Video consumption over mobile networks is experiencing a tremendous surge globally, driven by factors like widespread mobile adoption and the availability of high-speed internet. These advancements have significantly improved the video-watching experience, with falling data costs, increasing data speeds, and better-performing devices offering larger screens and higher resolutions—all at affordable prices. Consumers are also demanding and receiving more flexible subscription options.
While Netflix was among the pioneers, online video consumption has now become mainstream. According to a report by Research and Markets titled “Asia Pacific OTT TV and Video Forecasts,” OTT TV & Video revenues in the region are expected to reach $18,396 million by 2021, up from $5,741 million in 2015. Media Partners Asia’s report, “Asia Pacific Online Video Distribution,” revealed that APAC’s fixed broadband subscribers are expected to grow to 425 million by 2021, up from 345 million in 2016, with mobile broadband reaching 79% of the APAC population by 2021. The conditions for OTT video are strong, and media and entertainment leaders in this region are leveraging these services for competitive differentiation and customer loyalty. OTT offers the potential for new customer acquisition, retention, and increased monetization, all while enhancing social media presence for broader reach.
So, it was no surprise when we heard from a communication, media, and entertainment powerhouse. This client owns several live channels broadcasting copyrighted entertainment, media, and sports content, and they have strategic partnerships for content distribution across the APAC region. They wanted to build a subscription-based platform to distribute their videos and live channels while expanding their footprint and increasing online content availability in Vietnam through partnerships with leading media companies.
The Challenge
Despite being a prominent media company, the client faced a significant hurdle: they lacked an online video platform, which severely limited their content reach and monetization potential, relying instead on traditional cable distribution. Their limited social media presence further hindered their ability to convert existing traffic into future demand. They needed to quickly launch a high-performing web and mobile app with a seamless user experience, offer flexible subscription models (SVOD, TVOD, AVOD), and integrate these models with third-party ad services. Additionally, they needed to integrate with their existing CDN and transcoding servers to optimize costs.
The Solution
Recognizing the need for a technology partner who understood both market trends and consumer needs, we stepped in.
We started with a detailed requirement analysis, followed by streamlining media asset categorization and redesigning the UI/UX for both web and mobile apps to align with the target demographic. We also worked on templatizing web pages and conducting a feasibility study of the existing infrastructure, including the Content Distribution Networks, to reduce overhead costs.
Key requirements included seamless social media integration for user acquisition, video embedding and sharing features to foster partnerships, local ad server integration, and single sign-on (SSO) for monetization. Additionally, we focused on optimizing web and app analytics for better user insights and establishing a detailed logging infrastructure. After finalizing the requirements, we selected an appropriate CMS for metadata management and media categorization.
We followed an iterative development process, prioritizing testing, performance tuning, and automated API testing. We incorporated caching mechanisms for improved user experience and automated the production process for timely deployments. To ensure scalability and cost-effectiveness, we deployed the platform on a mature cloud-based infrastructure service.
The Outcome
Post-launch, the client saw the following results:
- 60% increase in user acquisition due to seamless social integration
- 30,000+ downloads of native mobile applications
- Improved site ranking with deep site links appearing in top search results
- Enhanced mobile app performance, including long-duration video support
- Reduced bounce rates from 80% to 55%
- Flexible ad integration and server changes
- Real-time user and video analytics for content prioritization
- Expanded social media footprint through easy shareability
The client’s OTT video platform quickly became a benchmark for success in the industry, helping them reach audiences even in remote locations like Vietnam while watching live sports from England.
About Forgeahead’s Media and OTT Video Capabilities
Forgeahead excels in media, OTT platform capabilities, streaming protocols, video players, and subscription models such as SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD. We have a deep understanding of the media domain and stay ahead of evolving trends. Our expertise also includes user-based and runtime media analytics, SEO solutions, and social media optimization. With proven experience in web and mobile application development, we ensure our clients’ platforms thrive in the digital age.
