Multiplatform TV: Why is It Essential?

It used to be that television was relatively simple. Consumers subscribed to a cable or satellite provider and were able to enjoy programming in their homes as a result. Then, suddenly, other features became popular, like being able to record programs and watch them later and to enjoy VoD TV, sometimes for free and sometimes for an additional charge. Nowadays, it is expected to have all of these features and then some; modern clients, for example, want to be able to view television from their mobile devices, to stream content, and more, and like it or not, modern day businesses need to offer these things if they want to keep their clients happy and to draw new clients in.

Though these newer features and the fact that they are ever-changing does put some stress on OTT service providers, in the long run, keeping up with these trends will benefit both them and their clients.

One of the most obvious benefits of offering multiplatform TV services to consumers is that it enables businesses to make more money. Not only can they charge more in terms of subscription fees since they are offering more, but they can also bill for extra services, like streaming or watching video on demand. They can even offer special, higher-dollar packages that give clients access to more of the special features they want.

Being able to bring in more revenue is obviously good for any business, and clients will be thrilled with all of the programming access they can now enjoy.

Another nice thing about multiplatform TV is that it frees up bandwidth and isn't reliant on a constant feed. Instead, people can simply access only the content they want when they want it. This means that the host OTT network is able to store everything and only provide content to those who request it, which is easier and quicker for both the service and the consumer.

Customers really love the ability to watch their programming via pre-recorded videos that are offered through VoD platforms. One of the main benefits of having this option is that they do not have to take up DVR space; instead, they can just access their programming by pushing a few buttons, no space needed.

Furthermore, it's really nice for viewers to be able to watch content on their schedule, anytime they want. And, of course, OTT service providers can charge more for the "on demand" option, which offers them an easy way to monetize their business.

One of the most arduous parts of offering television services is trying to keep track of which customers have access to which content. With modern multiplatform OTT apps, however, those worries become a thing of the past. Service providers can program each individual set-top box that they send out to only access certain channels, channel packages, extra features, and more, and, once programmed, they can simply be left alone for the customer to enjoy with no maintenance required.

It's no secret that there's a lot of competition in the television services industry. One of the nice things about modern multiplatform TV, however, is that it makes digital signage very easy. Through digital signage, OTT service providers can regularly broadcast their company name and logo, often popular as a screen-saver. This can go a long way toward building brand loyalty and recognition, can make it easy to quickly get across any changes to logo or name, and can even act as a sort of advertisement to anyone who happens to see the signage.

Providers of multiplatform OTT apps typically offer streaming to consumers, which is really nice since it allows them to access content instantly. They can even begin viewing content before it is fully downloaded. Of course, this can cause problems if their internet at home is slow, but, if you also sell internet services as so many television providers do, that gives you a sort of built-in way to advertise and promote your highest-speed (and typically highest dollar) internet packages to the consumer, which really creates a win-win situation for the service provider.

Recent research has revealed that the vast majority of millenials regularly watch programming via their Smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Because mobile viewing is so very popular among the younger viewing crowd, television services that don't offer mobile OTT platforms are really missing out on a large demographic market. By offering the ability to view content on mobile devices, television service providers can easily draw in new clients and keep them satisfied. Plus, OTT apps make it easy to keep track of potentially useful information about viewing habits and more, all of which can be used to expand and improve one's business.

As mentioned, having a mobile viewing app makes it very easy to keep track of customer behaviors and viewing activity. However, all multiplatform television products are typically designed to collect information. If you want to know what type of programming is most popular with which demographics, for example, that is usually pretty easy to find out by sifting through pre-collected data, which is gathered for you automatically. With the information you're given, you can make important decisions, such as what programs and services to continue offering and how to best advertise them, with confidence.

Multiplatform television services fully support high definition (HD) viewing across all devices. This makes clients very happy since all of their viewing experiences are guaranteed to be crystal clear. And, as every business knows, when the clients are happy, the business is happy! In addition to increasing customer satisfaction, quality, fully supported HD means fewer viewer issues, less necessary maintenance, and better quality all around. HD also makes a great selling point and can really draw in customers who are tired of fuzzy, unfocused picture quality.

Over the past decade or so, modern day viewers have become very dependent on being able to record programming when it airs and then to watch it at their leisure. OTT devices enable them to do just that. Plus, with most modern services, not only can they access their recorded programming from their homes, but they can access it from their mobile devices as well.

Most OTT platforms even allow users to set up recordings, delete recordings, change recording settings, and more, no matter where they happen to be. This can eliminate a lot of annoyances that clients have, such as missed programming due to a full DVR or forgetting to set up a recording before leaving the house. The ability to manage recordings and view recordings remotely really makes life easier for viewers, which will in turn increase their satisfaction with their service providers.

Remember when people were reliant on handheld, printed television guides to know when different programming was coming on? Those days are long gone because, now, viewers can access on-screen guides for every channel they have up to months in advance.

What's more is that, with multiplatform OTT apps, they can search for content by title, actors, genre, and more. This makes it very easy for them to find exactly what they want to watch. Plus, many modern television services even offer recommendations based on past viewing choices, that can help clients discover new content. The more often they're finding things they love through a particular television service, the more likely they are to stick with that service and to develop brand loyalty, which is exactly what television providers aim for.

Search and discovery features are also a good way to offer free content that will later require payment. Once customers start loving a program, you can start charging them to view it, which gives your business yet another opportunity to earn more money.

Essentially EVERYTHING about multiplatform OTT TV services increases and improves viewer engagement. Being able to search programming and discover new programming based on preferences is engaging. Being able to view content through a fun, attractive app is engaging. Accessing information about a program or film, such as the year it was released and its stars, is engaging. The bottom line is that all the extra features that can be offered through multiplatform television keep customers happy, which keeps them coming back.

Remember when it used to be very hard to navigate television services? Trying to figure out which button to press or whether or not a program was recording used to be incredibly annoying, not to mention difficult. Modern multiplatform OTT apps, however, couldn't be more user-friendly. Its on-screen guides, app-based remote controls, apps, and more are all very easy to use, even for those clients who aren't as technologically advanced as others. Simple, straightforward, and easy to use are the exact qualities one wants in television programming, and these are the very things offered by multiplatform television.

Because multiplatform television makes it very easy to offer a large range of content, it also makes it easy to offer specialty channels requested by select viewers. Offering business channels, advertisement channels, channels on how to use your television service's features, exercise channels, game channels, music channels, and more is all easy and possible through multiplatform television. This helps to customize the user experience and keep all customers happy and satisfied.

In fact, customer satisfaction is really what multiplatform television is all about. Everything about it appeals to modern day users and will make them more likely to report satisfaction with your service and, even more importantly, to continue using your services and perhaps even upgrade them! And, of course, you, as a business, benefit from increased customer satisfaction by getting positive reviews, drawing in new clients, having clients pay for upgrades, and just boosting your reputation all around. The best way to take the "next step" in the industry and to make your business all that it can be is to start offering multiplatform television services; you (and your customers!) will be so very glad that you did.