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If the idea of launching your own over-the-top (OTT) platform has captured your interest, but you’re unsure where to begin, rest assured you are in the perfect spot.
As the consumer appetite for video streaming continues to surge, this presents an ideal opportunity to launch your own OTT video platform.
In this guide, we will walk you through how to create an OTT platform step-by-step. Our coverage will extend from selecting an appropriate platform builder to developing a content library and effectively promoting your service.
Before we explore the details, however, let’s first develop a clear definition of what an OTT platform is and explore the compelling advantages of building one yourself.
An over-the-top (OTT) platform is essentially a type of membership site software that provides users with access to content delivered via the internet. They can stream videos from any device that has an internet connection, such as personal computers, mobile phones, and smart TVs.
While the foundation of an OTT platform is providing on-demand content, many ventures also expand their services to include live streaming and a dedicated online community for their audience.
Perhaps the most well-known instance of an OTT service is Netflix. This popular subscription-based streaming platform delivers an extensive selection of shows, films, documentaries, and series that viewers can watch commercial-free and whenever they choose.
But do OTT video services truly represent a profitable business model? To find the answer, one only needs to examine the average time users in the US spend daily on subscription platforms.
From 2019 to 2020, this specific metric surged by an impressive 50%. The typical amount of time people dedicate to OTT platforms has expanded from 44 minutes in 2018 to 67 minutes in 2021.
Let’s also look at the worldwide OTT market size. After reaching $171.36 billion in 2020, it is forecasted to exceed $1 trillion by 2027, which demonstrates a compound annual growth rate of 29.4%.
What elevates the significance of these statistics is that starting your own OTT platform is more accessible than ever before. Numerous ready-to-use OTT builders are available to simplify the entire development process.
It is time to explore these available solutions.
The most crucial decision in creating an OTT platform involves selecting the ideal provider. Although constructing a platform from the ground up is a technical possibility, it is far from being the most practical or efficient method.
Instead, leveraging an OTT platform builder is the recommended approach, delivering comparable outcomes at a significantly reduced cost and in a shorter timeframe.
To guide you in choosing the best builder, we conducted a thorough evaluation of all the leading solutions, such as Uscreen, Vimeo OTT, and Muvi.
Our analysis concluded that Uscreen stands out as the superior option for developing an OTT platform. It provides the most comprehensive set of features, boasts remarkable user-friendliness, and offers adaptable pricing plans.
A few of the prominent features available through Uscreen are:
For those interested in a more thorough exploration of the platform and its comprehensive offerings, we encourage you to read our in-depth Uscreen review.
Let’s now proceed with a step-by-step guide to help you build your OTT platform using Uscreen.
The core of any OTT service revolves around content management, and Uscreen performs exceptionally well in this domain. In fact, it provides a seamless experience for uploading your videos and structuring them precisely as you envision.
After you have registered for an account on Uscreen, you should navigate to the Content section located in your administration panel.
In the Videos area, an upload box will be visible near the top, allowing you to add videos through a simple drag-and-drop action or by importing them directly from Dropbox.
You have the ability to upload several files simultaneously, which ensures that adding content to your platform is a swift and simple task, even if your library contains a large number of videos.
All of your uploaded videos will be conveniently listed just below the upload area on the same page, where you can easily add or adjust the details for each one.
To accomplish this, simply click the Edit button positioned next to a video, which will reveal a range of customizable options for that particular content.
Here, you can input a title and description, upload subtitles, update the video thumbnail, include a preview trailer, and organize your content by assigning it to specific categories, among other things.
Once your videos have been successfully added to the platform, your next step is to consider how you will structure them for your audience. Uscreen provides two principal tools for this purpose—Collections and Categories.
The Uscreen Collections feature allows you to bundle videos that are designed to be watched sequentially or as a related group. A helpful way to conceptualize a collection is as a curated playlist.
To begin creating a collection, navigate to Content -> Collections within your dashboard, and then select the + Add New button.
Upon supplying the initial information, proceed to the Playlist tab. This area allows you to add videos to your playlist and also insert dividers, which function like chapters, providing an enhanced level of organization.
Ultimately, the Collections feature proves to be exceptionally valuable. It is designed to support the creation of both episodic video series and comprehensive video courses.
In the context of Categories, you can envision them as the various topics or genres that serve to organize your video library.
It is important to remember that you must assign a category to every video upon upload, as the Uscreen catalog is designed to display videos that have been organized by category.
You can introduce a new category by navigating to Content -> Categories and then selecting the + Add New button.
