The Greatest Threat to OTT’s Reign

Two Points of friction that will keep fans away from your OTT apps

 

OTT may be the future of video but the path is not completely clear. Two significant friction points stand in the way of OTT’s rightful place as heir to the content distribution thrown. Two phenomena, Show dumping and Network dumping, are significant roadblocks temporarily obstructing OTT’s rise to dominance. Show dumping occurs when a viewer stops watching a specific show because it becomes too difficult to access. Network dumping is when an OTT app fails to engage fans once the content they originally came for has been completed. Although both dilemmas will prove challenging obstacles, solutions exist; show dumping and network dumping can be overcome and the networks that figure out how will win the OTT crown.

 

Show Dumping

 

The immediate but more easily remedied issue facing OTT is show dumping.  According to a global TiVo study 37% of viewers have dropped a TV program once it has gone OTT due to difficulties accessing it.[1]  When a show is only available through an OTT premium app there is the potential for drop-off. Fans who do not own the hardware necessary to view OTT content are left in the dark and viewers who have yet to cut/ shave the cable cord may be unwilling to pay a la carte style for premium content. The solution is simple in this case, time. OTT is still in its early years. Only 20% of households currently have some form of SmartTV.  Although that is already a large market, over 20 million households, by 2019 it is predicted half of all US homes will have connected SmatTV’s.[2]  In conjunction with the rapidly growing number of cord cutters joining the ‘never cable’ millennial crowd, the days of show dumping are clearly numbered.

 

Network Dumping

 

Show dumping for the most part is due to take care of itself. However, Network dumping is a critical hurdle that requires direct action by a network to overcome. Networks that can thwart network dumping will be the ones who win at OTT. Once a fan has finished a show or a specific video, what will keep them engaging with new content? The answer is something the current king of OTT has known for years.

 

The Recommendation King

 

Netflix has mastered the art of keeping viewers engaged. Their secret sauce; a powerful recommendation system that the company claims is responsible for 75% of user activity.[3] The instant a user starts viewing on Netflix, it tracks their behavior, quickly developing a profile that will allow a recommendation system to predict what that user wants to watch next.

 

The Ultimate discovery tool is curated recommendations

 

Recommendations are not only a nice addition for a video-streaming app, they are vital. 53% of Millennials expect apps to recommend to them what else there is to watch.[4] It is crucial that networks deploy OTT apps that are constantly analyzing user preferences, and presenting them with recommendations pointed at content within the app, or other apps within the network’s family. To do this networks will have to ensure their apps are interconnected, sharing each other’s user’s preferences and promoting one another through recommendations. By doing so a network can protect itself from being dumped and assume its place among OTT royalty.

 

How to power a recommendation system across your OTT apps

 

Unreel.me builds OTT apps across every platform with a focus on networks.  Using Unreel, networks are able to launch custom interconnected OTT apps across all platforms for every brand in their portfolio. Each of these apps will be able to recommend content from one another to users based on users preferences.  Unreel is already working with some of the largest networks in the world to power their OTT solutions with a powerful recommendation engine.

Click here to Learn more about Unreel.me Powered OTT apps for networks.

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Get Paid Instantly with Stripe!

Integrating Stripe means content owners get paid the instant their fans purchase content.

At Unreel we believe in putting content owners in the drivers seat. That means everything from distribution to monetization. We also want to make sure that once fans pay for awesome content, the content’s owner gets paid as quickly as possible with an understanding about exactly where revenue is coming from. In order to accomplish this, we have integrated with Stripe, the webs premier transaction platform.

 

With our new Stripe integration, earning money from your Unreel properties is faster and more transparent then ever.

 

Stripe is a powerful online payment platform trusted by some of the largest companies in the world.  With a free Stripe account content owners on Unreel are able to receive funds the instant they sell content on their site. They also will have access to payment reports around customer transactions on their Unreel.me properties.  This will allow unreel.me content owners to understand everything around how users are purchasing videos, tipping them, and subscribing. Understand your business to make better decisions!

 

Unreel.me provides OTT apps and sites for the largest Networks and creators in the world. 

Already have an an Unreel.me site or apps? Click here to learn how to create and synch your Stripe account!

Want your own Unreel.me powered site and apps? Click here!

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Demonized and Demonetized: The 5 Things You Can’t Do On YouTube

A not so recent YouTube policy has Youtubers feeling “stabbed in the back.”

