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If you think of yourself as an online entrepreneur, you have undoubtedly heard of OTT apps amid covid days. Are you looking to enter OTT space for Entertainment or Edutech purposes?. Once you have selected your OTT platform - the crucial next step is deciding your user experience and coming up with OTT Apps.

Assuming all of the above is true this comprehensive OTT apps guide is for you.

This guide is a thorough source of information about OTT apps y. It will help you better understand this new app-based video distribution method, and how you can launch your own OTT apps to take your video streaming business to your customers with best in class user experience.

Guide on OTT Apps development

Overview - What is OTT & Why OTT's are needed?

An OTT app, or over-the-top application, is an app that delivers video content to your smartphone, tablet, or smart TV using the internet rather than the traditional distribution methods of cable or satellite.

These apps allow you to directly stream the videos you love on your favorite devices. Whether it's a movie, a session with your favorite yoga instructor, or an eLearning class on how to go cave-diving, you can watch it wherever and whenever suits you.

OTT apps are the future of television and online streaming services. It's a billion-dollar industry that is creating a large movement in how people consume their content. If you're entering the online streaming service in any way, OTT Web, TV, and mobile apps will definitely play a part in your business. Launching an OTT video streaming app for Web, TV, and mobile devices is one of the strong and perfect ways to grow your video website audience.

These days everything is on-demand. People expect to have access to content whenever they want, and laptop screens aren't always the ideal place to watch that content. They want to be able to kick back and watch their favorite OTT content on the go on mobile devices or on their flatscreen TVs while they cuddle comfortably with their perfect partner.

The 3 key factors that make OTT video apps so appealing to viewers are - Control, Cost, and Accessibility.

Why OTT apps play a vital role in the media and entertainment business

One of the industries that have seen massive growth in the past few years is that of the OTT platforms and the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace. While other industries have been adversely affected by the pandemic, the OTT platforms have become popular. With social distancing being the new normal and the theatres and multiplexes being closed, people confined in their houses are left with very few options of entertainment. OTT platforms have played a major role in entertaining people amidst these critical times and have clearly taken over the other modes of entertainment.

According to a survey conducted by the mobile marketing platform InMobi in April 2020, 46% of viewers are engrossed in watching online content. Added to this, experts also suggest that the popularity of these platforms could grow further in the future, as television channels may run out of content. According to Paritosh Joshi, Media Consultant and Principal, Provocateur Advisory, "As these channels have been unable to shoot due to the lockdown, they are running old content. In such a scenario, people will gravitate towards OTT to watch fresh content."

How OTT apps can help many VOD businesses grow by ~35%

We found 2 reasons that help to grow OTT-business by ~35%, they are OTT apps increase conversions - In addition to increasing engagement of your existing users, you also open yourself up to new subscribers (like the growing number of cord-cutters) who are actively searching for new OTT services to subscribing to. OTT apps reduce churn - When your content becomes available on more devices, especially those preferred by your current users, people are more likely to consume a lot more of it. By offering your subscribers OTT apps on multi-screen devices, you're enabling them to consume your content on the go via their mobile devices. While commuting every day to and from work, while waiting for ordered food in hotels, during their lunch hour, during their children's games practices, On airplanes (with the offline downloading feature)

What are the benefits of OTT apps?

Just the right usage of technology can take a business/company/brand to immense heights. This is the reason why OTT-enabled utilities such as Netflix, Skype, Whatsapp, Amazon Prime, etc. are playing in shedloads today. Such apps earn various earning models two of which being subscriptions and brand advertisements.

Major benefits of OTT apps are

Easy Customer Segmentation

Technological Upperhand

High-End Efficiency

A Younger, Wealthier, More Engaging Audience

Data Transparency and Microtargeting

Smooth Transition from Traditional Television to OTT Content

What goes into an OTT app?

Before developing and launching an OTT app, you should know a bit about the must-haves for any OTT business. Here are just a few of the main elements and moving parts that go into creating your own OTT app

A well-built and adaptive video player

Access to multiple Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

A comprehensive content management system (CMS) catalog support

A beautifully branded user interface and website with branding

Dedicated, equipped, and knowledgeable support network comprising your partners and third-parties

Gamification & User Engagement

Option for reward and redemptions

Secure and seamless payment processing

Subscription business statistics and video metrics

Discussion on Hybrid V/s Native Apps

Native Apps - A native app is a smartphone application developed specifically for an operating system (think Objective-C or Swift for iOS vs. Java or Kotlin for Android). Since the app is developed within a mature ecosystem following the technical and user experience guidelines of the OS, it not only has the advantage of faster performance but also feels perfect. Native UI allows users to quickly learn the app, Easy to discover in app stores (Apple app store, Play store), Access to device hardware/software (GPS, Location, Shake, Calendar, etc.), Better snappier user experience, etc.

