By Mark Milian, CNN
New York (CNN) – That a popular video-sharing website is retooling its layout to highlight, of all things, the video on each page seems like a head-slapping idea.
But that's exactly what's happening at Vimeo, an online video site with an artsy fan base.
Vimeo, which is owned by Web media giant InterActiveCorp, began welcoming some subscribers and nonpaying users to a test version of its new site Tuesday morning. The website is painted in pastels, with large fonts and videos.
The revision was conceived of in 2009, the company said, and development has been going on for more than a year, Vimeo CEO Dae Mellencamp said in a recent interview here at the company's headquarters.
Clicking a Vimeo link brings viewers to a page featuring a video that typically fills the screen. In order to see similar videos, the visitor can click a banner that hangs discreetly in the corner, which will trigger a ticker to drop down from the top of the page.
"We're putting the video front and center," Mellencamp said. "The idea is to show less by default and welcome more requests."
By that, Mellencamp means that Vimeo won't be bombarding visitors with text, buttons, related videos and advertisements dancing around the centerpiece content.
Compare that to YouTube, which is by far the largest video site on the Web. Below the YouTube logo on the page is the video's title, then buttons leading to more videos, and then the main video (in "small player" mode by default), surrounded by "more recommended videos," and "suggestions." On a typical video, more than a dozen distractions line the side of the page.
The new Vimeo home page is also a stark contrast to YouTube's. The layout looks more like a blog or a Tumblr dashboard by default. Users can switch, like iTunes, between other types of views, such as "couch mode" with videos filling the screen. Meanwhile, YouTube's home page, which was redesigned last month, has three columns packed with links to videos.
During Vimeo's current test period, the designers will learn whether they have concocted the magic formula for online video, or whether their long-in-the-works experiment missed the mark. And during that time, a key indicator will be how many people choose to switch back to the old design.
In a few weeks, Vimeo will begin allowing any registered user to get access to "the new Vimeo," as Mellencamp calls it. By July, Vimeo expects that the new version will take over the entire site, a spokeswoman said.
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Hi StuartI think there is a lot to learn for eveyrone. We can't all be experts in everything or be bale to come up with all the answers on our own.Thanks for your comment.Baz
Hi I think you're one of the world's greatest artists. I am a African-American male 50 years old. I would love to work for you, free of charge. I have ideas from the South where I grew up.
I've been posting on Vimeo for 2+years and love it. Youtube is too busy and commercial for me.
eexnllcet submit, very informative. I ponder why the other specialists of this sector don't realize this. You must continue your writing. I am sure, you've a huge readers' base already!
Role Reversal I have a lot to say about this! But mine has to do with personalities.. rhater then physical responsibilities Before I get into that I will say Tim and I switched rolls a few summers ago when I was working on some Political Campaigns.. and he was going to school to finish his degree. He stayed home and went crazy. Some men just aren't programed or wired to be in a house all day long with 4 boys who speak Toddler instead of proper English! Needless to say.. He was back out looking for a job by the end of the Election.. and I've been home since So more power to you two for standing firm in the Lord, and waiting on His promises! Now on to what I was really doing to say !!! HA! I too am the social butterfly of the family. Tim is more laid back and introverted. Since I am the loud one.. its natural for me to take charge and complete tasks that need attention. Since Tim is the quieter person he tends to smoothly allow things to progress until someone else picks up the ball and runs! Obviously Our rolls in marriage are MUCH reversed because He's the head of the house and I'm called to be submissive to his leadership. It is absolutely not natural for Tim to take charge and it is absolutely not natural for me to sit back and let someone else take charge! Growing up in our marriage, its taken YEARS to develop communication to help one another on these weaknesses but thats challenging to. All I know is that.. God has been on our side from the get go.. and he's routing for us to be successful and continues to give us the tools we need to do so . sometimes I wish He would point us towards where the tools are but that's a whole different story The best thing about being obedient to the Holy Spirit and His guidance through our role reversals is we get to witness God's blessings in response to our faith in Him. I wouldn't change that for anything! So .Go Weeds! High Five! Learn those life lessons.. and apply them when necessary! I know God's routing for you.. and I'm routing for you too!
Joefest99 on March 10, 2011 Call me crazy, but I belveie that you should be obligated to pay back what you borrow. I racked up a bunch of debt in college and didn't settle but paid it back in full. I actually went hungry and set the thermostat lower than I would have liked in order to do so. I know some deadbeats that settled for less than what they owed but not me!But I'm the kind of guy who paid for my own college, even thought a family member offered to pay it. Sadly, I don't think there are many people like that.
Thanks Rich and Travis for the video it was awesome I like the other one at ieflway woman access that was to funny I am glad that you all had a good time in the Lord it looks like you had a hoot of a time I had been praying for you all. You all need to bring deeper still to Albuquerque NM soon. I have been to the Living proof conferences but I want to go to a deeper still one please.Love Carol a seista in Albuq. Nm
Their current application for Samsung Smart TVs (I have a D7000) has been sporadic since their last app upgrade. Sometimes the video is smooth...sometimes freezing makes it impossible to watch.
I really enjoy the site and I hope they'll pay attention to the growing number of people who want to watch Vimeo where it really shines...on a HDTV.
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i find your voice snoihtog and sensual. i like to light some candles and put my rinry game game play list on repeat when i'm lonely at nights.
Hi Anish ?Quick 30 sonced review: They don't suck! They look well produced, good content, along with the design of the site. (That's what I can share in a glance.)
Why would Mellencamp and Vimeo develop an entirely new platform for 2 years, only to THEN test it with users and see if it's going to work? That experiment could fail miserably. This is exactly what "Lean Startup" is trying to solve, huge assumptions like this.
I never had any luck watching a Vimeo flick as it was always herky-jerky. I never got a good steady stream so I quit even trying. Vimeo? Click.
The problem is on your end. Vimeo beats Youtube any day of the week.
I rlelay dislike having the Facebook comments so near these comments. I already accidentally posted one comment to facebook that I wanted to post here. Need to delineate between the two. Or is that your plan?
Are you on dial-up?
Sometimes watching it online, my videos end up little lagged as well, but its probably my system. I watch them mostly on my Roku box with the vimeo channel. So much better and on an HD screen
Video Sharing is one of the more ploapur uses of the latest web applications, also called widgets that are built in on the user profiles of Friendster.com social community. Click here to read more!
yeah ! Love it ! If one day I could meet the Doctor (well, in an other dimension so..!) I'll ask him, in an Allons-y , to avrtel in time to meet Mister Keaton ! ^.^ (Ahh dreaming.!)