Starting August 31^st Youtubers began receiving notification from the site alerting them that specific videos of theirs violated guidelines and would no longer be monetized.  Many of YouTube’s stars, large and small have suddenly realized that a number of their videos, going back many years, are not generating revenue because of violations. The majority of Youtuber’s are making it no secret they feel betrayed, as the most sacred aspect of online video, freedom, seems to be under threat. The truth is however, they never had any freedom at all.

 

Since the dawn of monetization on YouTube there has been “Guidelines for advertiser friendly content.”

These rules give YouTube the right to yank the ads from any monetized videos their algorithm does not deem fit.  At the end of August 2016, in a ‘too little too late’ move of transparency, YouTube decided to start alerting creators when one of their videos failed to meet guidelines. Although these guidelines have been enforced for years, YouTubers only now finding out about violations feel betrayed. Most notably, platform star, Philip DeFranco has claimed it feels like he has been “stabbed in the back” after dedicating 10 years to the site. For creators trying to support themselves by monetizing content, the sudden realization that failing to meet strict and ill-defined guidelines has and will cost them in the future is terrifying.

 

 

Which begs the question:

What can’t you do on YouTube when monetizing content?!?!

 

Get ready to be told what to do by socially conservative men in suits!

 

1. Drugs are bad, Mmmmkay

You can’t “Promote drugs and regulated substances, including selling, use and abuse of such items”

Drugs! Of any kind. From caffeine in your coke, to coke in your coke, using, or even promoting the use of drugs is enough to loose your rights to monetize.  Legal or not, they are banned.

 

2. No F*#@$#% cursing

You can’t use “ Inappropriate language, including harassment, profanity and vulgar language”

Unsure what “Inappropriate language, including harassment, profanity and vulgar language” looks like? Take a gander at literally any YouTube comment section. This gives YouTube ultimate power, as inappropriate language is an inappropriately subjective term. What constitutes inappropriate language is not defined, meaning YouTube can claim just about any word may be vulgar, or harassing.

 

3. America’s favorite, Violence!

You can’t show “Violence, including display of serious injury and events related to violent extremism”

Once again an ill-defined term by YouTube. In this case violence, gives the site disturbing power of discretion here. Is all violence banned? Is a boxing match considered violent? What about all those video games our parents thought would make you a serial killer?  Is cartoon violence a violation?

 

4. Lets talk about sex baby lets talk about…oh we cant talk about that, ok never mind.

You can’t have “Sexually suggestive content, including partial nudity and sexual humor”

Cover up those ankles and wrists; you do not want to excite those ad executives. This is the Internet and there are other sites for these types of things, however suggestive content and sexual humor are the basis for an overwhelming number of videos. Stand up acts, pranks, sketches, skits, adult cartoons and shows often have jokes and underlying themes varying from innuendo to obscene.

 

5. LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE!

You cannot have videos with “Controversial or sensitive subjects and events, including subjects related to war, political conflicts, natural disasters and tragedies, even if graphic imagery is not shown”

We are going to call this one YouTube’s Drumpf card. Primarily because it gives them unlimited, unchecked power. If what you are saying for any reason offends the sensibilities of YouTube, you have violated the guidelines. No matter how thin a tightrope you walk, YouTube reserves the right to make certain subjects untouchable.

 

Absolute power corrupts absolutely…

It is this sort of vagueness leaving definitions up to YouTube’s discretion that essentially yields the site unlimited power. When people’s lively hoods are at stake, this lack of transparency is horrifying. When your job is to produce videos that get views, working under such ambiguous and strict terms is stifling.

I know what you are thinking. “But creators don’t have to monetize their content if they want to ignore these terms. Also I’ve seen monetized videos that violate all of these rules, YouTube is not that strict.” That may be true, but many creators rely on 100% creative freedom to produce their content, that is why they turned to the platform in the first place. YouTube may be flexible on these terms now, but as many Youtubers found out recently, at any moment, a switch could be flipped and their primary source of income could be gone forever.

 

Does freedom still exist online for content creators?

Creators are forced to make a difficult decision every time they commence production on a new video. Do they sell out and conform to collect their cut of the ad revenue, work around the rules and risk making nothing, or do something revolutionary; take their videos off platform!

Unreel.me provides creators with their own custom branded video streaming site and apps for free. As the creator, you become the platform, you decide your own guidelines, and you get to keep the lion’s share of the revenue. Enable ads or place your content behind a subscription or VOD pay wall. As your own platform, you have the freedom to express your artistic creativity as you wish. Make videos you know your fans will love worry free and make more money with a much fairer rev share model.