Hybrid Apps - Hybrid applications are, at the core, websites packaged into a native wrapper. They look and feel like a native app, but ultimately outside of the basic frame of the application, they are fueled by a company's website.
Hybrid app quick wins Profitability(One code base, multiple platforms), Access to various hardware/software capabilities(through plug-ins), Cheaper origination costs, Faster (initial) speed to market.

Basically, a hybrid app is a web app built using HTML5 and JavaScript, wrapped in a native container that loads most of the information on the page as the user navigates through the application (Native apps instead download most of the content when the user first installs the app).

Mobile OS Market Share

Image source - https://www.statista.com/

Web Browser - % of usage in the market

Image source - https://en.wikipedia.org/

Smart TV - % of usage in the market

Image source - https://www.statista.com/

Which OTT apps to launch first for your business

If you have finalized to go ahead and launch your OTT apps. The main apps to choose to launch are:

As per the market share of the usage, at an initial stage, you can launch your OTT apps for iOS, Android for mobile OS, and for the web, it is recommended with Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge and for TV there are options like Tizen, WebOS, Sony Playstation, Roku TV, Fire OS, Android TV, Chromecast, and Apple TV.

To get to the bottom of how to choose the best OTT apps to launch for your business, we compiled a report of OTT app usage data to detect habits, preferences, and patterns. The main take-aways from this report are that:

Mobile apps allow for the most specific location targeting.

More than half of OTT app users choose to stream content using mobile apps, meaning Android and iOS video streaming apps are often more urgent to launch.

In English-speaking markets, iOS has the largest market penetration.

Half of all TV app users stream using Roku, making it the #1 app to launch if you want to reach your audience on their TVs.

Android mobile apps have the widest reach worldwide and especially in non-English speaking markets.

OTT app device platform support / Multi-screen support for OTT

The global streaming media devices market is projected to reach a value of $271.8 billion by 2024. Smartphones and tablets, like today, will drive the majority of consumers' online activity. However, there will be growth in other adjunct devices that will allow users to stream content online. These devices are called connect devices (Fire TV, Apple TV, Xbox, Playstation, Amazon Fire Stick, Chromecast, Android TV, etc.) and work with SmartTVs to stream the content, iOS, and Android smartphones.

Different types of connected TV platforms

It is also called CTV stands for "connected TV" and any television set used to stream video over the internet. These are most often videos that are streamed via apps that are downloaded. Devices that are classified as CTV devices are:

Smart TV -It is a TV with a built-in internet connection and media platform. This means no additional equipment is needed to stream videos on the TV.

Connected Device -It is referred to as an OTT device, these are devices that plug directly into your TV and are connected to the internet, which enables apps and video streaming to be used on the television regardless of the TV itself is a smart TV. Examples include Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast, Xbox, and more.

Gaming Consoles - Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Playstation are essentially acting as connected devices with built-in app stores for streaming video content to your television.

Virtual Reality for OTT

Wearable Devices explores the future of AR and VR. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have exciting potential in the future of gaming, marketing, e-commerce, education, and many other fields. Both technologies are known for their enriched experience that brings together a virtual world and the real one with enhanced, 3-D visuals.

VR provides an immersive experience that elevates brand engagement. It allows content distributors to understand their experience patterns so they can push relevant content and better their monetization models based on the advertisement of products and services.

Examples for Virtual Reality(VR) implies a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world. Using VR devices such as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, or Google Cardboard, users can be transported into a number of real-world imagined environments. OTT 3D Virtual theatres are coming to the market now.

How to create and launch your own OTT apps for your business

Assuming that all your requirements are aligned in a row: your content, your audience, your business strategy, and your vision. You even know which apps you're going to launch.

Assuming you can't develop these OTT apps yourself, you have 2 main options:

1. Option 1: Hire an app developer - Hiring someone to develop your OTT apps is an obvious one, but it can be very expensive.

2. Option 2 (recommended): Lease an app from an OTT platform provider - Leasing is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to create an OTT app. This method means you'll rent the OTT services of an OTT platform company that already has white-labeled OTT apps for a variety of devices, CDNs, and hosting in place.

