Ever opened your Vidyard library and felt like you were staring into the void? If your videos are scattered, unlabeled, or buried under “final_v2_reallyfinal.mp4” files, you’re not alone. This guide’s for anyone who’s trying to bring order to the chaos—whether you’re running sales outreach, supporting customers, or just keeping your team on the same page.
Here’s how to actually get a grip on your Vidyard library—step by step, minus the fluff.
1. Start With a Video Audit
Before you organize, you need to know what you’ve got—and what you can toss.
- Skim your library: Look for duplicates, outdated content, or videos with zero views.
- Delete ruthlessly: If a video hasn’t been used in months and no one remembers why it exists, trash it. (You can always download a backup if you’re nervous.)
- Make a “Review” folder: Not sure about a video? Dump it here for now. Don’t let indecision stall you.
Pro tip: If you’re part of a team, don’t try to guess what’s important to others. Ask before deleting shared content.
2. Get Your Folder Structure Right
Folders are basic, but treating them as an afterthought is a rookie mistake. The trick is to keep it simple.
How to structure your folders
- By department: Sales, Marketing, Support, Training, etc.
- By project or campaign: “Q2 Product Launch,” “Onboarding Series,” etc.
- By video type: Demos, Testimonials, Tutorials, Walkthroughs.
Pick one system and stick to it. Don’t mix and match; that’s how things get messy.
What doesn’t work:
Nested folders five layers deep. You’ll never remember where you put things. Two, maybe three levels max.
Real world advice:
If you’re the only one using the library, organize however makes sense to you. If it’s shared, agree on folder names and rules. Otherwise, it’s chaos in a month.
3. Naming Conventions (Yes, Really)
It’s tempting to just call videos whatever comes to mind. That’s a short road to madness later.
A simple naming formula
[Department/Project]_[VideoType]_[ShortDescription]_[Date]
Example:
Sales_Demo_NewFeature_Mar2024
- Use underscores or dashes—no spaces.
- Avoid inside jokes or acronyms only you understand.
- Put the most important info up front.
What to ignore:
Long, cryptic codes or file names loaded with details no one cares about. Keep it readable at a glance.
4. Tag Like You Mean It
Tags are your secret weapon for finding videos fast—if you use them consistently.
- Relevant tags only: Product name, audience, purpose (“onboarding,” “customer story,” etc.)
- No tag overload: 3-5 tags per video is plenty.
- Standardize: Make a list of approved tags. Don’t invent new ones for every video.
Pro tip:
Check with your team—do you all use “demo” or “demonstration”? Align on wording early or search will be a mess.
5. Make the Most of Vidyard’s Features
Vidyard has some handy tools, but not all are worth your time.
What’s worth using
- Folders & tags: Covered above. Use both for maximum findability.
- Search: Works well if you’ve named and tagged your videos properly.
- Analytics: See what’s getting watched and what’s not. Use this info to prune your library.
What to ignore (unless you actually need it)
- Custom thumbnails: Nice touch, but don’t obsess. It won’t fix a disorganized library.
- Advanced sharing settings: Unless you have privacy concerns, don’t overcomplicate who can see what.
- Integrations galore: If you don’t need a CRM sync or Slack alerts, skip them. Focus on getting organized first.
6. Set Up a Maintenance Routine
Organization isn’t a one-and-done thing. Without a little upkeep, the chaos creeps back in.
- Monthly review: Delete or archive old videos, check for duplicates.
- Quarterly cleanup: Revisit your folder and tag structures—are they still working?
- Scheduled check-ins: If you’re on a team, set a reminder to review the library together.
Pro tip:
Assign ownership. Someone needs to be the “video librarian,” even if it rotates.
7. Share Smart, Not Hard
Once your library is tidy, sharing gets a lot simpler.
- Use folders for sharing: Share entire folders with teams or clients instead of individual links.
- Direct links: Only share the exact video needed—don’t make people hunt.
- Permissions: If it matters who sees what, double-check Vidyard’s sharing settings.
What to skip:
Blasting out library-wide links. Most people want one useful video, not 200 to sort through.
8. When to Archive (and When to Delete)
Not every video needs to live forever.
- Archive: For videos you may need later (old campaigns, legacy training). Move them to an “Archive” folder or use Vidyard’s archive feature if available.
- Delete: For content that’s out of date, off-brand, or just plain embarrassing.
Pro tip:
If it’s a legal or compliance thing, check with your team before hitting delete. Otherwise, don’t be sentimental.
9. Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
Let’s be real: even with the best intentions, things can go sideways.
- No agreement on naming/tags: Leads to a junk drawer mess.
- Too many cooks: Limit who can create folders or edit tags.
- Over-organizing: If it takes longer to file a video than to make it, your system’s too complicated.
What actually works:
Simple, shared rules. A quick check-in every so often. And not being afraid to clean house.
10. Keep It Simple, Iterate as You Go
You’re not building the Library of Congress here. Start with a basic system, see what works, and tweak it as you go. Don’t wait for “perfect”—just aim for “less painful than before.”
The payoff? Less time searching, more time creating (or, honestly, just less time feeling annoyed at your video library). Stay on top of it, and future-you will thank you.