Adding A Video Catalog To Your Website

The Video Catalog is a video hosting tool that allows you to group and display Collections of video content. Your Video Catalog can be published on a standalone watch page or embedded directly onto your website to showcase your videos in an immersive way.

Table Of Contents

Uploading Your Video Content

To begin creating your Video Catalog, you will upload your videos to Switcher's Video Library. The Video Library is a cloud storage feature that hosts Video Catalog videos and can store cloud recordings of livestreams. The Video Library can be accessed and managed using either the Switcher Dashboard in a web browser or the Switcher app on an iOS device.

Uploading Videos Via the Web Browser

  • Log into the Switcher Dashboard.
  • Open the Video CMS menu on the left-hand side and click Video Library.
  • You’ll see a rectangular prompt with instructions. Click to upload to select your video file(s), or drag and drop the file into the Upload Video pane.

Note: If you select multiple video files, the following steps will not be accessible during the upload process. You can manually adjust the title and description of each video after it has been uploaded from within the Video Library.

  • Enter the Title and Description.
  • Set your video’s visibility
    • Publish Now: The video will be visible in the Catalog and/or Collections you select
    • Schedule Premiere: Allows you to set a date for the video’s release
    • Save As Unpublished: The video will be in your Video Library but will not be live until you choose to make it so
  • Optional settings
    • Upload a thumbnail.
    • Add relevant Tags to your video (or create new Tags, as needed)
    • Click Collections to select and add the video to your pre-existing Collections.
      • If you have not created any Collections, you can skip this step.
    • Click Links to add up to 3 Interactive Links to this video when viewed via a Collection.
  • Click Upload.

Uploading Videos Via The Switcher App

  • Open Switcher on the iOS device with the recording.
  • Tap Upload To Video Library.
  • Select the video you would like to upload.
  • Enter a title, description, and thumbnail (optional).
  • Select your Switcher Player(s) (optional)
  • Add up to 3 Interactive Links (optional)
  • Tap Upload.

Note: If you enter the Studio or close the Switcher app while an upload is in progress, the upload will automatically resume upon opening the app again.

Creating Collections for Your Video Catalog

After uploading videos to the Video Library, you can sort them into customizable Collections. Once the Collections have been created and filled with videos, you can add them to your Video Catalog.

  • When in the Switcher Studio Dashboard, open the Video CMS menu on the left-hand side and choose Video Catalog.
  • Click Create Your First Collection.

  • A new pop-up window will open. Enter a Name and Description for your Collection.
  • Click the orange Create button.
  • You’ll be taken immediately to the Collection Settings page. Click the orange Add Videos button.

  • Now, it’s time to add videos to this Collection! You’ll see the videos in your Video Library below, or you can add new videos now.

  • Once you’ve selected your desired videos, click Add To Collection.
  • Each video in the Collection has a “handle” on its left-hand side (it looks like a series of six little dots). Click and hold the “handle” to drag and drop the videos into your desired order.

Customizing Your Video Catalog

Changing the Colors of Your Video Catalog

You can adjust the color settings of your Catalog to match your brand or website, allowing for a clean interface that flows seamlessly with your other site content.

  • Go to the Video Catalog settings in your Switcher Dashboard.
  • Click Customization.
  • Click the Styles tab.
  • Select your color using the palette, enter hex codes, or use the color picker to select your colors.
  • Click Save Changes.

Selecting the Display Settings

You can choose between a carousel or grid view for the content in your video catalog. Carousel view allows you to scroll horizontally through the Collection by clicking arrows. Grid view allows you to expand the Collection, exposing more videos that are housed within the Collection.

  • Go to the Video Catalog settings in your Switcher Dashboard.
  • Click Customization.
  • Click the dropdown below Display to choose Carousel or Grid.
  • Click Save Changes.

Adjusting a Collection's Thumbnail Orientation

If you have a collection with videos that contain a vertical video (9:16) ratio, you can adjust the collection's thumbnail orientation to reflect the video format.

