it ideal for educational content that builds long-term brand authority1. The platform's integration with Google Search means your content can continue driving sales long after publication. YouTube Shorts strategies that convert: Creating how-to content that showcases product benefits Optimizing titles and descriptions for search Using YouTube's analytics to understand what drives conversions Creating series of related videos that guide viewers through the sales funnel Let's talk numbers, because this is where many businesses get stuck. The good news is that short-form video content is significantly more cost-effective than traditional video marketing. Production Costs: Lower Than You Think Short-form videos are faster and cheaper to produce than long-form videos5. You don't need expensive equipment or elaborate sets. Many successful short-form videos are shot entirely on smartphones with natural lighting. The key cost factors include: Content creation (can be done in-house or outsourced) Editing software (many free options available) Paid promotion (optional but recommended for faster results) Time investment (the biggest cost for most businesses) ROI Breakdown: The Numbers That Matter Here's what the data shows about returns: 31% of marketers say short-form videos offer the highest ROI compared to other formats17 66% of marketers believe short-form video content provides the highest engagement rate5 93% of marketers report that short-form videos help acquire new customers1 Businesses using video grow revenue 49% faster than those that don't1 The Long-Term Value What many businesses miss is the compound effect. While you might see immediate returns, the long-term value often exceeds the short-term gains. Content that performs well can continue driving sales for months, and successful videos can be repurposed across multiple platforms and campaigns. Let's be honest—short-form video isn't without its challenges. Understanding these upfront can save you time, money, and frustration. Challenge 1: Consistency Requirements Always-on content strategies prove more effective than sporadic campaign bursts1. This means you need to consistently create and publish content, which can be resource-intensive. Solution: Develop a content creation system that includes: Batch content creation sessions Content calendars that align with business goals Repurposing strategies that maximize each piece of content Team training or outsourcing to maintain consistency Challenge 2: Platform Algorithm Changes Social media algorithms change frequently, which can impact your content's reach and effectiveness. Solution: Diversify across multiple platforms and focus on building owned audiences (email lists, website traffic) that you can control. Challenge 3: Measuring True ROI It can be difficult to track the complete customer journey from short-form video view to final purchase, especially with longer sales cycles. Solution: Use UTM parameters, platform-specific tracking pixels, and customer surveys to better understand attribution. The trajectory is clear: short-form video is not just a trend—it's the future of digital marketing and sales. Here's what's coming: AI-Powered Content Creation AI-powered content creation tools are reducing production costs while improving content quality11. This makes short-form video accessible to businesses of all sizes, not just those with large marketing budgets. Enhanced Social Commerce Integration Social commerce integration is deepening across platforms1. Features like Instagram Shopping tags and TikTok Shop are creating more seamless pathways from content consumption to purchase completion. Augmented Reality Integration Emerging trends indicate increased integration between short-form video content and augmented reality experiences1. This allows customers to virtually try products before purchasing, reducing purchase hesitation and returns. Live Shopping Events Live shopping events are gaining popularity1, combining the immediacy of live streaming with the convenience of integrated purchasing options. This trend bridges the gap between entertainment and commerce. If you're convinced that short-form video is worth pursuing (and the data suggests you should be), here's how to build a strategy that actually drives sales: Step 1: Define Your Goals Be specific about what you want to achieve: Brand awareness and reach Lead generation Direct sales Customer retention and loyalty Step 2: Choose Your Platforms Start with one or two platforms rather than trying to be everywhere at once. Consider: Where your target audience spends time Your content creation capabilities Your budget and resources Step 3: Develop Your Content Strategy Plan your content mix: 40% educational/valuable content 30% behind-the-scenes/authentic content 20% product-focused content 10% trending/experimental content Step 4: Create and Optimize Focus on the fundamentals: Hook viewers within the first 3 seconds Include clear calls-to-action Optimize for each platform's specific requirements Test different content types and formats Step 5: Measure and Adjust Track metrics that matter: Engagement rates Click-through rates Conversion rates Customer acquisition costs Lifetime value of customers acquired through video So, is short-form video content worth it for sales? Based on the comprehensive data analysis, the answer is a resounding yes—if you approach it strategically. The numbers are compelling: 84% positive ROI, up to 80% increase in conversions, and an average return of nearly 12 dollars for every dollar spent on platforms like TikTok15. The platforms are there, the audience is engaged, and the tools are available. But here's the crucial caveat: success requires commitment and strategy. You can't treat this as a side project or expect overnight miracles. The brands winning with short-form video are the ones treating it as a core part of their sales strategy, not just a marketing experiment. The businesses that are crushing it understand that short-form video isn't just about going viral—it's about building sustainable systems for customer acquisition and retention. They're creating content that serves their audience while driving business results. They're measuring what matters and optimizing based on data, not vanity metrics. The question isn't whether short-form video works for sales—the data proves it does. The question is whether you're ready to commit to making it work for your business. Because honestly, in today's competitive landscape, with attention becoming increasingly scarce and traditional marketing becoming less effective, can you afford not to embrace the format that's delivering the highest ROI for marketers worldwide? The opportunity is there. The tools are available. The audience is waiting. The only question left is: what are you going to do about it? Source1 Source2 Source3 Source4 Source5 Source6 Source7 Source8 Source9 Source10 Source11 Source12 Source13 Source14 Source15 Source16 Source17 Source18 Source19 Source20 TIME BUSINESS NEWS
New York Times
16 hours ago
- New York Times
‘Madden NFL 26' trailer packed with snowstorm highlights, Travis Hunter as a Jaguar, new game features
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