Why We Use YouTube or Vimeo Links for Embedded Videos

You’ll see a Video option in several places across Connection Card Pro (e.g., Event pages, Media pages, Custom Forms). In every case, you’ll paste a YouTube or Vimeo link—rather than uploading video files directly to Connection Card Pro.

This approach keeps your workload light, your pages fast, and your costs low—while giving you the best tools for video distribution and analytics.

Contents

• What You Paste (and Where)
• Why This Benefits Your Church
• Recommended Privacy Settings
• Standard Practices (What We Recommend)
• Notes & Limitations
• Quick How-To (Everywhere Videos Are Supported)
• In Short

What You Paste (and Where)

• In any video field, paste a standard YouTube or Vimeo URL.
  • We accept standard and short links (e.g., youtube.com/... or youtu.be/..., vimeo.com/...).
  • You don’t need an embed code.
  • URL parameters (like autoplay, start time) aren’t supported.
• The same simple workflow applies on Events, Media, Forms, and anywhere else a video can be embedded.

Why This Benefits Your Church

• Lower costs for you
  Hosting large video files is expensive. Linking to YouTube or Vimeo avoids storage and bandwidth costs—helping us keep pricing affordable for churches.
• Reliability & performance
  YouTube and Vimeo deliver video through global CDNs designed for high-traffic streaming, keeping playback smooth during big Sundays and special events.
• One upload, everywhere
  Upload once to your channel/account, then re-use that single link on your website, social posts, and Connection Card Pro pages—no duplicate uploads.
• Analytics you already use
  Keep all views, watch time, and engagement in your existing YouTube or Vimeo analytics—no fragmented stats. (Your YouTube views still count when played from your pages.)
• Discoverability (YouTube) or ad-free control (Vimeo)
  If discoverability matters, YouTube’s ecosystem helps people find your content. If you prefer ad-free embeds and tighter control, Vimeo is built for that and offers free and paid tiers.
• Accessibility & consistency
  Manage captions/subtitles on your host platform (your church’s standard practice), and every embed stays in sync.

Recommended Privacy Settings

• YouTube: Use Unlisted (not Private). Unlisted videos don’t appear in search or on your channel, but anyone with the link can watch and they embed normally. Private videos won’t play for most viewers when embedded.
• Vimeo: Use “Anyone with the link” (and adjust embed permissions as needed). Vimeo offers granular privacy controls, including where a video can be embedded.

Tip: If you want a polished, ad-free experience and more privacy control, consider Vimeo’s paid plans; if you prefer reach and discovery, YouTube is often the better fit. Vimeo also has a free plan (features vary by tier).

Standard Practices (What We Recommend)

• Decide the goal first:
  • Want reach? Use YouTube (Unlisted or Public).
  • Want controlled, ad-free embeds? Use Vimeo (free or paid, depending on needs).
• Keep titles & thumbnails clear: Helps viewers quickly identify your content on both platforms.
• Upload captions on the host platform: Keeps every embed accessible and consistent.
• Use 16:9 HD (1080p) when possible: Balanced quality and streaming performance.
• Change Links anytime: You can easily switch an event, form, or media page to another link to try how different videos perform or to update your video.

Notes & Limitations

• Private videos generally won’t embed for most viewers. Use Unlisted (YouTube) or Anyone with the link (Vimeo).
• We don’t support URL parameters (autoplay, start time, etc.) in the link field.
• Ads & suggestions: We suppress YouTube suggestions where allowed, but can’t guarantee removal. For guaranteed ad-free embeds, use Vimeo.
• Host-side issues: If a video won’t play due to the host’s settings (blocked embedding, age-restricted, privacy rules), adjust it on YouTube/Vimeo.
• Privacy & cookies: Embedded players may set cookies or collect usage data under the video host’s policies. Ensure your church’s privacy notice reflects the use of third-party embeds from YouTube/Vimeo.

Quick How-To (Everywhere Videos Are Supported)

1. Choose Add Video (or the video field) in your Event, Media page, or Form.
2. Paste a YouTube or Vimeo link (standard or short).
3. Save. That’s it—no embed code required.

In Short

Using YouTube or Vimeo links makes your pages faster, cheaper, and easier to maintain—while giving you better analytics, privacy options, and ad-free (Vimeo) or discoverable (YouTube) viewing. It’s the simplest way to keep your media centralized and your ministry focused.