Why Lightcast?
Reasons to choose a strong CDN+OVP+DEV+Marketing partner
If you are using streaming media in order to build your audience, extend your viewership, grow your organization and to develop revenue streams through your growing popularity, then you most likely need to utilize:
- All outlets possible (start in this order): Roku, FireTV, AppleTV/iTunes, AndroidTV, social sites, your conversion optimized website, mobile apps, and other SmartTV platforms.
- A detailed statistic service which gives you real data on viewership and allows you to refine your presentation and strategy.
- Well designed, custom appearance: custom players on your websites, custom apps - all well designed in your corporate design and branding (important for monetization - learn from the "big guys"!)
- Follow-up and conversion mechanisms in place: how do you convert viewers into followers, prospects and further on into customers and supporters?
- Products/Services: what type of product or service should your customers pay for? Which products/services can you provide?
You can summarize it in two major goals:
"Viewership Growth" & "Monetization".
In order to cover the above requirements and to achieve results in these areas you need at least these 3 service providers (ideally all 4):
1. a CDN (Content Delivery Network):
Provides you with storage and high-performance VOD and Livestream delivery, sometimes bitrate-adaptive and including mobile delivery.
2. an OVP (Online Video Platform):
Provides you with transcoding, customizable players, archive embed tools, live-event management, media management interfaces to control your multi-platform delivery, statistic services, payment and subscription services, and sometimes a pretty extensive range of very helpful and nifty tools to extend your reach and grow and monetize your audiences.
3. a Developer:
For your custom SmartTV and Set-Top-Box Apps (Roku, FireTV, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc.), for your mobile apps (iOS, Android - Tablets, Smartphones) and for your Online Media Campus and Websites.
If at all possible - also look for a good partner in this area:
4. a Marketing Company (and/or Business Consultant i.a.):
To assist with concept and consulting, to develop your social properties and marketing channels, and to market your content and products to your viewers. You need to have some professional (not necessarily expensive, but rather efficient) marketing done in order to support the growth of your reach, audience and revenue.
The ideal scenario: a powerful partner who can "pull off" everything in-house and delivers the entire package in the most cost- and time-efficient way!
Most OVPs have CDNs of their own integrated or partner with powerful, worldwide CDNs. The ideal scenario for you as a customer is of course to receive as much service as possible from one single vendor. Ideally you would find a partner who is an OVP, a CDN, a Developer (and even a Marketing Company) all in one. Not only is it a lot easier (thus cheaper) for the CDN and OVP provider to integrate players and archive galleries on your websites and apps, but it is also a lot faster and simply more efficient. Working with only a single point of contact saves time and hassle and you can avoid the blame-shifting between multiple vendors (which can get on your nerves after while). A package solution for all your Live, VOD, SmartTV, mobile and web delivery needs, including web and app development, is in most cases to the benefit of the customer - both in terms of price, time, hassle and security.
Look for the most integrated, best equipped package solution and don't forget to look at the vendor's heart, vision and overall business mission. The more it falls in line with yours - the happier you will be over this long-term relationship.
Request a callback or contact us if you would like to hear more about our package solutions and how Lightcast can help you achieve greater things with your content!
