Video watermark?

[h_freddy]

Hello people. I want to make this quick. I’ve googled this around and read the discussions about it here and there. Most of them are about a year old and since there is still no official watermark features for video files by the fiverr itself, Yet hundreds of reports on buyers who take the final file, Use it and then come back after 12 days and ask for a refund, I want to know if it’d be a good idea to put a small watermark on the preview files and tell the buyer that you will remove them once the order is confirmed?

I know this method has some problems, Someone mentioned that it’s even against the ToS (Then how comes fiverr does it for photo deliveries!?). I just can’t help with all the horror stories of buyers who actually do that, And you know what? It’s not just the stories. You can go on and easily find buyer discussions, Even on the official fiverr watermark, Where buyers discuss reporting the buyers for having the fiverr watermark on their photo deliveries. I’m not sure why would a buyer want their file delivered without a watermark before accepting the result, If they don’t have bad intentions?

So, Any ideas?

[h_freddy]

And now that we are here, We could also share solutions to overcome some of the related issues.
Like, What if we ask for buyer’s youtube or website url in the first steps? So if anything goes wrong in the future and your gig gets stolen in such ways, You could track them, Screenshot the unauthorized use of your gig by the buyers who issue a refund, So that you can provide CP with some solid evidence.

[Guest merciavideo]

Hello people. I want to make this quick. I’ve googled this around and read the discussions about it here and there. Most of them are about a year old and since there is still no official watermark features for video files by the fiverr itself, Yet hundreds of reports on buyers who take the final file, Use it and then come back after 12 days and ask for a refund, I want to know if it’d be a good idea to put a small watermark on the preview files and tell the buyer that you will remove them once the order is confirmed?

I know this method has some problems, Someone mentioned that it’s even against the ToS (Then how comes fiverr does it for photo deliveries!?). I just can’t help with all the horror stories of buyers who actually do that, And you know what? It’s not just the stories. You can go on and easily find buyer discussions, Even on the official fiverr watermark, Where buyers discuss reporting the buyers for having the fiverr watermark on their photo deliveries. I’m not sure why would a buyer want their file delivered without a watermark before accepting the result, If they don’t have bad intentions?

So, Any ideas?

Someone mentioned that it’s even against the ToS

It’s against the ToS to deliver the final work with your own watermark on - Fiverr already puts their one on, which is removed when buyers accept delivery.

What if we ask for buyer’s youtube or website url in the first steps? So if anything goes wrong in the future and your gig gets stolen in such ways, You could track them, Screenshot the unauthorized use of your gig by the buyers who issue a refund,

Because buyers would hate the assumption that they’re going to steal your work, and you’re suspicious of them before you even start? Also, buyers may justifiably refuse to give that information - privacy.

[h_freddy]

Someone mentioned that it’s even against the ToS

It’s against the ToS to deliver the final work with your own watermark on - Fiverr already puts their one on, which is removed when buyers accept delivery.

What if we ask for buyer’s youtube or website url in the first steps? So if anything goes wrong in the future and your gig gets stolen in such ways, You could track them, Screenshot the unauthorized use of your gig by the buyers who issue a refund,

Because buyers would hate the assumption that they’re going to steal your work, and you’re suspicious of them before you even start? Also, buyers may justifiably refuse to give that information - privacy.

1. Fiverr only puts their watermark on delivered photo files, Not videos (As mentioned in the website several times)

2. A lot of gigs that offer some sort of logo animation or video advertisement, Ask for the buyer to send them their youtube channel website. Customers seem to be happy to provide the address so that the seller will have the idea what kind of content they’re dealing with.

[sparx_intros]

1. Fiverr only puts their watermark on delivered photo files, Not videos (As mentioned in the website several times)

2. A lot of gigs that offer some sort of logo animation or video advertisement, Ask for the buyer to send them their youtube channel website. Customers seem to be happy to provide the address so that the seller will have the idea what kind of content they’re dealing with.

Fiverr only puts their watermark on delivered photo files, Not videos

No, Its not true.

Videos are also have watermark if you enabled it in gig setting.

[Guest merciavideo]

1. Fiverr only puts their watermark on delivered photo files, Not videos (As mentioned in the website several times)

2. A lot of gigs that offer some sort of logo animation or video advertisement, Ask for the buyer to send them their youtube channel website. Customers seem to be happy to provide the address so that the seller will have the idea what kind of content they’re dealing with.

1. As @sparx_intros says - you can set watermarks to go on video files.

Customers seem to be happy to provide the address

As a buyer I’d be happy to give you the information needed to complete the gig, and nothing else. What you want to do sounds like being asked for your name and address when you enter a shop just in case you might steal something.