For a practical demonstration of how to apply this feature to your Uscreen OTT platform, consider Sqadia.com, an on-demand medical service. It features hundreds of educational videos, and its catalog presents them sorted by category, which simplifies content discovery for users.
Additionally, visitors can click on a category to access a dedicated page featuring more details and the complete video collection for that topic.
Once your video library is complete, your focus can shift to establishing your community. Uscreen provides the capability to create a dedicated community section for your members.
To enable the community feature, just select Community from your admin dashboard and then click the New Post button.
Uscreen enables you to initiate discussions by creating posts that can include both images and descriptive text. From there, both you and your members can begin engaging with one another directly within the community feed.
When you are pleased with the content and community components of your platform, it is time to progress to the configuration of your pricing plans.
A key advantage of using Uscreen is the remarkable versatility it offers for monetizing your video content.
The platform accommodates various payment structures, such as recurring subscriptions, single one-time payments, and temporary rentals. Additionally, it gives you the option to market individual videos, curated video collections, or access to your complete content library.
Let’s first walk through the process of setting up a subscription plan.
To begin configuring a subscription, navigate to the Subscriptions area within your dashboard and select the + New Plan button.
Following this, you will craft a name and description for your plan, determine the price, and decide on the billing frequency.
On the Uscreen platform, you can offer subscriptions billed monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. You also have the flexibility to establish a complimentary trial period for your subscription plan if that aligns with your strategy.
After you have created a plan, your next task is to assign content to it. You have the flexibility to add either individual videos or entire collections to your plan.
To do this, go to Content → Videos, and choose all the videos you wish to include in this plan. Then, click the Add to plans button, select the correct plan, and click Save.
It is also possible to manage access on a per-collection basis, following a process that mirrors the one for videos. Navigate to Content → Collections, choose your desired collections, and then assign them to your plan.
This concludes the process for establishing a subscription plan for your video membership site within Uscreen. If your goal is to offer a tiered subscription, you can simply replicate the steps outlined above to configure a new plan and assign content to it.
As we noted earlier, Uscreen also empowers you to offer videos for a single purchase price or as a rental option. This functionality applies to both individual videos and entire collections. To set this up, return to Content → Collections, choose the specific collection you intend to sell, and then proceed to the Pricing subsection. In this area, you will be able to specify the purchase and/or rental fees.
Should you wish to sell individual videos, the procedure is quite comparable. You will first locate the specific video within your content library and then assign a price to it.
In addition, Uscreen provides the option to create a bundle, which allows you to group several videos together and sell them for a single, one-time payment.
Once you have successfully configured all the pricing models you envisioned, the next step is to focus on your Uscreen website and begin tailoring it to match your brand and preferences.
Uscreen also equips you to construct the front-facing website of your OTT platform. It comes with a complete theme library and a simple drag-and-drop page builder, which allows you to craft a beautiful site.
To browse the available themes, go to Website → Themes and select the Add Theme choice located near the bottom of your screen.
This action will transport you to the theme library, where you can browse the selection of available themes and preview their overall design. A total of 12 website themes are at your disposal, all of which are expertly designed and possess a distinctive appearance and atmosphere.
To integrate a theme with your website, just click the Add to Library button positioned directly below that specific theme.
You have the ability to further refine the design of your website’s pages by utilizing the Uscreen page builder.
To access this tool, simply click the Customize button adjacent to your selected theme. This will launch the page builder interface, automatically opening your homepage for immediate editing.
The builder itself is designed for ease of use. You will find all the available page blocks organized in the left-hand sidebar, with a dynamic, real-time preview of your page displayed on the right.
To modify an existing block, simply select its name in the sidebar. This action will reveal all the customization options for that specific page element. For instance, if you click on the Hero Banner section, you will be presented with the settings for altering the banner image, overlay hue, and text content.
To introduce a new element to your page, select the Add New Block option in the sidebar. You can then choose from the various block types available and customize it using the process we just described.
You can adjust your overall theme settings directly from within the page builder. To access these controls, simply click on the Theme Customization option, which you’ll find located in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
This area allows you to alter the color palette, upload your unique logo and favicon, choose your preferred text fonts, and make other site-wide adjustments.
This is the complete process for designing and personalizing your homepage. You can apply these exact same steps to customize all the other pages across your website.
Once you are satisfied with the aesthetic of your site, the next step is to set up your website’s domain.
Uscreen provides the functionality to connect a custom domain to your website. To set this up, navigate to Settings → Storefront Domain Settings and proceed by following the on-screen instructions.
