In the last two years, OTT platforms have shown very high growth rates. OTT or over-the-top service is known as a streaming media service offered through the internet such as Amazon Prime or Netflix. The growth of such services went up during the pandemic as people have to be indoors during the lockdown. As per Allied Market Research, the OTT apps market is anticipated to reach $1.039 trillion in turnover by the year 2027. According to the report, the Asia Pacific region is expected to receive maximum growth.
Recent trials to present 5G technology in the area and altering customer expectations mean that more companies will release streaming platforms than resort to content licensing for other platforms in the near future. Existing platforms have made great investments in including more content on the platforms to keep users involved. But is it enough to keep users involved in times of rising competition and inexpensive subscriptions? Keeping content aside, it is important to shift the focus to user engagement to ensure the OTT app development platform is a top priority in the minds of the viewers and offers superior content to users today.
Why is App Onboarding Important?
It is not easy for new users to know intuitively how to go about or navigate an app, especially in cases where the interface is different from the one they are used to. Making a favourable first-time OTT onboarding experience is important to the success of an app, as well as guaranteeing continued app usage. The fact is that viewers lose interest in cases where the app takes time to be figured out.
Nearly 21% of users will make use of your app at least once. This may or may not be owing to the complex nature of the app, it is a vital statistic to hold on to. Incorporating an app onboarding process will assist in making the first-time use as faultless as possible, reducing the potential users. Businesses can shoot up their app retention by choosing suitable app onboarding.
There is a lot of room for improvement at the start, and minor changes in user onboarding will have a great impact in that week and the following weeks. In the first week, you must ensure that your app is used more than one time. By carrying out user onboarding, you will be able to get high early usage and over time, also increase app retention.
Useful Tips for Better OTT App Onboarding Experience
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Welcome Screens
Welcome screens are an essential aspect of the OTT app onboarding procedure as it presents a new user to the app. It has a welcome message for the new user and may also bring together other functions such as sign-up or login options. If your objective is to raise the number of sign-ups, it is a great idea to add the registration details on the welcome screen.
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Product Tours
A product tour in video format is a good way to assess the video streaming app functions and how users will derive benefits from them. OTT platform development plays a crucial role here.
Product tours are important in VoD app onboarding as they are a great tool for impacting user behaviour by determining why every step is important and guiding users to take important actions. A product tour helps the user by directing them to know the value of the product quickly. A product tour on an OTT solution is a great way to witness user behaviour.
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Skippable Feature
All of the users may not like to be controlled in the onboarding process. A tour of the app is suggested, the users may want to discover the app themselves and skip the demo. It is recommended to present a skip option as sometimes, unskippable tours can be the cause of users not returning to the app. You wouldn’t want that, of course.
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Single Sign-On
SSO or Single Sign-On is an authentication measure that allows users to safely login into various apps or websites by utilizing one set of authorization. By using SSO, customers get access to a wide range of connected apps, without logging into each one individually.
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Personalization
Focused on obtaining better engagement and viewer satisfaction, the personalization of the apps is one of the most important aspects of the onboarding process. Via personalization, you offer a customized streaming experience to users who have logged in for the first time.
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Preview Content
Video previews are an essential feature to enhance the VoD app onboarding process of end-users. They are like a sneak peek – every video thumbnail expands as a viewing screen showing portions of the video. Video Preview speeds up the navigation of the viewers and guides them on what to watch and what not to.
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Offering Incentives
First-time users are offered an incentive which is another great way to enable them to use the app. Gifts such as a promo code, access to exclusive content, reward points, etc. can be offered for completing simple tasks such as profile filling or opting for a paid subscription. An OTT app builder is an excellent tool for onboarding new users. A good OTT app development company can help you with this.
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A/B Testing
Every one of your customers is unique and their reaction to the onboarding procedure is different also. The same process for everyone is not a prudent decision. Running A/B tests on the OTT app platform is suggested, as varied onboarding experiences offer valuable perceptions of how persons react to different ways. Based on customer response, designers repeat new onboarding techniques. If you see a big number of drop-offs, you should try something new. You should build an OTT app to know the customer response.
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Compatibility for Multiple Devices
Irrespective of whether the viewer is watching content on a desktop, mobile app, or website, then switching between them should be easy and consistent. Users expect streaming apps to deliver faultless and adaptable content using experience as they switch from one device to the other. The OTT platform is unique for users.
Conclusion
During the app launch, onboarding is a crucial step and a faultless onboarding experience makes a difference in customer retention. Users who have been onboarded are likely to stay involved and create brand loyalty. There is no solo path to creating a fabulous onboarding experience when it comes to OTT streaming apps and VoD apps. Consistent testing aids in allowing a better response and lets you cater to the options which work efficiently for every situation. Create an OTT app today for your viewers!
