HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE VIDEO INDUSTRY AFTER NETFLIX?

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Change of our behavior has forged the TV industry like never before. We obviously still use the infrastructure itself, but this is the first time when the providers follow the viewer. The path leads – not a surprise – to the Internet where everybody feels the burning pressure to be like Netflix. What does it mean, however, and more important, how to do it?

Date of publication: 31.05.2019

Netflix has achieved what many companies dream of – to be the Kleenex of their industries. It became the top of mind when it comes to the video on-demand in heads of many. In 2018, about half of Americans from 22 to 45 watched none of cable TV. In Europe, however, market penetration of OTT in the most prosperous countries reached the average 45.6%. And more and more people have heard about Netflix as “this thing where you subscribe and watch all these cool TV series whenever you want!”

Source: www.emarketer.com

It is, indeed, so. No wonder, someone one day said it would swipe away the competition and turn the market over. Partly it did because Netflix undoubtedly changed the way how we watch video. Is that, however, already an industry overtake? Is Netflix surreptitiously edging up to the threshold to fall on the rest of the confused providers?

User experience smartly designed

The change on the market scene, thus, shows us throngs of clients coming away from cable to online. That was the opportunity for Netflix but it would be unbelievable that those who until then had been thriving on the program switchers would remain still and silent.

It’s nothing surprising that we’re going to have more sharks in this new ocean. The question is how to swim in those waters with the biggest players like Disney?

The answer is UX which would be at least of the same convenience as Netflix. The platform set the style how you do it.

The fact that Disney is coming brings one good thing. That will be our new reference point for creating good UX.

Being the player number one in the time of disruption had to finish. Disney had already turned its attention to OTT – its teams carry with them the technological support and extensive know-how on way of communication with the viewers.

It is still of the utmost importance to implement the system smartly and to be in possession of all capabilities to service it in the future. UX preferences are reforming together with new trends, behaviors and technological development. Thus, when you fall short of a team of ingenious brains to run the system, the place in the line of the great might not await you.

To be user-friendly updated

The moment one has two big platforms (Netflix and Disney) to choose and they have to switch and pay double to find their favorite movies can be not only expensive but also annoying. But what will unify all the leaders in the OTT field is the smooth UX. Think of a place where all you have to worry about is bringing your video in – the rest of the tech layers is already there.

Creating such a platform which has everything in terms of UX would be, of course, par for the course, but later on there comes servicing and all the know-how necessary for interface updates. The user is changing and together with them, we have to do the same.

The idea is to have a technological stockroom which is reactive and ready for support, like at VECTOR X LABS. The team of engineers not only gives the platform with space for the video providers, but also it is keeping it updated and user-friendly.

The last challenge is solely financial. Yes, these things are costly. Small providers with good content but a scarce technological support and budget will experience an unfair battle.

The path of video aggregation in VECTOR X LABS. Source: the company's library

After there is a video platform aggregating the content and keeping up with the latest trends in UX, it could play for the new generation smart TV what pay TV was for the appointment one.

Stories we love

Netflix set the tone for the rest. Disney is coming with their super-productions. Probably this is the moment of change when after disruption follows the new. At the end of the day, it is content why people seat in front of a screen or take it in their hands. No matter the provider – the audience love the stories, and that’s a great chance to give them the widest choice of them like they had never had before.

Author

Szymon Karbowski

President and CEO at VECTOR X LABS