How to Embed Video Content in SharePoint

I am frequently asked about the rich content that appears in the SharePoint sites I have developed. Specifically the video, Silverlight and Flash content. The most common question is “how do you create a SharePoint site that doesn’t look like SharePoint?” While the technical answer to that question is a little complex, the simple answer (that provides the ability to provide video content) is actually pretty simple.

Although some of the following pre-requisites may already be in place, you will need a document library and a web part page.

Step 1:  Create a Document Library to contain the Web Part Pages (aspx). These files must have a home, but you can use an existing library if a suitable one exists. The name of the library is somewhat arbitrary, but should be as consise as possible. It is also a good idea to provide an accurate description of the library.

Step 2:  Create the Web Part Page or modify an existing page that will contain the video content.

Step 3:  Edit the newly created Web Part Page and add a ‘Content Editor Web Part’.

Step 4:  Enter the Embed code (either manually or by cut-and-pasting from YouTube, etc) into the source editor of the CEWP.

Step 5:  Exit from editing mode of the Web Part Page and you should now see a video player with your video.

Step 6:  If you are using a publishing site, with corresponding web content management enabled, the steps are slightly different, just add the CEWP and Embed code. Don’t forget to check-in and publish your changes.