Here's how launching an OTT app works:

1. You set up an account and place an order for your app

2. You get your video website ready by adding content

3. You set up your app developer account

4. You provide your app requirements - the assets needed to build your app

5. We build your app and have it available for you to test

6. We submit your app for approval in the App Store

7. After it's published, you launch it to your customers

How to find the perfect OTT app provider for you

Different video monetization and OTT platform providers offer different features at different price points. But if you really want to start researching and learning about all your OTT platform provider options, here's a check-list we put together to get you started:

The perfect OTT platform provider will:

allow you to fully customize your streaming website

provide you with a video streaming website, alongside your apps

gives you full audience ownership

allow you to accept global payments

offer free updates and maintenance for your apps

be a technically hands-off solution for you

take less than 3 months to develop and launch your OTT apps

Our OTT App development expertise includes

At Mobiotics, we build your OTT apps from scratch, fully branded just for you. We develop various OTT apps as per your target audience usage with customization in a faster and cost-effective manner. All you need to do is provide us with the details like your logo and brand colors. We then launch it, run it, and maintain it for as lo8987ng as it's live -you don't have to do a thing.

All of our apps come white-labeled and can be customized to fit your branding.

UI/UX App development services

After understanding everything you learned today, we recommend you start thinking about how you will incorporate OTT apps into your business.

You can start off by getting in touch with one of our highly knowledgeable OTT specialists to see if OTT apps are right for you.

Click hereto book a 15 Min demo with us to know howOTT Appsworks.

For more information about our product and services please feel free to get in touch with us.

Call us at +91 9620209869, or write an email to the sales@mobiotics.com

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OTT Apps - The complete guide for enterprises

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If you think of yourself as an online entrepreneur, you have undoubtedly heard of OTT apps amid covid days. Are you looking to enter OTT space for Entertainment or Edutech purposes?. Once you have selected your OTT platform - the crucial next step is deciding your user experience and coming up with OTT Apps.

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05 Jan 2022

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OTT Platform Development: Roadmap, Features, Cost & More

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What were people's options for watching their favorite shows in the past? There was only one television, and the entire family sat and watched the same stuff.

People soon had the opportunity to watch their favorite videos with their computers on websites like YouTube, thanks to the internet.

Boom! Everything changed after that, with the advent of mobile phones. People did, in fact, transfer from their televisions and computers to their phones to watch their favorite shows.

Slowly, people started enjoying the freedom of watching what they like without anyone's interference. The only stumbling block was limited and slow internet connection

Today, with the advancement of technology, streaming has become the most common method of consuming videos.

Did you know that the average person spends more time on OTT apps than driving, socializing, or other pastime pursuits?

Table of Contents : What are OTT apps Why are they important How to develop OTT Apps How much do OTT Apps cost Which OTT app you should launch first How to find the perfect OTT provider Conclusion
So if you want to develop OTT apps or know more about them, this guide will help you.

Let's begin.

WHAT ARE OTT APPS ?

OTT, or over-the-top, enables viewers stream premium content directly over the web, without the use of cable or satellite TV.

So, OTT apps are the apps that deliver online videos straight to your devices over the internet.

Take Netflix,. You can watch Netflix on your computer, mobile (Android and iOS), and Smart TV devices (Roku, Android TV, Samsung TV, etc). Netflix has developed native apps for all these platforms and all these apps are called OTT apps.

This is because Netflix realized that developing OTT apps is the most powerful approach to reach its target audience.

If you have great content to give your audience, no medium is more potent than OTT.
WHY ARE OTT APPS IMPORTANT
Are you spending more or less time watching videos online, compared to, say, 5 years ago? What about your friends?

As you might have guessed, the usage of OTT apps and the online video industry is growing exponentially. Millions of people have reduced the usage of cable and satellite TV and are spending more time watching videos over the internet, on their PCs, mobile devices, and Smart TV's.
Statistica reports reveal that

OTT media revenue is expected to reach USD 158.84 billion by 2024. In 2018, this figure was less than half of it - USD 67.8 billion.

Netflix is the largest OTT provider in the world, with over 150 million paid subscribers.

User penetration of video streaming is forecast to reach 6.2 percent by 2025

Here are 4 reasons why you should launch OTT apps:

Gain more viewers

Over the past few years, video streaming traffic on mobile and smart TV devices has grown significantly.

Global mobile data traffic is projected to grow from 65EB(exabytes) per month in 2021, to 288EB per month in 2027. That's a whopping growth of 4.4 times.

The monthly global average usage per smartphone was 11.4GB by 2021 and this is forecast to reach 41GB by the end of 2027.

It's obvious that people are streaming videos on their mobiles and Smart TV devices. You should take advantage of this trend to gain viewers. This is the #1 reason why you should launch OTT apps.

Make more money

OTT has simplified Video Monetization in so many ways.

OTT revenue from all three models is booming.

