Video Streaming Services: Human Curation Vs Algorithms
In this post, we look at the benefits of human content curation over recommendation algorithms for video streaming services and the impact it can have on your brand and content discoverability.
Recommendation Algorithms
Recommendation algorithms are commonplace in most video streaming services, designed to connect audiences with content they’re most likely to enjoy based on what they’ve previously watched. Content categories that are based on recommendations are generated by the data gathered on a user’s viewing habits and will continue evolving the more input and data a user provides. However, algorithms are also somewhat limited; they can’t anticipate how a user’s tastes might change for example, the impact of trends, current events or even how a user feels on a particular day.
That being said, they are an essential feature for most mainstream players, primarily due to them having vast libraries of content that can overwhelm users and make it much more difficult to find something they want to watch. But even so, we’re beginning to see more prominent video streaming services, including HBO Max and Netflix, turn to human content curation alongside.
Human Curation
Curating content categories that are original and exclusive to your service is a fantastic way to boost brand identity and promote content discovery. Smaller and niche services in particular that don’t have an extensive library of content can benefit significantly from manual curation. It gives services much more control over what and where the content appears. And when positioned and promoted effectively, categories curated by experienced editor’s can prove to be more popular with users than AI recommended categories.
Key Benefits
- Boost Brand Identity
How content is presented in your service is a reflection of your brand. Grip users on the discovery page of your service with exclusive content and curated categories that reflect your service’s niche and brand’s tone of voice. - Resurface Content
Utilise your entire library and curate categories that mix new content with older but equally relevant content. Manual curation gives you more control over how this content appears and the context. - Creative Categories
Build digital campaigns around creative categories to boost content and brand awareness. Consider curating content categories that reflect topical events, currently popular actors/directors or even moods.
Magine Pro CMS Console
The Magine Pro CMS Console offers our partners fantastic flexibility for manual category curation. You can also determine where a category appears on the service discovery page and boost its prominence by selecting larger thumbnail images sizes for the featured content. Increase user engagement and discovery by creating a dynamic interface that features a range of uniquely curated categories to explore.
To discover more about the benefits of human curation on content and streaming service discoverability, download our latest white paper, OTT Discovery: How to stand out amongst the crowd. This white paper also includes original research by Omdia and partner case studies that highlight their in-market experiences. You’ll also discover what new streaming services can do to boost brand awareness, drive discoverability and increase conversion rates through marketing efforts and service features.
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Want more advice and support on driving awareness & discoverability? Get in touch with the Magine Pro team and find out how we can help. You can also learn more about our CMS Console and branded OTT solutions and services here.