Added to the potential unhappiness of buyers being asked for irrelevant info, it might actually be going against Fiverr’s ToS if you ask for personal info which isn’t actually needed to complete the gig.😉

[h_freddy]

1. As @sparx_intros says - you can set watermarks to go on video files.

Customers seem to be happy to provide the address

As a buyer I’d be happy to give you the information needed to complete the gig, and nothing else. What you want to do sounds like being asked for your name and address when you enter a shop just in case you might steal something.

Added to the potential unhappiness of buyers being asked for irrelevant info, it might actually be going against Fiverr’s ToS if you ask for personal info which isn’t actually needed to complete the gig.😉

Alright. I guess you have a point.

[cyaxrex]

1. As @sparx_intros says - you can set watermarks to go on video files.

Customers seem to be happy to provide the address

As a buyer I’d be happy to give you the information needed to complete the gig, and nothing else. What you want to do sounds like being asked for your name and address when you enter a shop just in case you might steal something.

Added to the potential unhappiness of buyers being asked for irrelevant info, it might actually be going against Fiverr’s ToS if you ask for personal info which isn’t actually needed to complete the gig.😉

As a buyer I’d be happy to give you the information needed to complete the gig, and nothing else. What you want to do sounds like being asked for your name and address when you enter a shop just in case you might steal something.

Added to the potential unhappiness of buyers being asked for irrelevant info, it might actually be going against Fiverr’s ToS if you ask for personal info which isn’t actually needed to complete the gig.😉

This can all be avoided by dressing things up in a more sophisticated way. Also, it’s common sense to include buyer contact information in videos. Buyers want this so that video media converts into actual sales leads and landing page clicks.

I want to know if it’d be a good idea to put a small watermark on the preview files and tell the buyer that you will remove them once the order is confirmed?

A (possible) better way to do this could be to add commercial rights extras to your video gigs pricing structure. Deliver all videos with an end credit saying something like, “created by Mrvideomaker exclusively at Fiverr.com.” If buyers would like this removed, inform them (clearly in your gig description) that removal will require the purchase of your commercial rights extra.

As far as TOS is concerned, this could be a problem. However, to me, it makes zero sense how Fiverr encourages commercial rights addons for voiceover and image work and not video. Also, adding an end credit or watermark is standard operating practice among all regular on-demand video production services online, unless users pay for appropriate licensing and monetization rights.

If you are worried about buyers using chargebacks to get work FOC, you can also state in your gig FAQ section that non-payment (but continued use of material after delivery), will result in you making requests for removal of video content with website hosting providers. Also throw in something scary like, "to date, I have a 100% success rate when enforcing distribution rights."

Finding out where content is used is easy. I haven’t yet created a video where a buyer has not wanted their website url, telephone number, logo, or business name included in the material. More importantly, I have had several buyers follow a pattern of revision requests which go something like:

"The video is broken. I can’t see my files. Where is my delivery? I don’t like it. The audio is broken. I’m not happy, etc."

In almost every case, a quick search on Youtube or Google for client websites has revealed that work I have delivered has already been published online. When this is the case, I inform buyers that this seems strange, provide them a link, and inform them that I will be forwarding the matter to CS for investigation. I also remind buyers that they may not publish or distribute material until orders have been finalized. This usually terrifies fraudsters into silence and they disappear with their tail between their legs.

Another way to find out where content is being used, is to offer to write optimized video descriptions and tags for Youtube. Offer this FOC but build this into your pricing, and most buyers will appreciate you doing this for them. In fact, you will be shocked how many people upload videos to Youtube with generic file names and hope for some kind of SEO miracle.

For the sake of full disclosure, I do not personally offer Youtube optimization or add credits/commercial rights addons to videos. I would like to. However, CS can be somewhat schizophrenic about such maters. You may get a green-light one day followed by an account warning the next.

What I do is offer to make videos which reflect the branding of the websites and businesses which they are intended to be used by. This necessitates a minimum of a company logo and website url. It is also the chief reason why people buy my video gig in the first place. This method has been working for me for 2+ years. However, I do have more problem buyers on my video gigs than in any other gig category.

I would advise against adding a watermark to deliveries without discussing this matter with someone who can give you a definitive answer from CS. Delivering with a watermark pending removal after an order is accepted as complete, will (likely) be interpreted as misuse of the delivery button.

To reduce instances of fraud, you should also never back down when you end up facing off with scammers. People who order video work on Fiverr with the intention of chargingback on orders, target the same sellers over and over. Make the process hell for them, never work with new to Fiverr buyers who seem to be familiar with what you do, and always go for the jugular when buyers later chargeback on orders. Namely, by immediately finding where your work is being used online.

