How to make your digital media publications pay for themselves
December 17, 2015
If content is king, then viewers are the king’s taxpayers. It is all about maximizing viewership growth. Lightcast.com will help you get there, yes. But what then? If you are utilizing the services and powerful features of a Lightcast Service Package, then you are growing your viewership - that’s for sure. But what’s next? Is it possible to turn your growing viewership into a revenue stream? Yes, it is! Here are some powerful tools which Lightcast.com can provide for you as well - in addition to your OVP & CDN Service Package:
1. Central Subscriber & Payment Processing System - to publish subscription offers to your viewers and charge for selected premium content across all apps, platforms and devices. It is critical to provide viewers access to your subscription-based premium content on as many devices as possible - including mobile devices via mobile apps or at least via mobile apps. If you operate a Roku Channel or other ConnectedTV properties: make sure to have your subscription offer integrated on all your TV Apps as well.
2. Integration of Video Advertising - to integrate pre-/mid-/post-roll video ads on your on-demand content. We will set up your publisher accounts with major ad-networks, do the paperwork for you and get you approved - even if your properties generate less than 1 Million views per month. We will make sure to filter incoming ads in order to provide ads appropriate for, and relevant to your audience.
3. Development of custom media sales and rental stores - offering ticket sales to your digital live-events and sales of media purchases or rentals. You envision it - we build it.
The opportunities to monetize your viewership are at your fingertips. The question is just: have you utilized all tools, all features, all services in order to boost your viewership growth and has your viewership of free content reached a critical mass and a loyal following which is willing to pay a monthly or annual subscription fee for access to additional premium content, or purchase or rent selected content at a fee.
Conversion: in order to convert viewers of free content into buyers of, or subscribers to, paid content, a marketing strategy and conversion-optimized landing pages are needed. Lightcast.com can assist you with both. Make sure to have enough free content and relevant previews available for your conversion-optimized landing-pages. You know your content, you know your audience and what tips them “over the edge” to transition from viewer to buyer.
Last but not least: advertising may be a good option for those who are able to generate plenty of views, but may not build a wide, solid and loyal following which is willing to pay for access to your premium content. Depending on your content and marketing strategy, advertising integration may be the better option. In some cases, a combination of subscription offer and advertising revenue works. Only time will tell, but you have to be determined, focused, with a clear marketing and conversion plan.
Subscription offers, download sales, advertising integration do generate revenue. They are proven concepts and widely used by media producers and distributors of all sizes - many of them brands we all used and recognize on a daily basis. It just does not happen “over night” and requires a clear marketing and conversion plan.
Please ask our Media Consultants about revenue, monetization, marketing and conversion strategies. We will be happy not to only consult and develop plans for you, but also to help with the execution and follow-through.
Your Lightcast.com Consulting Team
