Encoding.com, the cloud-based encoding provider, is debuting a new white-label option of its service today. Jeff Malkin, Encoding.com's president, explained to me yesterday that the company's goal is to expand reach through new customers who have access to many new opportunities. Initial customers being announced today include Cisco Eos, Kaltura, Giant Realm and vzaar. Jeff said there are many additional white-label customers yet to be announced.
Encoding.com is enabling these relationships by introducing new features in its API which allow customers to integrate transcoding into their customers' work flow. In particular, Jeff said the API enhancement means white-label customers can offer the same type of sub-account set-up and trial account creation, plus account and sub-account tracking in real-time. Encoding.com will offer the same service level guarantees for white-label customers. Jeff explained that Encoding.com has been spurred to offer the white-label option due to heavy in-bound interest from prospects. Jeff said many companies such as OVPs, content management systems, online education platforms and others want to be able to offer an encoding option, but have been hamstrung in their ability to develop their own scalable services. White-label customers can choose to include the Encoding.com brand, but are not required to do so.
Encoding.com views its new white-label customers as similar to existing customers. They get the same pricing, and are in turn free to price the Encoding.com's services as they'd like. Encoding.com anticipates some will license it, some might offer it as part of an all-inclusive deal.
Encoding and transcoding are becoming increasingly complex as the number of formats and devices proliferate. Content providers are being challenged to manage all of this and to do so cost-effectively. Since many content providers want to limit the number of vendors they deal with, offering a white label option seems like a win all around.