We live in a mobile-first, hyper-connected world. A world that has progressed from seeing movies in theatres to watching them on TV, and then to streaming programs and movies on video streaming sites such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar, among others. Notably, by the end of 2019, India had nearly 17 million OTT platform subscribers.
Today’s consumers expect and demand rapid entertainment. They desire total control over what they watch, how they view it, and when they see it.
OTT video streaming services provide users with the power of television in combination with the internet’s scalability, agility, and innovation. Agility and ongoing innovation are the two great advantages of media streaming services. The first step is to broaden the reach of current material to new audiences. Second, by providing fresh and unique content experiences, we can increase user engagement.
Top Concerns for OTT Video Streaming Marketers Post-COVID-19
Video streaming companies reacted quickly throughout the crisis and were successful in guaranteeing company continuity. However, with a return to normalcy, streaming services may face a dramatic drop in their user base and growth.
Here are some things OTT streaming video service marketers can do after COVID-19 to maintain their increased momentum:
- Develop techniques to raise the number of active users on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis (DAU, WAU, MAU)
- Increase the number of subscribers and engage the existing ones
- Improve the viewing experience as a way to increase LTV
- Gather information on user activity and viewing time across different channels and devices.
As streaming platforms become increasingly established,they will need to focus on consolidating consumer data from all the channels so that a framework can be built for long-term user integrity and sustaining procedures for the post-COVID period.
7 Effective Methods for Improving OTT Video Streaming Services
1. Encourage New Users To Sign Up For Push Notifications
Did you know that on average, 71% of Android and iOS users opt in to push notifications? This provides an excellent opportunity to interact and communicate with your consumers without being obtrusive.
Driving first-time users to activate push notifications allows you to execute targeted, contextual, and tailored ads that showcase relevant video content, movies, and programs of interest while encouraging subscription sales and social sharing.
2. Provide New Users with a Smooth Onboarding Experience
With more time spent at home, video streaming services are seeing more traffic and a surge in new subscriptions. While your current users already know how to search for movies to watch, it is critical that you engage and lead your new users through the onboarding process.
You may want to create an onboarding experience for your new users that encourages them to view their first video across several digital touchpoints.
3. Reactivate Your App Users Using Push Notifications
Push notifications are an essential component of any user engagement approach and may raise engagement rates by more than 80%. Your first goal as a media streaming marketer should be to engage as many customers as possible and entice them to return to your video platform. This is quantified directly as DAUs, WAUs, and MAUs.
Personalize and contextualize your push notifications to maximize effect and provide a consistent user experience. These tailored push messages may be planned or triggered campaigns depending on app user behavior. The push notifications may highlight, depending on the user group that is being targeted:
- The start of a live streaming event, such as a football game or a concert.
- New content that matches your users’ genre preferences
- The availability of a new episode of your user’s favorite television program.
- Reminder to upgrade to a premium membership
4. Use Personalized Banners to Promote New and Featured Content
Your video platform or website’s real estate is critical to your company’s success. Exclusive and one-of-a-kind material becomes the primary difference for a consumer when deciding between services. Obtaining the rights to stream copyrighted material may be difficult, but publicizing its availability if you do have the rights is indeed worth considering strategically.
Use slider banner suggestions to highlight your premium, prominent, and highly entertaining video content so that your visitors don’t have to waste time picking what to watch.
5. Gather Critical User Feedback to Improve Your Streaming Service
It is crucial for any company to solicit user input and analysis so they can provide a better customer experience, and video streaming services are no different. Your priority should be to build the bond between the brand and the client. Send email surveys to your most valued users, asking them what they like and dislike about your platform. This will assist you in obtaining the most valuable comments to help you maintain service excellence and retain your members.
6. Use Rich Promotional Emails to Engage Your Users
As an OTT video marketer, you are well aware of how tough it is to get customers’ attention, particularly via email, since users’ promotion tabs are inundated with emails these days. It’s a challenge not just to have your email seen, but to get it opened.
Gmail’s new advertising tabs feature allows you to provide engaging experiences with rich visuals. This feature collects and emphasizes emails in the Promotions tab that users are most likely to interact with. Insider’s tool allows you to preview your promos and produce a code snippet that can be used with any email service provider (ESP).
7. Drive Premium Subscriptions with Product Badges
Most media OTT providers offer consumers a 30-day trial period before committing to a paid subscription. But with competition and the availability of unique premium content, customers are forced to pick between several subscription options.
Use product badges to inform consumers about the varied content offered in Package A or Plan B, making it easier for them to choose the right one. Hotstar, for example, offers two plans—VIP and Premium—each with its own set of services, and they utilize product badges to inform customers about which material is limited to the specific plan.
Conclusion
One thing is certain: with technology at our disposal, restructuring everyday lives will be simpler as broad disruption continues to impact both companies and consumers. After talking about watch hours and entertainment, here are a few things to keep in mind when working from home: Resist the urge to become a couch potato by standing up, stretching often and taking breaks from your computer screen on a regular basis; and, most importantly, stay safe.
