diff --git a/ffmpeg/_ffmpeg.py b/ffmpeg/_ffmpeg.py
index 7928930..30e8e71 100644
--- a/ffmpeg/_ffmpeg.py
+++ b/ffmpeg/_ffmpeg.py
@@ -62,12 +62,19 @@ def output(*streams_and_filename, **kwargs):
     Syntax:
         `ffmpeg.output(stream1[, stream2, stream3...], filename, **ffmpeg_args)`
 
+    Any supplied keyword arguments are passed to ffmpeg verbatim (e.g.
+    ``t=20``, ``f='mp4'``, ``acodec='pcm'``, ``vcodec='rawvideo'``,
+    etc.).  Some keyword-arguments are handled specially, as shown below.
+
+    Args:
+        video_bitrate: parameter for ``-b:v``, e.g. ``video_bitrate=1000``.
+        audio_bitrate: parameter for ``-b:a``, e.g. ``audio_bitrate=200``.
+        format: alias for ``-f`` parameter, e.g. ``format='mp4'``
+            (equivalent to ``f='mp4'``).
+
     If multiple streams are provided, they are mapped to the same
     output.
 
-    Any supplied kwargs are passed to ffmpeg verbatim (e.g. ``t=20``,
-    ``f='mp4'``, ``acodec='pcm'``, etc.).
-
     To tell ffmpeg to write to stdout, use ``pipe:`` as the filename.
 
     Official documentation: `Synopsis <https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html#Synopsis>`__
diff --git a/ffmpeg/_run.py b/ffmpeg/_run.py
index 1222853..cbc0676 100644
--- a/ffmpeg/_run.py
+++ b/ffmpeg/_run.py
@@ -119,9 +119,12 @@ def _get_output_args(node, stream_name_map):
 
     kwargs = copy.copy(node.kwargs)
     filename = kwargs.pop('filename')
-    fmt = kwargs.pop('format', None)
-    if fmt:
-        args += ['-f', fmt]
+    if 'format' in kwargs:
+        args += ['-f', kwargs.pop('format')]
+    if 'video_bitrate' in kwargs:
+        args += ['-b:v', str(kwargs.pop('video_bitrate'))]
+    if 'audio_bitrate' in kwargs:
+        args += ['-b:a', str(kwargs.pop('audio_bitrate'))]
     if 'video_size' in kwargs:
         video_size = kwargs.pop('video_size')
         if not isinstance(video_size, basestring) and isinstance(video_size, collections.Iterable):
diff --git a/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py b/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py
index ceb94a1..49654bc 100644
--- a/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py
+++ b/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py
@@ -237,6 +237,16 @@ def test_filter_asplit():
     ]
 
 
+def test__output__bitrate():
+    args = (
+        ffmpeg
+        .input('in')
+        .output('out', video_bitrate=1000, audio_bitrate=200)
+        .get_args()
+    )
+    assert args == ['-i', 'in', '-b:v', '1000', '-b:a', '200', 'out']
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('video_size', [(320, 240), '320x240'])
 def test__output__video_size(video_size):
     args = (