Ad marketers too are drifting from traditional entertainment platforms to OTT platforms to capitalize on better ad targeting.

You don't have to choose one model over the other for your OTT streaming service. You can go with a hybrid Video Monetization model - a combination of SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD. Provide your non-premium videos free of cost and charge your viewers for watching premium content.

Lower cost

It's far cheaper to launch your OTT service than launching a cable/ satellite TV channel.

With OTT, you don't need to pay uplinking and downlinking charges, carriage fees, content delivery fees, distribution fees, and more. You save hundreds of thousands of dollars every month!

Fixed cost - platform fee (paid monthly/ yearly)

Variable cost - streaming, storage, encoding, API calls, depending on consumption.

Direct relation with viewers

With OTT, there is no middleman between you and your viewers.

Viewers can directly watch your content on their OTT devices without subscribing to cable or DTH services. This gives you full control over distribution - you can reach viewers all over the world!

Another benefit of OTT is that you receive payments directly from your viewers. No need to wait for a middleman to pay you. Just integrate your preferred payment gateway to get paid.

You already have the email and phone numbers of your users. You can now reach them directly. Want to inform them of new releases or any discounts? Just send an email or SMS!

Suggested read: Why are broadcasters are moving to OTT ( and why you should too)

MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR OTT APP DEVELOPMENT

You have 3 options for developing your OTT apps:

Option #1: Building it in-house

The first option is to hire developers and build the OTT apps yourself.

This option is suitable only for those who have serious resources, money, and expertise in app development.

To launch a fully functional OTT service, you need to think and plan for the following things:

Hiring mobile developers who build and maintain 9+ different apps (across web, mobile, and TV)

video CMS to upload and organize videos

storage and CDN to store and stream videos

encoder to encode videos in different formats

integrating payment gateways to collect payments

ad-server to run advertisements

dashboard to view analytics

servers to scale when traffic spikes

Most content producers neither have the money nor the expertise in hiring and managing developers.

If you have decided to build the apps in-house, we recommend hiring for the following roles:

Don't forget that you will still need developers and testers for maintenance after the launch. You will be constantly adding new features, resolving bugs, and updating the apps on the stores.

Option #2: Outsourcing it

The second option is to outsource the development of your Video on Demand (VOD) app.

There are so many app development companies out there. In fact, there are a few companies that specialize in OTT app development.

These companies build OTT apps from scratch for each of their clients. They charge a one-time development fee for each project.

After the apps are developed, they will share the source code with you and move on to the next project. You are now responsible for the maintenance!

What does maintaining an OTT app mean? You need to have a team of web & mobile app developers and testers who will be fixing bugs, adding new features, and updating the apps on a regular basis.

We do not recommend this option as you would still need to hire a team for maintenance and updating the apps. Most content producers don't have the money or knowledge to maintain OTT apps. You are better off with a No-coding OTT platform that can be managed without developers.

Option #3: Using a SaaS OTT platform (recommended)

Building OTT apps in-house takes serious time and money. At the same time, you will still need to have a development team to maintain the apps if you go with option #2.

In a nutshell, choosing a SaaS OTT platform is the most affordable and time-efficient way to get your hands on an OTT app.

Benefits of using a SaaS OTT platform like Ventuno:

Launch your apps quickly

Fully white-labeled

Zero upfront costs - just pay a reasonable monthly fee

No need to hire developers

No maintenance overheads

Cancel anytime

This way, you can focus on what you are great at - creating awesome content!

handles all the above things for you. You get a readymade platform that can be used to launch, manage, and monetize your OTT service - without any coding!

We have compared the 3 options below:

HOW MUCH DO OTT APPS COST

There are three types of costs involved:

The cost for all the 3 options are different:

In-house development

Development cost - Very costly. You would need at least $100,000 in salaries for web & mobile app developers, product managers, QA's.

You would also need to invest serious money in developing or integrating the technology that will power your OTT service (video platform, player, ad server, CDN, servers, payment gateway).

Maintenance cost - Very costly. You will need to have at least 5 web and mobile app developers and testers for maintenance.

Outsourcing it

Development cost - Costly. The vendor will charge a one-time development fee. The fee can range from anywhere between $15000 to $100,000

Maintenance cost - Very costly. You will need to have 5+ developers and testers for maintaining and updating the apps.

Using a SaaS OTT platform

Development cost - Low. Usually, SaaS platforms don't charge a setup fee for launching your OTT apps.

Instead of a huge one-time fee, you will be paying a reasonable platform fee every month. The platform fee can range from anywhere between $500/ month to $5000/ month, depending on your requirements.