  • Go to the Video Catalog settings in your Switcher Dashboard.
  • Tap the pencil icon next to the Collection you would like to adjust.
  • Click Customization.
  • Select the desired content orientation: Horizontal or Vertical.
  • Click Save Changes.

Adding Links To Your Video Catalog

When in the Collection settings page for any of your Collections (get here via the Dashboard by going to Video CMS, and clicking the “edit pencil” icon beside the desired collection), click on the Links option on the right-hand side.

Here, you can add links that will appear in the details tab throughout this entire Collection! This is a great way to direct people towards affiliate products and shoppable items, relative to the collection.

Monetizing Your Video Catalog

If you have premium content you would like to charge viewers to access, you can place a subscription on your Video Catalog. You can charge your viewers at a monthly and/or annual rate.

  • Set up your Stripe account.
    • Switcher uses Stripe as our secure payment processor for monetized video content.
  • Go to the Video Catalog settings in your Switcher Dashboard.
  • Click Subscription Options.
  • Check the box next to Monthly and/or Annual.
  • Enter a dollar amount for how much you would like to charge.
  • Click Save Changes.

Embedding Your Video Catalog On Your Website

Now that your Collections are customized, monetized, and ready to go, you can embed the Video Catalog on your website.

  • Go to the Video Catalog settings in your Switcher Dashboard.
  • Click Copy Code below the Embed Code section.
  • Paste the embed code into your website editor and publish your changes.

Note: For WordPress website users, your hosting must be on one of their paid plans so that you can install an iFrame plugin for code embedding. Using the free plan’s Custom HTML Block will not work!

Add the embed code from Switcher into the Embed Code box on your website. Do not make any changes to the code!

If your website builder has a WYSIWYG Mode (“What You See Is What You Get” Mode), you’ll see a preview of your Collection!

Save your website and navigate to its URL. Your Collection’s player will show on the page. Clicking to PLAY it will pull up the Collection player with all of the settings you previously set!

Sharing Your Video Catalog Landing Page

You can share a URL that hosts your Video Catalog with your audience. This is a great alternative if you don't have a website or are looking to get the Video Catalog shared with your audience without adjusting any code.

To access your Video Catalog Landing Page link:

  • Go to the Video Catalog in your Switcher Dashboard.
  • Click Copy Link below Share Landing Page.
  • Your URL will now be copied to your clipboard, where you can paste and share with your audience.

Customizing Your Video Catalog Share Link

The section above shows you a quick and easy way to share a direct link to your chosen Collection, but what if you wanted a custom URL to share with people? Switcher allows you to create custom URLs for each collection!

To Customize Your Video Catalog URL:

Go to the Video Catalog tab in the Dashboard, and click on the Edit icon beside the Collection of your choice.

You’ll be taken to the Collection Settings page. Scroll all the way down until you see the Share Landing Page section on the right-hand side. Click on “Edit Link”.

Enter your desired URL into the box, and then tap the orange “SAVE” button.

A green notice at the top-right of the screen will confirm that your URL was successfully updated, and you’ll also see your new URL link listed on the screen.

Livestreaming To Your Video Catalog

You can stream directly to a Collection as a singular destination or by multistreaming to a Collection and another chosen platform(s). To set up a livestream within the Dashboard, choose the Platforms option from the menu on the left-hand side, and then click the “Manage” button beside Livestreaming.

Click the orange Create A New Livestream button, and then click on the “Video Catalog” tile to choose it as a destination. Choose other destinations, if desired, and click the orange “Continue” button when you’re satisfied.

Click on the dropdown menu for Scheduling and choose “Go Live Now”. Add a title and a description for your stream, and then click the “Speed Test” button to run a speed test based on your current networking conditions. Save your livestream, and you’ll see a pop-up that your stream has been saved!

Now, open the Switcher app, tap on “Livestreaming” in the Outputs tab, and tap the big red button in the top-right corner to go live. When you go live, you’ll be live on your Video Catalog.