Multimedia: Adding Audio and Video To Your Website

The reasons to add multimedia to a website can vary from wanting a simple sound effect to needing to include a full-length instructional video. While each application varies, it is my hope that the examples below can give you an idea of some very affordable multimedia solutions for small business websites.

Audio

While there are several audio formats to choose from, I typically use the MP3 format for audio. MP3 is a digital compression format that enables voice and music to be compressed into relatively small file sizes without substantial loss of quality. Below is an example of audio that was created by Seattle voice talent Lisa Foster. She created this file for use on her own website as a demonstration of her character voices. If you need audio created for your website, please visit Lisa Foster's website.

Video

Since video files are typically much larger than audio files, I use one of two methods to provide video: "Fast Start" or "Progressive Download" and "Streaming". Fast Start/Progressive Download begins downloading the video into the visitor's browser and the visitor doesn't have to wait for the download to finish before playing the video. This works well for smaller movie files. Streaming is a bit more complicated as it requires a separate streaming server which continuously sends the video as it's played. Streaming is more appropriate for larger movie files.

These demo videos are not professionally produced (shot with a web cam and edited by me) but since they are of my dog, Sagan, and her small friend Meiko, I decided to use them because I enjoy watching them over and over. I hope you enjoy them as well.

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