Maintenance cost - Low. You don't need a separate team of developers to maintain the apps after the launch. SaaS platforms will provide a dashboard where you can manage your entire OTT operations - right from uploading, encoding, organizing, video monetization, and analyzing your users, content, and monetization.

Variable costs

In all the 3 options above, there is also a third type of cost - Variable costs.

Variable costs are the costs that depend on usage. Typically, these are the variable costs for an OTT service:

Servers: These are the servers on top of which you will be building the platform. Make sure to use auto-scalable servers that scale automatically when the usage spikes.

Encoding: Your video needs to be converted to multiple bitrates to support adaptive bitrate streaming. The process of converting the video from one format to another is called encoding. You will be charged for the amount of data that is encoded.

WHICH OTT APP SHOULD YOU LAUNCH FIRST ?

After all, there are so many different platforms where you can build native apps.

Android

iOS

The best option? Launch all these apps simultaneously! Different people consume videos on different devices. Some prefer Apple over Android. Some use Chromecast while some have Amazon Fire Stick. The best way to reach out to all the potential viewers is to launch all these apps.

However, if you don't want to go all-in, we suggest launching any 2 apps that are used by your viewer the most.

Are your viewers mostly in the US? You can start with iOS and Roku as these are the two most commonly used platforms in the US.

Are your viewers mostly in India? You can start with Android and Android TV.

Are you a fitness creator? Start with a website and mobile apps. Most viewers consume fitness videos on the laptop and phones.

There are so many other factors to decide the answer to this question. It depends on a lot of factors such as the location of your viewers, the category of your videos, your budget, your content quality, and more.

Check out our detailed article on this topic: Which video streaming app should you launch first?

HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT OTT PROVIDER

Assuming you have decided against in-house OTT app development, the next step is to find a vendor to develop the apps.

Between outsourcing the development and using a SaaS platform, we suggest going ahead with a SaaS platform as they are inexpensive and easy to maintain.

Moreover, it also gives you the same advantages as if you were building the app from the scratch.

We have created a checklist for you to find the perfect OTT provider:

Do they provide an all-in-one platform? Or do you need to use 2-3 separate platforms?

Are they able to launch all possible apps (web, mobile, TV)?

How long does it take to launch the apps?

How easy it is to use it? Do you need mobile app developers for maintaining it?

Can it handle millions of users?

How good is their support?

What's their pricing? Any hidden charges?

Do they accept custom feature requests?

This checklist is not exhaustive. You can add more questions based on your unique requirements and use them to compare different OTT vendors.

Suggested read: The ultimate guide to SVOD in 2020

CONCLUSION

This is the perfect time to launch your OTT apps, attract users, and monetize them with ads, subscriptions, and transactions.

Reach out to us for developing your OTT apps. Our SaaS OTT platform has all the features needed to launch a fully-functional OTT service - video platform, player, servers, CDN, ad-server, payment gateway, and analytics.

What are your thoughts on this article? reach out to us at info@ventunotech.com if you would like to discuss!

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OTT App Development: The Ultimate Guide - Ventuno

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What were people's options for watching their favorite shows in the past? There was only one television, and the entire family sat and watched the same stuff. People soon had the opportunity to watch their favorite videos with their computers on websites like YouTube, thanks to the internet. Boom!

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CONTUS VPlayed Blog | The Future Trends & Technologies of Video and Audio Streaming

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How to Build an OTT Platform For OTT Streaming Business?

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Creating a Custom OTT platform is a challenging task. That is why we planned to provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to start an OTT platform for earning 4x Millions and more.

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How to Create an OTT App For Your Brand in 2022?

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Learn how to make an OTT App for your video business with 100+ Features and 5+ monetization models from the best ott app development company.

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If you consider yourself an online video entrepreneur, you have definitely heard of over-the-top apps in 2021.

If you're here now, it means you recognize the impact of this quickly-growing technology on streaming services and the entire online video industry.

Assuming all of the above is true... you're in the right place.

This guide is the most comprehensive source of information about OTT services that you can find online.

It will help you fully understand this new content delivery method, as well as how you can launch your own OTT apps to give your video streaming business a head-start going into 2022.

In this guide, you will learn:

1. What OTT apps are and why they're a big deal

2. How OTT has helped hundreds of video streaming businesses grow by 30%

3. How OTT apps and video streaming websites are meant to work in harmony

4. How to know if your VOD business is ready for its own OTT apps

5. Which OTT app to launch first for your business

6. How to create and launch your OTT apps

7. How to find the perfect OTT platform provider for you

An OTT app, or over-the-top application, is an app that delivers video content to your smartphone, tablet, or smart TV using the internet rather than the traditional distribution methods of cable or satellite.

