Usually, the first thing that comes to mind for bloggers is to write text-based posts, with relevant visual aids. It has been established, however, that video content can considerably increase your readership and exposure.

You can always provide a link to a video, say on YouTube, but a much better way is to embed videos in your posts. One reason is that you make it easier for your readers to access the information – they simply have to click play. Another reason is you increase the time on page.

You don’t need a lot of technical know-how to embed videos in your posts. There are a lot of plugins that will make your life easier. In this post, let’s look at some of the best FREE WordPress video plugins.

Free WordPress video plugins to consider

1. Video Embed and Thumbnail Generator

This plugin generates thumbnails, encodes HTML5-compliant videos, and embeds locally hosted videos. Additionally, the plugin gives you several fields upon upload to the Media Library. You merely have to pick the options you want, and when you insert the video in the post, the shortcode will be automatically inserted. The embedded video player in responsive HTML5, but will revert to Flash in case the browser is unsupported.

2. Cool Video Gallery

If you’ve got several videos that you want to display, then this plugin will work best. It allows you to upload videos, attach media files, and even add YouTube videos. The killer is that you can manage them in multiple galleries, making your posts look good and more user-friendly.

3. Video Thumbnails

For posts that may not have images, but contain videos, you will have to set a featured image manually. With this plugin, you don’t have to do that as it will pull the first video in the post, create a thumbnail, and set that as the featured image. Easy peasy.

4. Stream Video Player

The edge that this plugin has over the others is that it has XML Playlist support and subtitles. More so, it has a tag generator in the editor. Even better, it works well for viewing on iOS and Android. That will give your blog a boost if you use a lot of video content, as mobile viewing is on the rise and has no signs of slowing down.

5. JW Player for Flash & HTML5 Video

For easy customization and embedding of Flash and HTML5 video, this plugin is one of the best to use. It allows you to use custom watermarks, HLS/RTMP streaming and VAST/VPAID advertising.

Do you use WordPress video plugins? What can you recommend on top of this list?

More on video: [STUDY] Video is the Past, Present, and Future of Marketing