What is OTT?

The way we consume video content has seen a seismic shift over the past decade. Cable television is dying, and streaming video has become king.

Over-the-top (OTT) specifically refers to this type of content that bypasses traditional video distribution methods, which include broadcast TV companies, cable, and over-the-air terrestrial TV. Instead of going through these channels, media is served directly to viewers via the internet.

OTT is most synonymous with subscription-based video-on-demand services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Now, Disney+, and Hulu. Over 62% of U.S adults subscribe to a streaming service.

Advantages of OTT content

Besides being cheaper than cable, subscription-based OTT content has other advantages. 

• It can be personalized, so content that is likely to be of more interest to viewers will be pushed to the top. 
• It’s usually on-demand, so viewers choose the media that’s of most interest to them instead of being forced to choose from a number of set channels. 
• Viewers can watch at the times that are convenient for them, and re-watch content as many times as they wish. 
• They can stream content to all of their devices, like TVs, phones, computers, and game consoles.
• Media is available wherever they are in the world; so they’re not tied down to a single cable or satellite box.

Monetizing your video content

This change in video content delivery wouldn’t be so disruptive if it was only in the hands of a few large companies like Netflix. The democratizing power of the internet means anyone can stream video content and monetize it. 

A particularly easy way of doing this is by choosing an OTT platform like Uscreen, Setplex, or Muvi, which take care of the infrastructure, software, and payment processing involved in running a video/audio streaming service.

There are a few ways to make money as a content creator:

• Subscription content – a monthly or annual fee to access your videos on demand.
• Advertising revenue – get paid by advertisers for highly targeted adverts on your show, allowing your content to be free to viewers.
• Transactional VOD – viewers pay on a per-view or per-download basis.

You can also consider live streaming as a way to engage viewers and potentially monetize content through a pay-per-view model.

OTT Marketing

With OTT content, you know a lot about each individual viewer and can tailor the experience to them. Advertising through OTT can, therefore, be extremely effective.

OTT ads can be highly targeted. You can deliver specific ads to the right viewers based on viewing preference, gender, age, buying power, etc.

Every user is tracked with real-time analysis, so you get a highly specific idea of the customer’s interests, motivation, and persona. This information can be used in your other marketing efforts to deliver a focused, targeted, effective campaign.

OTT marketing can also be geo-targeted, so you only advertise to the right local area. It’s also one of the best ways to reach a younger and more affluent audience.

Whether you’re looking to monetize your own video content or advertise on other content creators’ videos, OTT marketing is a profitable tactic to explore.