Gone are the days when you argued with your siblings for a television remote or what to watch next. Thanks to video streaming apps that now you can watch your favorite shows or movies at your convenience without having to share the screen with others. Be it anytime, anywhere, you simply need your mobile device or laptop and a good internet connection, and you are all set. With popular platforms, such as Netflix, HotStar, Amazon Prime, etc., the popularity of these apps has witnessed a steep rise. The global market of video streaming apps is estimated to be about $125 billion by 2025. In fact, videos share one-third of the total content consumed on the internet and account for almost 75%-80% internet traffic.
These online video apps are not restricted to entertainment and live streaming but also offer tutorials and training sessions that users can watch and share across apps or social media. Whether you own a fitness business, educational institute, culinary business, or any other such business, these on-demand video apps can be useful to boost your business. You can not only provide your users with valuable information and content but also promote and demonstrate your expertise. Apart from offering regular fitness points, you can also track the progress through the system.
If you are planning to join this latest trend, then this is the right time to do so. We have listed 5 essential steps required to make a successful streaming app for your business:
Decide Your Niche
Your first step is to decide the niche of the app. Of course, you intend to provide solutions to a specific set of problems, serving a target audience. So, what market you are targeting, what kind of services you are offering, and what content you will post on the app will decide your niche. It can be entertainment, such as Netflix or HBO that streams movies and shows and have a huge global audience. You can also opt for mobile app development for fitness or education, streaming content about yoga, healthy diet, different tutorials, etc.
Add Essential Features
There are a few crucial features that every video streaming mobile application must include. These elements when combined together contribute to high-quality videos and enhanced user experience, thereby adding to the popularity of your mobile platform. Some of these features are quite general that you can find in almost every app, such as registration, secure payment gateway, personalized content, and more. Also, these are technical features based on your niche and app, such as subscription plans, communication & sharing option, playback functionalities, etc.
Develop Monetization Model
You will be investing heavily in an online streaming application and obviously, you seek revenue-generating opportunities. Therefore, you need to prepare a perfect monetization model that ensures high returns. There are three primary options, namely subscription, pay-per-view, and advertisement that are popular for revenue but you must keep the right balance between user experience and monetization. Consider the optimal ad length, skip ads feature, try to be creative so that the ads sync with your audience and app. Moreover, collected data, such as content consumed, real-time views, engagement level, sessions per user, etc., can be useful for third-parties who are willing to pay well for it.
Ensure UI/UX
You are making the app for a group of audience and if they are not enjoying it, then all your efforts are in vain. Hence, pay utmost attention to the experience that viewers have while navigating through your content. It not only includes video quality and speed but also features and ease of use. They must be able to access the content with just a few clicks on the screen, get timely alerts, restrict access to particular videos, download, rewind, and pause the broadcast, and more. Also, the app should be compatible with all leading devices and operating systems. There are other components as well for content delivery, including playback of content, compassion, and transmission which are based on a technological stack.
Gather Feedback
Last but not least. You need to get feedback and reviews from the audience, experts, and other partners to know if you are on the right track. You can launch a prototype to see the reaction and know how much users like the features of the app. What are its strengths and weaknesses, improvements to be made, etc? Also, a professional testing team will help you select the right technology for mobile live streaming app development. With appropriate and relevant feedback, you can introduce changes and ensure that you have invested in the right product.
Conclusion
Video streaming applications are here to stay and with the right strategy and implementation, you can experience a significant increase in traffic to your platform. Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach in the mobile app solution, the above-mentioned steps will undoubtedly contribute to higher revenue and successful business growth. Make sure you hire a trusted and authentic development partner who can guide you throughout the journey and deliver a seamless business app. Good Luck!