100% of the time, sites hosting videos will be horrified to find out that some big marketing firm they paid a bucket of money has been outsourcing to sellers on Fiverr and using chargebacks to get work FOC. Businesses will therefore remove work asap and start chasing supposed production companies for refunds. Just never ask for payment when orders have been chargedback on. This can make you look like a scammer yourself.

[h_freddy]

As a buyer I’d be happy to give you the information needed to complete the gig, and nothing else. What you want to do sounds like being asked for your name and address when you enter a shop just in case you might steal something.

Added to the potential unhappiness of buyers being asked for irrelevant info, it might actually be going against Fiverr’s ToS if you ask for personal info which isn’t actually needed to complete the gig.😉

This can all be avoided by dressing things up in a more sophisticated way. Also, it’s common sense to include buyer contact information in videos. Buyers want this so that video media converts into actual sales leads and landing page clicks.

I want to know if it’d be a good idea to put a small watermark on the preview files and tell the buyer that you will remove them once the order is confirmed?

A (possible) better way to do this could be to add commercial rights extras to your video gigs pricing structure. Deliver all videos with an end credit saying something like, “created by Mrvideomaker exclusively at Fiverr.com.” If buyers would like this removed, inform them (clearly in your gig description) that removal will require the purchase of your commercial rights extra.

As far as TOS is concerned, this could be a problem. However, to me, it makes zero sense how Fiverr encourages commercial rights addons for voiceover and image work and not video. Also, adding an end credit or watermark is standard operating practice among all regular on-demand video production services online, unless users pay for appropriate licensing and monetization rights.

If you are worried about buyers using chargebacks to get work FOC, you can also state in your gig FAQ section that non-payment (but continued use of material after delivery), will result in you making requests for removal of video content with website hosting providers. Also throw in something scary like, "to date, I have a 100% success rate when enforcing distribution rights."

Finding out where content is used is easy. I haven’t yet created a video where a buyer has not wanted their website url, telephone number, logo, or business name included in the material. More importantly, I have had several buyers follow a pattern of revision requests which go something like:

"The video is broken. I can’t see my files. Where is my delivery? I don’t like it. The audio is broken. I’m not happy, etc."

In almost every case, a quick search on Youtube or Google for client websites has revealed that work I have delivered has already been published online. When this is the case, I inform buyers that this seems strange, provide them a link, and inform them that I will be forwarding the matter to CS for investigation. I also remind buyers that they may not publish or distribute material until orders have been finalized. This usually terrifies fraudsters into silence and they disappear with their tail between their legs.

Another way to find out where content is being used, is to offer to write optimized video descriptions and tags for Youtube. Offer this FOC but build this into your pricing, and most buyers will appreciate you doing this for them. In fact, you will be shocked how many people upload videos to Youtube with generic file names and hope for some kind of SEO miracle.

For the sake of full disclosure, I do not personally offer Youtube optimization or add credits/commercial rights addons to videos. I would like to. However, CS can be somewhat schizophrenic about such maters. You may get a green-light one day followed by an account warning the next.

What I do is offer to make videos which reflect the branding of the websites and businesses which they are intended to be used by. This necessitates a minimum of a company logo and website url. It is also the chief reason why people buy my video gig in the first place. This method has been working for me for 2+ years. However, I do have more problem buyers on my video gigs than in any other gig category.

I would advise against adding a watermark to deliveries without discussing this matter with someone who can give you a definitive answer from CS. Delivering with a watermark pending removal after an order is accepted as complete, will (likely) be interpreted as misuse of the delivery button.

To reduce instances of fraud, you should also never back down when you end up facing off with scammers. People who order video work on Fiverr with the intention of chargingback on orders, target the same sellers over and over. Make the process hell for them, never work with new to Fiverr buyers who seem to be familiar with what you do, and always go for the jugular when buyers later chargeback on orders. Namely, by immediately finding where your work is being used online.

100% of the time, sites hosting videos will be horrified to find out that some big marketing firm they paid a bucket of money has been outsourcing to sellers on Fiverr and using chargebacks to get work FOC. Businesses will therefore remove work asap and start chasing supposed production companies for refunds. Just never ask for payment when orders have been chargedback on. This can make you look like a scammer yourself.

The tips around the licensing look pretty solid to me. Also agreed on platform’s weird actions around watermarks. @sparx_intros mentioned that they now support watermarks on videos too, Yet I can still see their notes on help center mentioning that only common image formats support watermarks.

Overall, You’ve given quite a lot of information in your comment. Thanks for sharing.

[uk1000]

Fiverr only puts their watermark on delivered photo files, Not videos

No, Its not true.