These apps allow you to instantly stream the videos and live streams you love on your favorite devices. Whether it's a movie, a session with your favorite yoga instructor, or an eLearning class on how to go cave-diving, you can watch it wherever suits you.

If you want to learn more about the concept of OTT apps and how they stand out in the OTT space, we have the following suggested reads for you:

We also have an in-depth breakdown of this in our OTT Apps Explained Youtube Video below:

Why OTT apps are everywhere (and here to stay)

Over-the-top apps are everywhere for 2 reasons:

1. Content consumers expect to have them.

2. They are really good for VOD businesses.

These are 2 separate yet intertwined reasons. Let's break it down.
Since the dawn of Netflix, there's been a

in how consumers want to view their video content - consumers to be able to watch their favorite content on their own terms: anytime, anywhere, on any device they want. A year ago, creating an OTT app could give video businesses a competitive advantage. Today, they are an expected function.
That makes OTT apps more than just "nice to have", they've become necessary.

Let's take a look at the numbers:

So what is it about OTT TV and mobile apps that make them so appealing?

There are 3 key factors that make these apps so popular among viewers:

1. Accessibility: viewers have become accustomed to watching what they want, where they want.

2. Control: Viewers are willing to pay more to have control over the programs they watch. That's why more than 25% of US homes have access to 5 OTT apps. They're willing to pay to customize how they watch videos.

3. Cost: Viewers often feel they're paying too much money for cable subscriptions, which offer less accessibility and control. With OTT, they can save money while improving their viewing experience.

These 3 key factors have completely transformed the OTT space, and it's changing every day.
"Your content is great! I just don't have the time to watch it."
Having a video streaming business without OTT apps is like having... a burrito business that doesn't serve guacamole!

Visitors are going to look elsewhere because they expect to be able to stream their favorite content on their mobile devices and TVs (and add guacamole to their burritos!).

There's still a chance to get in on the action though! We're in the middle of what we're called the OTT Gold Rush..you're actually just in time. Thanks to the rapidly increasing demand for OTT services, content creators are rushing to adopt OTT platforms at an affordable cost.

Which brings us to the second biggest reason why OTT apps are everywhere...

In analyzing 1.1 million users, we found that Uscreeners who added OTT apps to their online video business saw an average growth of 30% in size and revenue.

This happens for 2 reasons:

When your content becomes available on more devices, especially those preferred by your current users, people are more likely to consume a lot more of it.

One of the most common things we hear subscribers say as they're canceling their video streaming subscriptions is:

What this really means is that subscribers don't spend enough free time at home to pull out their laptops and stream your content.
And the beautiful thing is that streaming services are not a technology reserved for multi-billion-dollar media companies like Disney or Hulu. Thousands of small and medium-sized media businesses and content creators are launching their own streaming platforms every day.
So you need to help them find the time for your content.

By offering your subscribers OTT apps, you're enabling them to consume your content on-the-go via their mobile devices...

while commuting every day to and from work

while waiting at the doctor's office

during their lunch hour

during their children's soccer practices

on airplanes (with offline downloading feature)

....that way, you're keeping your subscribers on your service longer and reducing your churn rates.

In addition to increasing the engagement of your existing users, you open yourself up to a new audience (like the growing number of cord-cutters) who are actively searching for new OTT services to subscribe to.

This is why VOD businesses that offer OTT apps see an average of 30% higher conversions than VOD businesses that don't.

In fact, over the last few years, In 2021 alone, some of the biggest content providers used OTT to launch new video streaming services, like:

The list of OTT providers goes on and on.

We've talked a lot about the importance of OTT apps, but it's important to remember that they're an extension of your business and you'll still need an online presence through a video streaming website...

Myth buster: OTT apps will replace your video streaming website

A lot of people will get this far in the conversation about OTT apps and think that apps are a replacement for websites - but... it's just not true.

Websites are still, undoubtedly, the non-negotiable online core of any business you can think of. And it's especially true for VOD businesses. In fact, about 15% of users around the world still watch Netflix from their computer.

There are 3 very important reasons why video streaming websites are still necessary for a healthy VOD business:

1. People still watch content on web 38% of the time:

Even though OTT app usage is clearly on the rise, web still has the largest single percentage of viewers with 38% of Uscreen subscribers streaming through their browsers.

This tells us that while users are excited to be able to use OTT apps to stream their favorite content on their smart TV's and connected devices, they still expect to be able to do so using their laptops.

2. People trust websites more than apps for payments

Although mobile commerce is definitely growing, many people still feel safer making payments from their computers than their phones.

