Suppose you’re thinking about launching an over-the-top (OTT) content platform, congratulations! You’re about to enter a growing and exciting industry. According to a report from Digital TV Research, the number of global OTT TV and video subscribers is expected to increase from 1.26 billion in 2018 to 2.76 billion by 2023.
With so many people watching OTT content, there’s ample opportunity for your platform to succeed—but only if you take the time to do things right. Here are five tips for integrating content onto your OTT platform to get the most out of your investment.
Tips for successfully integrating content on an OTT platform
Define your target audience
Before starting integration, you need to know who you’re targeting with your content. That might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to be as specific as possible when defining your target audience. Consider age, gender, location, interests, and income level when creating your target profile. Finding content that resonates with your audience will be easier if you are more specific.
Choose the right content
Once you know who you’re targeting, it’s time to start thinking about what kind of content will resonate with them. Not all content is created equal—some genres perform better than others on OTT platforms. For example, Live Sports is one of the most popular genres on OTT, followed by kids & family programming, reality TV, and scripted dramas.
So if your target audience is interested in any of those genres, that’s an excellent place to start your content search. If you’re specific about what content your target audience wants to watch, don’t worry—you can always ask them! One way to do that is by surveying current and potential customers’ viewing habits and preferences.
You can also look at what kinds of shows are popular within your target demographic on other platforms like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. Doing research upfront will save you a lot of headaches down the road.
Vet your sources
Once you’ve zeroed in on some potential content sources, it’s important to vet them thoroughly before entering into any agreements. Make sure they have good fame and track record within the industry—you don’t want to get burned by working with a source that doesn’t deliver quality content or respect copyright laws.
You should also confirm that they have the necessary rights and licenses to allow you to show their content on your platform. Otherwise, you could find yourself in difficulties down the road.
Build relationships
The relationships you build with content providers are just as meaningful as the contracts you sign—maybe even more so. After all, these people will supply most of the material that goes onto your platform; establishing open communication channels and setting clear expectations upfront will help ensure there are no surprises later on, bringing us to our next point.
Prepare for bumps in the road
No matter how well organized or strong your relationships with content providers are, there’s always a chance something could go wrong—and that’s okay! The thing is to have a plan in place for when (not if) problems arise so you can resolve them and get back on track.
Whether it’s an issue with payment, delivery schedules, or something else, a process to address these problems will help reduce stress levels and keep things running smoothly. Hopefully, these will help set you on the path toward success as you launch your new OTT platform!
Platform selection
There are various OTT platforms available, each with its unique audience and set of features. When deciding which is suitable for your content, it’s important to consider your target audience and what type of content they’re interested in.
For example, if you’re targeting a younger demographic, you might consider integrating your content onto a platform like Snapchat or Instagram Stories.
Content formatting
How your content is formatted will significantly impact how well it performs on an OTT platform. For example, if you’re looking to integrate your content onto Snapchat or Instagram Stories, you’ll need to ensure that it’s formatted as an image or video that is square-shaped and no longer than 10 seconds. If you’re planning to integrate your content onto a platform like Facebook Watch or YouTube, you’ll have more flexibility in terms of format and length.
Ad Integration
Ads are one of the main ways OTT platforms make money, so it’s important to consider how they will fit into your content strategy before integrating your content onto a specific venue.
For example, someplatforms allow you to include ads as part of your content, while others require that you run separate ad campaigns that are not directly connected to your content.
Engagement metrics
It’s also essential to consider how you will measure the success of your content once it’s live on an OTT platform. The metrics you use will vary depending on the content you’re creating and the platform you’re using, but some standard engagement metrics include views, likes, comments, and shares.
Facebook Watch allows creators to see how many people have viewed their videos, how long they watched, and where they stopped watching; Snapchat provides creators with similar data points, as well as information on who has screenshot their Snapchats; and YouTube gives creators detailed information on watch time, audience retention, subscribers gained/lost, and more.
Conversions
If you’re looking to drive conversions (such as sales or sign-ups) through your OTT content, you need to ensure that viewers have a clear path from discovery through o purchase.
This means including clear CTAs (Calls-To-Action )at critical points throughout your video and ensuring that viewers can easily find your website or landing page. You might also consider retargeting ads to increase the likelihood that viewers will take action after watching your video.
