Through this blog, Bahaa Al Zubaidi wishes to share with his audience on the basics of OTT platforms. Video streaming services have seen excellent growth during the recent pandemic when people were forced to remain at home for a long time. With more people remaining at home, OTT (over the top) platforms have become the main way to access entertainment contents. Advertisers and app developers have been devising their strategies based on this trend. Some top players in the OTT field include Netflix, HBO, Amazon and Disney.

The growth in this sector has led to fierce competition among the OTT operators to gain viewers. Netflix has dominated this sector for more than 10 years. Now it is coming under pressure from several competitors. OTT has moved to the mass market from the earlier niche one. This growth has been possible because of several factors. The broadband coverage across the world has grown exponentially. Access to the Internet has become affordable. The costs of computers, smartphones and tablets have come down. These factors have helped the OTT operators grow even in developing countries.

Mobile-First Growth

Bahaa Al Zubaidi indicates that mobile devices will be the preferred way to access digital contents. Countries having better mobile broadband connections will see higher OTT growth. The fixed broadband in the mature markets is now saturated and not growing. It means the next phase of growth for the OTT platforms will be seen in the developing countries where mobile broadband is expected to grow further. The upcoming 5G technology will boost this growth and solve many problems like slow load times and stuttering videos.

Integrated Viewing Experience

Consumers do not like switching between multiple platforms to watch what they want. OTT brands are placing their different contents under a single brand. Most brands are combining their resources to offer the best viewing experience to the viewers. Pay-TV companies have seen their subscriber base decline. They were the first to combine different TV channels under a single subscription. OTT platforms are now performing better by offering integrated viewing experience.

Personalized Content

Media companies have to offer better viewing experience to ensure higher engagement from their viewers. The menu must show the new and trending contents, what the viewer was watching, content suggestions, and other features. They have to figure out a viewer’s preferences and offer personalized recommendations.

Innovative Monetization Models

OTT operators cannot depend solely on the subscription model for monetization. They have to use different monetization models to make their ventures profitable. These companies are exploring advertising and video on demand monetization models. It is important for them to figure out how to overcome the ad blocking technologies.

OTT platforms will continue to adopt new strategies to better optimize their contents and services.

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