OTT Apps: Why Is It a Must-Have for an OTT Business?

Over the last few years, OTT has grown at an exponential rate. It is necessary, and in fact, several video companies are asking, “What are OTT Apps? How to Make OTT App? How to Create OTT App?”  Everyone wants a piece of the OTT pie and to jump on the bandwagon that has helped businesses grow exponentially.

OTT app platform has now become a trend that no one should ignore. People’s preferences for online content have changed. Instead of watching at home, viewers can now watch wherever they want and on whatever device they have: smartphone, tablet, or other. Because several people watch television on devices other than televisions, OTT has now become a necessity for everyone. But what exactly are OTT apps? This blog will help you understand the new approach to distributing video content to your audience.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

What Is an OTT App?

An over-the-top (OTT) platform app is any app that uses an internet connection to deliver online video content to a customer’s smartphone, tablet, or smart TV. This way of distributing content via the internet reduces the need for traditional distribution methods like cable or satellite. It is now one of the most effective ways to get your content in front of your target market. However, customers can watch a popular TV show, movie, or a class on how to improve their video marketing strategies whenever and wherever they want, which is a big plus of the OTT Streaming App.

Why Are OTT Apps Beneficial for Video Streaming Businesses?

Well, it’s not surprising that people have chosen to ignore traditional television. Why is this so? Because technology has evolved so much, we now have more convenient ways to watch our favorite shows. Video content has never been more accessible than today, thanks to popular video-sharing websites like YouTube and your favorite OTT streaming service.

Here is how OTT App benefits your video streaming business:

# Reduces Churn Rate

For starters, OTT apps lower your churn rate. The most common reason for canceling a video streaming service is a lack of time to watch the content. They find it difficult to stream from their laptops or desktop PCs at home.

If this is the case, you, as the service provider, must help them find the time. Offering IPTV/OTT apps allows them to consume content whenever they want via their mobile device, whether they’re:

• Getting to work
• Waiting at the doctor’s office
• Waiting for lunchtime to end
• Flying on an airplane

# Increases Conversions

Apart from improving the user experience, you can make your service more attractive to subscribers looking for new IPTV/OTT apps. Viewers probably benefit from the opportunity to watch their favorite content at any time. It’s no surprise that several media companies create ott apps or acquire others, for example:

• Disney offers three OTT apps: Disney +, ESPN +, and Hulu.
• Apple created Apple TV
• Discovery created Discovery Plus

Nowadays, the list is nearly endless. Every day, small and medium-sized businesses and content creators try to build OTT apps using OTT app builder or by contacting an OTT app development company.

It’s worth noting that over half of OTT app users have multiple subscriptions. They are willing to splurge a little if it means they can watch content more comfortably.

# Increases Convenience

We now have internet access wherever we go, at any time, and from any device. It is beneficial to OTT apps. Customers do not have to be at home to watch the content they want. They can commute, travel, or relax in the sun while watching their favorite show or movie. If you build OTT App, you give your audience the ability to consume your content whenever it is convenient for them.

What are the Must-have Features of OTT Apps?

The following are the must-have features that your OTT subscribers expect from the OTT Streaming App:

• Easy App Onboarding and Intuitive User Interface

These days, almost 81% of OTT subscribers say it is easy to use an OTT app. Viewers do not want to fumble their way through complicated menu screens or become frustrated by clumsy navigation. This expectation of convenience may explain why your UI and UX are the two most important factors determining whether subscribers adopt and continue to use your app.

UI and UX are closely connected. If your subscribers are dissatisfied with the way your OTT app operates, they will stop using it and cancel their subscription. So, in our convenience-first culture, cleverly designed UI with an outstanding UX ultimately helps you reduce churn and generate revenue.

• Advanced Search

With the help of an OTT video streaming app, you can have access to a search feature, which will allow you to find your favorite shows easily. This option only allows you to search for content using various filter options, but also you will be able to search for shows based on your preferred genre. However, integrating a search function that allows viewers to search across metadata such as a movie/TV series, actor, director, etc., enables them to parse through your entire catalog quickly. 

• Push Notifications

Another exciting feature of OTT video streaming apps is the ability to tag content that users want to watch later when they have more time. So, rather than searching for it again, they go to notifications and easily catch the relevant content. It primarily serves as a reminder attribute.

• Multilingual Support

If you want your live-streaming app to be accessible to audiences worldwide, you must include content in languages other than English. You can certainly do this with the help of OTT app development and get the best results you would want. Netflix is a prime example, with over a million users watching videos for hours on end.

• Availability Across Devices

When comparing OTT services, nearly 60% of subscribers consider a brand’s availability of content across multiple devices to be the most crucial factor, and it’s not surprising to see why when you look at the numbers:

• The average American household has 12 internet-connected devices.
• The average OTT user watches content on three different devices and uses three different OTT services.
• Users watch the video for an average of 5 hours and 43 minutes per day on TV, TV-connected devices, computers, smartphones, and tablets.

These figures illustrate why 90% of OTT app developers consider the ability to access the same range of content across multiple devices to be “very important.”

How to Build OTT Apps?

If building your very own OTT app sounds a bit challenging at the moment, don’t panic. It’s a fairly common reaction. But we know that you have the ability to do it, and we’ll work with you to make your app dreams a reality.

Before developing your OTT app, you must first choose the technology stack, including a server, security systems, and streaming protocols. With those in place, proceed with the steps outlined below to create OTT apps.

• Choose a niche where you want to get a lot of paid subscribers.
• Create a content inventory plan that describes the type of content you’ll stream, how often it’ll get updated, whether it’ll be free or require a membership, and if it’ll be given in installments or all at once.
• Select a business model for your OTT app based on your niche and content inventory. You can make it ad-based, subscription-based, or transaction-based. The ad-based model allows users to watch content for free. However, the subscription and transaction models enable users to access the content after paying for a membership or using a pay-per-view model.
• Next, build a branded OTT website that provides an easy user experience, especially if they seem unable to access your app.
• Choose the technology stack you’ll use to build the OTT app, which will get determined based on your app idea and exact specifications.
• The final step is to hire a developer or OTT platform development company to build the OTT app for you. Before launching your app, consult with your OTT app developer about the content, audience, marketing, and monetization.

Are you ready to build your OTT app? Always prefer is an all-in-one OTT solution for businesses of all sizes, with a highly rated yet affordable platform.
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The Bottom Line

The OTT market is growing and will continue to grow further in the future. Therefore, we recommend that you consider developing your own OTT apps to support your video-based business. You have an opportunity to make it big in the OTT industry, and you should seize it!