We found that most video content subscriptions are purchased on the OTT streaming website, while 60% of content consumption for those same subscriptions happen on the apps.

This confirms that people are more likely to subscribe to your VOD if you offer them a secure website for the payment transaction.

3. Websites are essential for SEO and searchability

Having a website makes your VOD service discoverable online - because people still expect to find you on Google.

Your website' messaging has a much higher chance of ranking in Google for the keywords you want to rank for than your mobile app does. SEO is not something to skimp out on.
So if you're considering launching a OTT app to enhance your online video platform, right now is the time where you'll see a higher return on investment!
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One thing is very important to note: an OTT app won't make a failing video business succeed, but it will help boost a promising VOD business to be even more successful.
Think of OTT apps as an add-on to your streaming website - not a replacement to it.

Here's the best part: a video streaming website doesn't have to cost you extra.

Depending on how you decide to launch your OTT services, having a video streaming website is often included in your deal with the OTT platform provider you go with. This is something we will dive into later in this guide ( or skip to read that part now).

Are you ready to launch your own OTT apps?

Now we know that launching apps can be scary. It almost feels like you're launching a whole new business venture.

And because of that, we often get asked: "is now the right time for me to launch my own apps?"

This is a very valid question.

First things first, there will never be a better time in this industry to launch over-the-top apps.

We mentioned it briefly earlier, but right nowis a period we at Uscreen like to call the "OTT digital gold rush". It's a small window of opportunity where content creators can affordably start their own OTT apps to differentiate their content services from the competition.
The biggest take-away from this report is that the convenience of mobile devices make OTT apps for iOS and Android the most important ones to launch first.
Now let's see if your business is ready for OTT:

You already have a VOD business and want to launch apps

If you already have a video on demand business with a video streaming website, and are wondering if you should launch OTT apps to grow your business, ask yourself the following:

1. Has my video on demand content proven to be a viable and validated product for my target audience? (i.e. Do people like your videos and are they paying for it)?

2. Will my target audience benefit from being able to stream my content on their devices?

3. Do I have a clear and established brand and messaging?

4. Do I have a continued content development strategy?

5. Do I have a solid pricing strategy?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then your VOD business is healthy and ready to offer OTT apps.

Keep this in mind while you assess your business's readiness for apps.

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You don't have a VOD business and want to launch apps

If you're looking to launch your OTT apps but don't actually have a video-on-demand business or website yet, that's ok too. It might still make as much sense for you to launch apps. Here's a quick checklist for you:

1. Do you already have video content elsewhere? (i.e. on YouTube, IGTV, Twitch)

2. Do you have an established and engaging audience online? (i.e. Instagram followers, YouTube subscribers, emails)

3. Have you ever sold your content for money? (i.e. Patreon, Teachable)

4. Do you have a recognizable brand and voice within your niche?

5. Do you have a VOD pricing model in mind? (i.e. SVOD, TVOD, AVOD)

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then launching a VOD and OTT business is definitely the right business move for you.

You've decided to go ahead and launch your OTT apps. The main apps to choose between are:

Apps for mobile phones and tablets:

Apps for Smart TVs and streaming devices:

Do you need to launch them all? Not necessarily. It all depends on the audience you target and the type of content you offer.

To get to the bottom of how to choose the best OTT apps to launch for your business, we compiled a report of OTT app usage data to detect user habits, preferences, and patterns. The main take-aways from this report are that:

More than half of OTT app users choose to stream content using mobile apps rather than TV apps, meaning Android and iOS video streaming apps are often more urgent to launch.

Android mobile apps have the widest reach worldwide and especially in non-English speaking markets.

In English-speaking markets, iOS has the largest market penetration.

Half of all TV app users stream using Roku, making it the #1 app to launch if you want to reach your audience on their TVs.

There are a lot of detailed insights and geo-specific data in the report, which you can read in-full right here.

However, our analysis also shows that there are specific types of content that make TV apps, like tvOS and Android TV apps, very important for the user. Those content types are mainly:

TVs are still the most comfortable way to consume the types of content that are either entertainment-related or require a lot of movement in your living room.

If you're still not sure which OTT apps are right for your business and audience, you can contact us and speak with one of our OTT specialists to get the answers you're looking for.

How to create and launch your own OTT apps?

Ok, now for the really fun stuff.

You've got all your ducks in a row: your content, your audience, your business strategy, and vision. You even know which apps you're going to launch.

But how do you create and launch your OTT apps?