 

To learn more about Unreel.me and launch your site instantly for free, click here

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Networks Vs. Netflix: Don’t join them, beat them with OTT

How can Networks can compete with established video streaming services?

 

It is no secret that online streaming services are the future of television. Consumers have already spoken, and their message is loud and clear; they want to watch what they want, when they want, on the devices they want. Video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have all seen significant jumps in users, more than proving their business model. Rather suddenly, the networks that once ran the ‘world of video’ are furiously fighting for share in the ever-expanding lucrative ‘world of online video.’

 

This has left networks in a rather precarious situation—either join the online kings Netflix, Hulu and Amazon prime, or fight them.

 

In its infancy, services such as Netflix were a win-win for every one. Netflix was flushed with content that the Networks no longer saw value. For Networks it meant off-loading stale, under-demanded content on the streaming services with the option to also sell them premium content with a high price tag. After all, online streaming was just another distribution channel, not a rival. In fact, selling underperforming TV shows to streaming services actually benefited cable viewership, allowing for “catch up” watchers to get hooked on a show online, to then watch new episodes live on TV. This beneficial relationship even saved the hit show “Breaking Bad,” that had such poor ratings after its first season that it was nearly cancelled. Thanks to Netflix however, AMC had a chance to salvage revenue from the show by licensing it; allowing Breaking Bad time to develop a large dedicated audience for the next four seasons on cable.[1]

Streaming services were simply a platform for content that could even boost viewership for Network’s shows on cable. Competition, they were not.

 

Things started to change as the cable cutter movement exploded, which coincided with extreme growth of the top online video streaming services. Watching online became a cultural phenomenon and the standard for a millennial generation reaching the height of their buying power. The market for online content is well on its way to surpassing that of cable. In a sea change, online streaming services have the majority share of the most desirable content market while the networks are on the outside looking in.

 

Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime have the majority share of the market, and it has left old school networks with a decision; join them, or beat them.

Networks have to decide whether they want to continue feeding content to streaming services or try to compete. As content farms for Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, networks are making less money and further solidifying the competition’s foothold as the leaders in the market. The decision to compete, to pull the plug on the videos they license out, to open up shop as their own streaming service across every smart device platform, is clearly the most appealing path most networks are considering. HBOgo, NBC’s Seeso, and CBS all-access are examples of Networks taking this route, with many more following suit.

 

Every Network needs to be its own streaming service with a full range of branded OTT apps to accommodate every platform their fans watch content on.

Every size network needs a way to power their own OTT distribution. They need a video streaming website and apps for every phone and Smart TV platform that allow for monetizing content, and offer great UI/UX.  Unreel has developed fully customizable white-labeled apps and sites to give every owner of content their own cross-platform OTT media empire. Each app is more then just an app, powered by our patented social engagement UI and features available nowhere else. Manage it all from a central dashboard featuring proprietary big data analytics. Unreel can even powers an army of apps for every unique brand, creator, show, or piece of content in your network’s arsenal, all managed from a single dashboard.

To learn more about Unreel’s OTT solutions, click here.

 

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Goodbye Cable, Hello OTT!

Cable’s imminent demise is swiftly approaching.  An analog technology in an ever-expanding digital world, dishes and cables are about to go the way of the dinosaur, Brendon Frasiers acting career, and the Nae Nae.  As people have grown accustomed to content specifically tailored to their interests online, cable and satellite providers continue to bundle packages of hundreds of channels when their consumers only watch, on average, 17.  Rather than paying the costly cable bill, dealing with the necessary hardware/service, and living under the ever-looming threat of the next commercial break, more and more households are waving good-bye to cable and satellite.  In America, 6.5% of households have taken the leap to dump cable and embrace the alternatives.  The rate at which additional households are saying sayonara to cable and satellite is increasing as well.

 

Over the last 5 years nearly 3.8 million cable and satellite subscribers have cut the cord or ditched the dish.

Rather suddenly, traditional broadcast services have lost their monopoly on video content, and now millions of eyeballs once locked down by cable are up for grabs.  With this opportunity, new content providers are seemingly popping up every day. Video has become democratized. No longer does a creator’s idea need to be picked up by a T.V. studio, produced with a swollen budget, and have content adjusted to appease its sponsors to be seen.  A huge audience is now accessible to everyone, and that audience often chooses to engage with videos that would never fit into the broadcast television zeitgeist.  This means traditional networks and the newly enfranchised digital creators are scrambling to find OTT services to distribute their content digitally.