Do your research
Before you integrate your content onto an OTT platform, it’s important to do your research and choose the right one for you. Consider the targeted audience, what kind of content you’re looking to put out, and what features are most important to you. Once you’ve done your research, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about what platform is right for you.
Make sure your content is high-quality
When it comes to content, quality is always better than quantity. Ensure that your content on your chosen OTT platform is well-crafted, engaging, and informative. If you’re unsure where to start, consider hiring a professional content creator to help you get the ball rolling.
Keep your branding consistent
Your brand makes you unique, so it’s important to keep it consistent across all channels—including OTT platforms. When creating content for your OTT platform, make sure that it aligns with your brand’s overall look and feel. This will help to create an experience for your audience and make it easier for them to connect with your company more resounding.
Know the audience
The first and foremost step in creating great content is understanding your audience and what they want. What are their interests? What kind of language do they use? What do they tend to watch/read/ listen to? Once you understand your target market, you can start creating content that appeals to them.
Keep it Fresh
Nothing turns audiences off more than stale, outdated content. It’s important to regularly refresh your offerings to make sure viewers always have something new to discover. One way is by regularly adding new titles, but you can mix things up by featuring different genres, topics, or formats.
Quality over quantity
It’s better to have a small amount of high-quality content than a large one full of filler. When selecting titles for your platform, be choosy and make sure they meet your standards for quality. A great way to determine if a title is worth carrying is by reading reviews from trusted sources or asking people in your target audience for their opinions.
Promote your platform
Once you’ve built a solid content library, it’s time to start promoting your platform! There are several methods to make this, but some of the most effective include social media marketing, influencer marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO).
Keep your target audience in mind
Always keep your target audience in mind when creating or updating content. Ask yourself what type of information they would be looking for and what would be most relevant to them. It’s essential to remember that not all audiences are the same, so make sure that you’re tailoring your content accordingly.
Make use of keywords
Keywords are crucial when it comes to making sure that your content shows up in search results. Please do some research to find out which keywords are being used most frequently by your target audience and incorporate them into your content. However, don’t overdo it – too many keywords will result in your content being flagged as spam.
Make sure the content is accurate and up-to-date
Nothing will turn off your audience more than outdated or inaccurate information. Always double-check your facts when creating or updating content to ensure everything is correct. In addition, be sure to update your information so that it remains current regularly.
Pay attention to the competition
Keep checking what other businesses in your industry are doing with their OTT platforms. If they are doing something that works well, see if you can adapt it to fit your business needs. On the other hand, if you see something that isn’t working well, avoid making the same mistake yourself!
Planning and execution
When planning an OTT integration strategy, it’s important to consider the overall goals and objectives of the project. What are you hoping for integrating OTT content? What are your viewers’ needs and expectations? Answering these questions will help guide the planning process and ensure that the final product meets your business goals and viewers’ needs.
Once the goals and objectives are established, it’s time to start planning the execution of the project. Several technical considerations, such as bandwidth, encoding, and storage requirements, need to be considered.
In addition, you’ll need to determine which platforms you want to support and how you’ll deliver the content to those platforms. Working with a qualified integrator can help simplify this process and ensure your project is executed flawlessly.
Content considerations
In addition to the technical aspects of integration, it must consider several content-related considerations. For example, what type of content do you want to make available on OTT platforms? Will all of your linear content be available, or only specific programs? How often will new content be added? Some questions need to be justified before you can begin integrating OTT content.
Another important consideration is how you’ll handle advertising on OTT platforms. Will you use traditional pre-roll or mid-roll commercials, or will you take advantage of the interactive capabilities of these platforms with overlay ads or product placement? It has advantages and disadvantages on its own, so it’s important to weigh all your options before making a decision.
By following the tips, you can ensure that your content remains relevant on OTT platforms. Keep these things in mind while creating or updating content, and you’ll be sure to stay ahead of the competition!
Conclusion
When done correctly, integrating content onto an OTT platform can be a great way to grow your business. By following these five tips, you can secure things go smoothly and set yourself up for success.
As we’ve seen, there are many ways to integrate content on an OTT platform and maintain a successful streaming experience for your viewers. It takes proper forethought and execution to ensure all of the various elements work together seamlessly, but it can be done with the expert team by your side.
Contact us today if you’re looking for help getting started with your own OTT platform or want advice on improving your current streaming strategy. Our team of experts has years of experience creating and managing successful streaming experiences for audiences worldwide.
