News

13 June 2017

The evolution of video. The bigger picture.

By Quiptel CEO Sandip Sarda

 

Today’s OTT providers are increasingly investing in consumer data to understand more about their audience. It’s crucial to know not just what they watch, but why they watch. Audience viewing data is already having a significant impact on the next wave of OTT services.

Consumer mood swings

Research from Thinkbox suggests a simple, but nonetheless interesting frame to think about how and why consumers watch content. It suggests six motivations: to unwind; for comfort; to connect; for an experience; to escape; to indulge. As consumers are faced with more choice in terms of platform, channel, and device, the onus is on content makers and providers to deliver content that matches consumer mood and lifestyle, giving them what they want, when they want it.

Churn. The bigger picture

As we’ve established, it’s important to understand what OTT consumers want to watch and what drives these decisions. But what about the delivery? Without a fast, smooth and uninterrupted streaming experience viewers will switch off. OTT providers must consider not just what content viewers want as part of their subscription packages but also the importance of the QoE. Poor stream quality and buffering are just as likely to lead to churn as poor content.

The user experience

With the wider adoption of 4K (and 8K on the way), virtual reality and augmented reality it’s the user experience that remains crucial. There is an ever increasing demand for higher quality, more compelling and better targeted content regardless of how it’s delivered. For the OTT industry, this means helping consumers to access, navigate and consume video content in new ways, while all the time ensuring that the streaming experience is seamless.