 

As more people cut the cord and ditch the dish, OTT services are a necessity for content providers to reach consumers.

 

Whose down with OTT? Yeah you know me… But what exactly is OTT?

OTT stands for Over-the-Top content, and refers to the delivery of video media over the Internet without the need of a multiple-system operator in the control or distribution of the content. In simple terms, OTT is the distribution of videos to Internet connected devices without the middleman, such as a cable provider. It is direct from the content owner to the consumer, on the devices, such as smart phones and Smart TVs, that contemporary audiences prefer. It is a direct means for a network or content creator to reach their fans on the fan’s terms. The audience benefits from OTT as it puts them in precise control of which content they pay for and on which platform they view it. For the contents creator OTT enables a new way to reach fans plus the opportunity to keep nearly all the profits.

 

The problem arises when content owners realize the daunting task it is to take on their own OTT distribution. Without a full time dedicated tech team, creating and maintaining video streaming apps for iOS, tvOS, Android, Roku and desktop is impossible. Most networks and content creators are hesitant to take the bull by the horns and build out their OTT solution, considering the cost of entry. Aside from the pioneers, such as HBOgo, even the big guys are slow to tackle the OTT challenge. One thing is for sure however; the opportunity is there and the gold rush has just begun.

 

One solution to rule them all: 

Every content owner needs a way to power their own OTT distribution. They need a video streaming website and apps for every phone and Smart TV platform that allow for monetizing content, and offer great UI/UX. Why employ your own team of master engineers and industry experts to build those apps for each platform when you can outsource the process with Unreel. Unreel has developed fully customizable white-labeled apps and sites to give every owner of content their own cross-platform OTT media empire. To learn more about Unreel’s OTT solutions, click here.

To Apply for IOS, Android, Roku, and tvOS Apps for every creator/property in your network click here!

 

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The new Unreel LA Office!

We’ve moved our main office to Santa Monica for the surf, sunshine, and most importantly, the creators.

As a company that seeks to empower content creators, where better to be than the world epicenter for entertainment?

 

When it comes to video, you cannot throw a malfunctioning hover-board in this town without hitting a creator. Our new office in Downtown Santa Monica affords Unreel the privilege to rub elbows with both the largest and smallest content creators around. Between serendipitous meetings with a hot YouTube star in an elevator, to being minutes away from the top networks and studios, it is already apparent to us that this is the place to be.

Unreel’s goal is to give content creators the tools and means to self distribute their content, take control of their fan base,
and monetize their videos. Being in LA embeds us in the video creator community and makes it that much easier to reach out to help. The un-foreseen benefit is that the passion and commitment of local video creators has lit a fire underneath us, imbuing our team to work even harder towards our goal! Now that we have joined the vibrant LA content creator community we have made it our mission to empower its members and aid their online video success.

 

Did we mention our offices are NOICE (Nice)?!?

Even Pokemon stop by now and then.

Located between Bodega Wine bar and 24 hour Diner, there is always something to nom or slurp on after work. Add in LA’s best Italian deli, Bay Cities, and Santa Monica’s top burger spot, Pono Burger, within a block and we have quickly come to realize that we are living in foodie paradise. Our office doubles as a play place for our Pup, Pumbaa, rescued from a local dog shelter, Karma Rescue. Not yet able to code as well as our engineers (but well on his way) our pupper is happy to welcome the many creators who come through our doors.

Potty training takes time…

Join our Meet-up and come say Hi!

If you are located in the Los Angeles area join our meet-up, Santa Monica Video Creators. Come to our next event to say hi. We discuss both what Unreel can provide creators, and general techniques and strategies to get the most out of your content! Look forward to seeing you there.

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How to get your fans to pay for your videos!

Most growing content creator knows the frustration associated with having one of their videos go viral, generating thousands or even millions of dollars for the host platform, and only receive a disappointing fraction of that revenue. An even worse feeling is being a content creator who grinds out hit after hit video and develops a large and dedicated fan-base but whose only source of revenue is selling T-shirts and accepting tips. Celebrity is fleeting and there is never a better time than the present to figure out how to monetize your fan-base. If they truly love your content, asking your fans for money is not a betrayal of their trust, rather it is a fair approach to let them show their appreciation and compensate you appropriately.

