Tutorial

Delivering video for websites and social platforms

A handover matrix for master films, website clips and social adaptations, with separate decisions for framing, compression, captions and posters.

DELA Media2026-10-27

Editor checking video footage and an editing timeline on a desktop monitor.

A good video delivery package makes the right file easy to identify and use. Agree where each version will appear, preserve an approved master and inspect the actual exports. Treat framing, captions and the website poster as part of delivery, not as details left to the uploader.

Give every file a destination and a role

Start with a delivery matrix rather than a folder of exports. For each file, record destination, aspect ratio, dimensions, duration, sound, captions and who will upload it. Distinguish the archival or editing master from the smaller distribution file.

A website preview, a social advertisement and a conference screen can require different treatments even when they share footage. Ask for the actual placement requirements before choosing settings. Avoid promising that one export preset will suit every platform or every future placement.

Plan the versions before encoding

An illustrative package might contain a high-quality approved master, a landscape website clip, a vertical social edit and a still poster. The website clip might omit an audio track if it is purely decorative, while a viewer-controlled product film may need sound and captions. Agree those roles rather than making them accidental export choices.

An aspect-ratio adaptation is a composition decision first. Check whether a simple crop preserves the action or whether titles and shots need another layout. Adobe's reframing documentation provides one tool workflow, but an automatic result still needs editorial review.

Keep language and caption variants explicit in filenames and the delivery note. Do not label a file final if another version differs in an important product statement or required text.

Choose compression by inspection

Use a distribution format supported by the intended player or platform, then test a representative section. Fine gradients, grain, small text and rapid movement can expose compression problems that a static preview misses.

Set a sensible file-size target against the destination and viewing conditions. Compare a smaller candidate with the approved reference, looking at the details the audience needs. There is no single bitrate that guarantees quality for all content.

Check the encoded file rather than assuming the export dialog proves the result. Confirm dimensions, duration, frame rate, audio and the opening and ending. If the destination recompresses uploads, include a review of that published result in the eventual release workflow.

Prepare the website experience around the video

A website needs more than a video file. Choose a meaningful poster, reserve the display dimensions and agree whether playback begins by user action. A poster should look intentional before the first video frame appears.

MDN and web.dev document the roles of poster, preload and inline playback. Those controls are part of the website implementation; supplying a small file does not by itself guarantee a fast or stable page. Coordinate with the developer about when the file is requested and which browsers need testing.

Do not assume sound can autoplay or that a looping background is the right treatment for an explanatory film. Give the visitor a clear way to watch important information and respect the site's existing playback and reduced-motion behaviour.

Make the handover easy to verify

Include a short index listing each file's role, specification and approval status. Supply posters and caption files with unambiguous relationships to their videos. Keep the approved master available for future adaptations instead of repeatedly re-encoding a compressed distribution copy.

Before handing over, confirm:
- Every requested placement has an identified version.
- Important action and text survive each aspect ratio.
- Captions, audio and language variants are correct.
- Posters and playback expectations are documented.
- The actual files have been watched at a realistic size.

Platform limits and interface overlays change. Check them at the time of delivery rather than building an evergreen article around a list of numbers that will quickly become outdated.

Sources and visual references