When it comes to digital streaming apps, Netflix is king. Nowadays, instead of driving to the local multiplex on weekends, many of us stay home and search our Netflix queue. And why not? The streaming giant has a digital library that includes some of the most beloved films and television series ever created. From big budget blockbusters to smaller indie fare, Netflix has your back. And, that’s not to mention its own award-winning content made by some of the biggest names in entertainment. But, the reason why so many of us check our queues when we get home from work isn’t just because of their top-notch content…it’s their marketing strategies.
Know Your Data!
Data metrics are important to marketing your product. Netflix understands this better than most. The team behind the streaming app tracks your browsing behavior to better market their content. This includes when you watch, what you watch, when you pause, and when you scrub through (rewind or fast forward). Thanks to these data metrics, Netflix can better cater their online marketing to those most interested in its content. Netflix has proven time and again that the best way to get someone to choose your product is to make sure they want it in the first place.
Create, Create, Create
For most of us, Netflix is the go-to hub for entertainment. Thanks to their digital library, you have access to some of the biggest and most talked about films and television shows ever created. But, Netflix doesn’t stop there.
Original Content:
Netflix has created some of the biggest and most buzzed about films and television shows, like Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, and the upcoming The Irishman from director Martin Scorsese. In fact, Netflix invests more on content than any of its internet competitors. The company spent $6.3 billion on content in 2017 per MoffettNathanson. Compare that to Disney’s non-sports programming tab of $7.8 billion, and you can clearly see how committed Netflix is to retaining its customers.
Ensuring you have the proper budget for creating quality content is one of the most critical of marketing strategies.
Standalone Content:
Netflix not only creates content for you to watch, they also make content for you to create. Netflix now offers instructions for fun “do it yourself” projects that help spread the word about…well, Netflix. These projects include Netflix Socks, the Netflix Halloween Doorbell, the Netflix Personal Trainer, and the Netflix Switch, which dims your lights and turns on your Netflix. By giving their audience the option to engage with their content, Netflix is ensuring that their customers stay connected to their app.
In addition to DIY projects, they’ve also created other immersive opportunities for fans to engage with their favorite shows. For example, they created the app Rateme ahead of the 3rd season of the hit show Black Mirror — a show about the dangers of technology — which was the subject of the first episode. Before the 4th season of comedy favorite Arrested Development, Netflix set up a banana stand in New York, giving fans an opportunity to interact with one the show’s frequent site gags. This type of engagement puts Netflix ahead of other marketing companies.
Go Viral!
Everyone wants their content to go viral. But, you never know just what exactly will catch the public’s imagination. Netflix, on the other hand, has a strong handle on how to create content that is engaging and consistent with their brand. One area for this type of marketing is their library of gifs that feature humorous motion images from their own shows and films. You can then upload these gifs to Facebook and Twitter. This has the added benefit of letting your audience do some of the marketing for you. Even though Netflix is a modern company, they still use one of the oldest marketing strategies: word of mouth.
If you are interested in taking a page out of the Netflix’s bible, contact Web Content Development today to hone your marketing strategy and get the show on the road.
