We love making it easier for people to watch and share the best how-to videos on the web. While we’re always making Howcast.com better and better, recently we’ve been thinking of ways to bring a little bit of Howcast to people wherever, whenever they need to learn how to do something. Sometimes the urge to learn how to do something comes when you’re checking out a web site or blog on that topic.

Howdy Publishers (and bloggers and social networking peeps and …)

So, we’re making it easier for publishers – from regular folks with blogs and networking profiles to large web site owners – to show their visitors relevant, quality how-to videos using simple yet powerful tools from Howcast.

Of course, we’ve always offered a simple, embeddable player that shows videos complete with the step-by-step instructions and navigation available on Howcast.com. Recently, you might have noticed that you can pick your own color scheme and resize the player when you go to snag the embed code for your latest Howcast video faves.

Lonely No More: Introducing the Howcast Custom Player

Recently, we’ve noticed that our videos look a bit lonely when embedded all by themselves in separate players. How-to videos really are often best shown together. So, we’ve come up with a great way to show a bunch of useful, relevant videos to any web site or networking profile in a single easy-to-program, -customize and -embed video player: The Howcast Custom Player.

With the Howcast Custom Player you can:

• Showcase any collection of videos on Howcast – from your own video uploads to videos from Howcast Studios – just point the player to show one of your playlists, all of your video uploads, your list of favorites or pick an entire category of videos (e.g. Yoga or Dating)
• Match the Custom Player to your site or profile’s look and feel by adding a banner image and selecting the perfect color combination
• Embed the player on your web site, blog or networking profile in seconds

Here’s a Custom Player I built to showcase some our favorite videos from Howcast Studios:

Your Site + Howcast Video = Happy Visitors

Some of our other favorite contributors are getting into the act:

• How-To Girl was one of the first to take the Custom Player out for a spin, featuring it on howtogirl.com.
• Elizabeth Chamberlain aka SpaceLift has whipped up a Custom Player to feature her stylish secrets on how to feng shui your home on space-lift.com.

Of course, you don’t need to have your own video to make a Custom Player.

• Give your friends a hand. Share your playlist of favorite Howcast videos on your Facebook or MySpace page. You can embed the Custom Player the same way you embed any other Flash video player. No fuss, no muss.
• Blogging about the latest ways to stay Green? Or, got a site featuring Travel tips? Why not add a little video to spruce up your site? You can create a Custom Player to showcase all videos from Howcast Studios in any one our 25 top-level categories. Instant, relevant video in seconds.

Howcast Playlists + Custom Player = Must See Playlist TV

We’re so excited about the Custom Player that we’ve added it to our own playlist pages to let you sit back, relax and watch all videos in a playlist without ever leaving the page. Check it out for yourself. Watch one of our latest playlists: Happy Camper or Summer Olympics 2008 Beijing.

Inspired?

Add a little bit of Howcast to your site or profile. Make your own Custom Player today.

Sanjay