Videos are also have watermark if you enabled it in gig setting.

No, Its not true.

Videos are also have watermark if you enabled it in gig setting.

Really? Does Fiverr say anything about that anywhere and if so do you have a link?

See this:

https://sellers.fiverr.com/en/article/adding-a-watermark-to-protect-your-work

That link only mentions images. What types of video file does it protect with a watermark?

Even the text under “activate watermark” only mentions images and not video.

eg. “Activating this feature automatically adds the Fiverr Watermark to the images in the Order page and to your portfolio on your Gig page.”.

[sparx_intros]

No, Its not true.

Videos are also have watermark if you enabled it in gig setting.

Really? Does Fiverr say anything about that anywhere and if so do you have a link?

See this:

https://sellers.fiverr.com/en/article/adding-a-watermark-to-protect-your-work

That link only mentions images. What types of video file does it protect with a watermark?

Even the text under “activate watermark” only mentions images and not video.

eg. “Activating this feature automatically adds the Fiverr Watermark to the images in the Order page and to your portfolio on your Gig page.”.

Even the text under “activate watermark” only mentions images and not video.

Yes you are right, it is not mentioned anywhere about video watermark but it exist there and works same as works for images.

Many of my buyer who are not aware of delivery process asked me to remove the watermark and then I explained them that once they click on ‘Accept and Review’ button they will get their video without watermark.

I will try if I can make available any of evidence to prove this.

[uk1000]

Even the text under “activate watermark” only mentions images and not video.

Yes you are right, it is not mentioned anywhere about video watermark but it exist there and works same as works for images.

Many of my buyer who are not aware of delivery process asked me to remove the watermark and then I explained them that once they click on ‘Accept and Review’ button they will get their video without watermark.

I will try if I can make available any of evidence to prove this.

It might just be overlaying a “Fiverr” logo on a video preview. But that wouldn’t be any use if it’s not changing the delivered video file attachment - or making it unavailable. And if it makes it unavailable, they can’t really check it properly (ie. just checking it in a preview window on Fiverr wouldn’t let them know if it is actually correct). Also if it’s just overlaying a logo without actually altering the video itself that probably wouldn’t stop them actually downloading the video that is shown in that preview without the logo (thought that would only be low res).

[sparx_intros]

Even the text under “activate watermark” only mentions images and not video.

Yes you are right, it is not mentioned anywhere about video watermark but it exist there and works same as works for images.

Many of my buyer who are not aware of delivery process asked me to remove the watermark and then I explained them that once they click on ‘Accept and Review’ button they will get their video without watermark.

I will try if I can make available any of evidence to prove this.

Even the text under “activate watermark” only mentions images and not video.

[uk1000]

Even the text under “activate watermark” only mentions images and not video.

watermark01.png852×697 28 KB

watermark02.png833×754 42.3 KB

Though again we don’t know whether they’re just looking at Fiverr’s video preview with a web based overlay of a Fiverrr logo. I can’t remember anyone ever saying that about a video (though maybe because I often also send a higher bitrate version as a link).

Neither of them say they actually downloaded the video attachment (and were they able to?).

If Fiverr does alter the videos attached they should really let users know eg. in the help pages and tell them what video types it supports, what codecs/formats etc.

[herbertpotter]

Add watermark to a video? Ever have I done the thing with a video editor called Joyoshare Media Cutter. It allows to create a unique text or image watermark to protect video content. Usually, I use it to insert a personal watermark to my video before uploading it to social platform.

[cobra46l]

Though again we don’t know whether they’re just looking at Fiverr’s video preview with a web based overlay of a Fiverrr logo. I can’t remember anyone ever saying that about a video (though maybe because I often also send a higher bitrate version as a link).

Neither of them say they actually downloaded the video attachment (and were they able to?).

If Fiverr does alter the videos attached they should really let users know eg. in the help pages and tell them what video types it supports, what codecs/formats etc.

When my freelancer delivered my video for approval, I seen the Fiverr watermark on the video, and I was wondering how to remove it. Apparently the Fiverr watermark only shows up when previewing the video, once I downloaded the .mp4 the watermark disappeared. So the watermarks just an overlay on Fiverr’s website.

@sparx_intros said: “Many of my buyer who are not aware of delivery process asked me to remove the watermark and then I explained them that once they click on ‘Accept and Review’ button they will get their video without watermark.”

This isn’t entirely correct, the client doesn’t have to accept and review the order to remove the watermark, they only have to download the .mp4 file to remove the watermark. The screenshots below were taken before I accepted and completed the order.

2021-04-04_13-06-371317×1513 76.4 KB