Competition is fierce
With more platforms and providers emerging, broadcasters and streaming services will have to keep pushing for bigger, better content to keep consumer attention firmly on them and not their competitors. Our TGI Consumer data shows that while UK consumers are increasingly likely to pay for on-demand TV subscriptions, they’re unlikely to pay for more than three such services.
However, what we are now facing is essentially a billion-dollar content arms race. Broadcasters and streaming platforms are turning their backs on existing licensing agreements and focusing time and investment instead on developing their own proprietary content making it harder or those who aren’t willing to pay for additional subscriptions to access the same breadth of content.
Keeping consumer's interest
But it’s in the interest of content creators to keep viewers on side, and the drive for value – and for eyeballs – is likely to foster the increasing emergence of so-called ‘hybrid’ models to cater for both those who will and those who won’t pay. According to our DIMENSION report this year, a significant 48% of consumers are willing to subscribe to new services if it means they can get access to premium content – rather than in a bid to avoid advertising.
Media owners are already finding new ways to monetise their platforms, whether ad-funded, fee-based, or even both at once. So, looking to the coming years, ads are certainly here to stay – and will keep content free for everyone – but further personalisation will, ideally, make them indistinguishable from other content.
Regardless of what the future holds, accurate measurement will become increasingly crucial in taking all these different types of platforms into account to ensure viewers get what they want, when and how they want it. By approaching measurement in an intelligent, holistic way, and using real consumer insights to tailor content accurately, there’s no reason why the future of streaming can’t be a win-win for all involved, creating a better user experience – and a better ecosystem – for brands and consumers alike.
This piece originally appeared in ExchangeWire.
Read more about global streaming trends in our Turtl report.