Your OTT website is now fully prepared for its official launch. Let us now guide you through the process of obtaining branded applications for your platform.
A major advantage of choosing Uscreen is the ability to commission branded applications for your membership service. The service supports applications for both mobile devices, like iOS and Android, and popular smart TV platforms, including Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV.
Through these dedicated OTT apps, your audience can effortlessly stream content across various devices, leading to a superior user experience and heightened engagement.
A significant benefit of Uscreen’s branded app service is that it requires absolutely no coding on your part. The Uscreen team manages the entire development process for you, which is completed with impressive efficiency, typically taking between 30 to 60 days to launch.
Furthermore, you can customize the appearance of your app, and it will be completely free of any Uscreen branding. These apps come equipped with integrated analytics, providing valuable insights to help you enhance your service based on performance data.
This app service is an exclusive feature of the Uscreen Plus plan, and to get started, you must contact their team to receive a personalized quote for the applications.
To initiate this process, simply navigate to the Mobile & TV apps section within your dashboard and click the Request App button. This action automatically notifies the Uscreen team, who will then contact you to discuss the next steps.
Remember, having custom apps isn’t a requirement for your OTT platform. It will be accessible and function perfectly on both desktop and mobile devices through standard web browsers.
Once you are content with the final result of your OTT platform, the next logical step is to begin promoting it to your intended audience. While there are many marketing avenues you could explore, this guide will specifically highlight how to utilize Uscreen’s built-in marketing features.
Uscreen’s most notable marketing instrument is its Giveaway Funnels feature. This allows you to effectively capture new leads by offering visitors to your site a complimentary premium video in return for their email contact information.
You can then engage these prospects through targeted email marketing. Uscreen enables you to construct a two-part email sequence within your funnel, which can be utilized to send reminders to your leads about any special promotions.
Another effective marketing instrument that Uscreen provides is the Refer a Friend feature.
This tool allows you to launch a referral program for your OTT platform, creating an incentive for your current members to share information about your service. In return, your members earn a complimentary month of subscription for every successful referral that results in a product purchase.
In addition to these, Uscreen offers various other marketing instruments, like email broadcasts, discount coupons, and gift cards. You can utilize these to promote your OTT business, generate new leads, and convert them into paying customers.
We have now explored the complete journey of creating your own OTT platform from start to finish. It is certainly a process that involves a great deal of work.
However, when you possess a distinct vision for your platform and utilize the appropriate tools, you can successfully launch an outstanding OTT service with remarkable efficiency.
We confidently suggest using Uscreen for your OTT business, as it is a fully integrated solution with features for everything, from catalog creation to website design and subscription sales.
If you have not yet experienced Uscreen, we encourage you to sign up for a free trial and begin using it.
We trust this guide has given you a clear understanding of how to begin an OTT platform. Should any questions come to mind, please feel free to share them with us in the comments section below!
To start your OTT platform, we recommend using Uscreen. With it, you can easily upload and organize your videos and set pricing. Afterward, you can design your website, and your OTT platform will be ready for streaming.
The cost to start an OTT platform will largely depend on the plan you choose. For example, you can start for as low as $99/month with Uscreen or go for the $199 plan that offers more storage and features. If you want branded apps, you’ll need the Uscreen Plus plan, which costs significantly higher.
An essential requirement of any OTT platform is the ability to stream content over the internet on demand. Moreover, you should also be able to charge for access to your content through subscriptions or a pay-per-view model.
OTT platforms can make money in various ways. You can either choose a subscription-based model or a pay-per-view approach. Additionally, some OTT platforms, such as YouTube, rely on advertising to make money.
Daniel Nic
Founder, SellingOnliceCoursesGuide.com
is an entrepreneur and digital education specialist who founded sellingonlinecoursesguide.com, a platform dedicated to helping creators and educators successfully navigate the online course marketplace. Through his website, he shares insights and strategies for developing, marketing, and monetizing online educational content. His work focuses on empowering course creators to build sustainable online businesses while effectively sharing their knowledge with students worldwide.
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Copyright © 2024 by SellCoursesOnline
Daniel Nic is an entrepreneur and digital education specialist who founded sellingonlinecoursesguide.com, a platform dedicated to helping creators and educators successfully navigate the online course marketplace. Through his website, he shares insights and strategies for developing, marketing, and monetizing online educational content. His work focuses on empowering course creators to build sustainable online businesses while effectively sharing their knowledge with students worldwide.
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