So you are probably thinking, “I know I want my fans to pay me for content, but how?!?!?”

 

First and foremost, you need to make sure you are set up with your own video streaming site on a platform that allows you to accept payment for your content. This does not mean abandoning the place where you built your fan-base. If you are a YouTuber, stay on YouTube, but also open up shop on an additional platform where you can sell content to fans.

 

Full disclosure, this is an Unreel.me article, so of course I am going to tell you Unreel.me is your best option — but that doesn’t make it untrue. Unreel.me has fairer rev share, puts you fully in control of your video distribution with your own website and apps that instantly synch with your existing content, and has the most customizable options for how you want to sell content to your fans (Video on demand, Subscription service, Tip jar, Advertisements, and yes, even T-shirts in a merchandise store.)  Oh, and Unreel is free to use!  There are other options out there and you should do your due diligence before deciding into which basket you put your eggs.

 It is all about exclusivity.

 

Exclusivity is the reason you want to sit at the cool-kid table at lunch, fly first class, and have a Netflix account. It is also the same reason fans will leave your native platform (YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo etc.…) to visit your video streaming site and pay you for your content. It all starts with exclusivity.

 

This means saving some content, or creating new content that you plan on only posting to your site. Once you have done this, your fans will have the necessary carrot to follow you anywhere! If you choose to monetize that exclusive content and it is amazing, fans will be shouting, “Shut up and take my money!”

 

What kind of exclusive content?

There is no limit to the type of content you can make exclusive. Here is a list of some of the most effective use cases for your site.

 

Release a Movie/ Documentary:

Who doesn’t love a good movie? Showcase your content in a longer form video and turn yourself into a silver screen star. Promote the movie by sharing sneak peaks and trailers on your native platform. Just as with a Hollywood film, you will develop hype amongst your fans, who will race to your site once the picture is out. A movie is the style of content that fans are most accustomed to paying for and lends itself to a one-time Video-on-Demand payment. For more on self distributing a film, check out this article.

 

Release a Series:

In this era of binge watching, viewers are constantly on the prowl for the next series to watch in one sitting while ignoring all responsibilities. Why not help them dodge the grim realities of life and get them caught up in your own show? Release a trailer and the first episode or two on your native platform for free. Once fans are firmly placed on the edge of their seat by a cliff ending episode, direct them to your site where they can watch the rest of the series for a one-time video one-demand fee. Or release episodes one at a time, racking up the bucks with a subscription fee as fans keep up with the latest episode.

 

Behind the Scenes/Deleted Scenes/ The Making of/Commentary:

The typical bonus features on a DVD menu, behind the scenes, deleted scenes, ‘the making of,’ and commentaries are the style of content that appeal most to your true fans. If you have a dedicated fan-base craving to see any additional insights into your content, this can be highly effective. Release a new set of this type of videos each month and tie them to a subscription fee, or release them once in conjunction with a specific piece of content as video-on-demand.

 

Live stream:

Whether you are hosting your own Super Slam backyard-wrestling tournament, or are a competitive gaming streamer, asking fans to pay to view an exclusive live stream can be a lucrative avenue to pursue. The excitement of a live event is something Pay-per-view on cable has been leveraging for years. If live streaming is new to you, your fans will relish the opportunity to witness you unscripted and live for the first time. Live video creates a FOMO among your fans and will mobilize them to your site.

 

Highlight Reels:

Maybe you do not like the idea of creating content solely for your new site. That does not mean you can’t repurpose content! Creating a highlight reel of your best work condensed, or a compilation of your finest moments is a way to re-present old content as new. Unreel.me has an automatic highlight reel creator that uses a patented AI to find the best moments in your videos based on fan engagement and then stitches them together into an awesome new piece of content. By releasing a new reel once a month or so, you keep some of the content on your site exclusive without keeping anything away from your original platform. To learn more about Unreel’s Reelgenie automatic highlight reel generator, click here.

 

The most important part of exclusive content is that it needs to be marketed well. If your fans do not know it exists, they cannot pay you for it. Check out this article for ways creators can make their fan-base aware of their new site and its exclusive content.

 

Also keep in mind; you do not have to charge fans to make money off of them. Enabling adds and having a tip jar on your exclusive videos is a way to take advantage of the better revenue splits that a platform like Unreel.me provide versus YouTube, etc.

To learn more how Unreel can help you reach your monetization goals, click here.

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