Assuming you can't develop these OTT apps yourself, you have 2 main options:

1. Option 1: hire an app developer

2. Option 2 (recommended): lease an app from an OTT platform service provider

Let's look at both of them...

Option 1: Hire an app developer

Hiring someone to develop your OTT apps is an obvious one, but it can be very expensive.

If you have a healthy budget, you can hire an agency or developer to create custom OTT apps for you. It'll be built from scratch by a professional (or team of professionals) to your exact needs.

This process usually takes between 3 to 6 months and costs between $10,000 and $20,000 per app, depending on the features you want. This doesn't include the monthly expenses of running the app, maintenance, or support costs... so yeah, it can get pricy.

To find the cheapest quotes, you can use websites like UpWork or Freelancer to find an affordable developer. They should be able to create a basic OTT app for you to work with without breaking the bank.

If you want a comprehensive OTT app with all the bells and whistles, you'd be better off looking for a high-end developer or agency. You can either approach them directly or advertise the job on a site like Stack Overflow.

All that being said, we don't recommend being cheap when it comes to your OTT app development. It would be terrible for you to spend months and thousands of dollars on a mediocre developer who comes back with a buggy and ugly OTT app.

So... if you're on a tighter budget, we seriously recommend you go for OTT option 2...

Option 2 (recommended): Lease an app from an OTT platform provider

Leasing is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to create an OTT app.

This method means you'll rent the OTT services of an OTT platform service provider - like Uscreen - that already has white-labeled OTT apps for a variety of devices, CDNs and hosting in place.

Similar to option one a team of professional developers will build your white-labeled OTT apps - but instead of buying them for tens of thousands of dollars, you'll rent them (for a fraction of the cost) on a monthly basis for as long as you have the apps running.

At Uscreen we create OTT apps that are fully-branded just for your business. All you need to do is provide us with the details like your logo and brand colors. We'll launch it, run it, and maintain it for as long as it's live - you won't have to do a thing.

Here's how launching an app with Uscreen works:

1. You set up a Uscreen account and place an order for your app.
2. You get your video website ready by adding content 3. You set up your app developer account (Our team will help you with that too).
4. You provide us with your app requirements 5. We build your app and have it available for you to test in 4 weeks.
6. We submit your app for approval in the App Store.
7. After it's published, you launch it to your customers and celebrate!

All of our apps come white-labeled and can be customized to fit your branding. There aren't any third-party logos, so nobody can ever tell it's being leased from a service provider.

For the duration of the lease, you'll have the full support of our team, and we are regularly improving our apps to make sure your members have a seamless user experience..

Prices vary depending on the Uscreen plan you go with. Check Uscreen's pricing plans.

How to find the perfect OTT platform provider for you

Different video monetization and OTT platform providers offer different features at different price points, so we're only speaking for ourselves in that last section.

If you really want to start learning about all your OTT app development options, here's a shopping check-list we put together to get you started:

The perfect OTT platform provider will:

1. Provide you with a video streaming website, alongside your apps.

2. Allow you to fully customize your streaming website.

3. Allow you to accept global payments.

4. Give you full audience ownership.

5. Take less than 5 weeks to develop and launch your OTT apps.

6. Offer free updates and maintenance for your apps.

7. Be a technically hands-off solution for you.

These are the 7 most important factors to look out for when it comes to picking your ideal OTT platform provider.

However, there are 11 more factors you should consider, which you can find in our full OTT platform provider shopping guide: 18 Things to Look for When Shopping for the Perfect OTT Platform Provider

We also created a video monetization and OTT platform provider break-down page, comparing all your provider options in one place so you can find the provider that's best for you.

Next steps for you

Kudos for getting through this whole guide - we know it was a long one! We hope you feel more knowledgeable about the world of OTT applications.

So, what should you do with this information?

After digesting everything you learned today, we recommend you start thinking about how you will incorporate OTT apps in your video business.

You can start off by getting in touch with one of our highly-knowledgeable (and very cool) OTT specialists to see if OTT apps are right for you.

You can also start a free 14 day trial today to see if Uscreen is right for you.

FAQs

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About the author

Parris Johnson

While his title may say Content Editor, Parris is our (self-proclaimed) "content captain" here at Uscreen! He's originally from Maryland, but now he's making it happen in sunny Los Angeles. When he's not writing or editing, his favorite things to do include making music, playing call-of-duty, and working out!

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OTT Apps: The Complete Guide for Video Entrepreneurs in 2022

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If you consider yourself an online video entrepreneur, you have definitely heard of over-the-top apps in 2021. If you're here now, it means you recognize the impact of this quickly-growing technology on streaming services and the entire online video industry. Assuming all of the above is true... you're in the right place.