Netflix is a California-based media services company that lets consumers watch TV shows and movies via online streaming. Think of it as an online theater with thousands of selections that subscribers can watch whenever they want. Netflix also happens to be an excellent example of what content marketing done right can do for a brand.
Why People Love Using Netflix
Netflix started off in 1997 selling and renting DVDs by snail mail. But when streaming media came along and soared in popularity, DVD sales took a nosedive. The business began to concentrate more on online entertainment for the on-demand era.
People love using Netflix because they get a broad range of choices of things to watch. And that’s for less than the average cost of seeing a movie in a theater every month. There’s no waiting for a certain movie showing or broadcast time. Netflix’s library of TV shows and movies from all over the world is there for consumers to choose from at any time. Plus, they can watch from anywhere they have access to the Internet.
When you use Netflix, you can also stop and start films and shows at will and watch your favorites as many times as you like. Unlike movies shown at theaters, there’s no extra charge for each person who watches something on Netflix with you. You don’t pay more to watch something multiple times, either.
Netflix’s Content Marketing Success
Brands can take cues from Netflix’s content marketing ideas and implement them in their own strategies in a number of ways. With Netflix content marketing is both an art and a science, a powerful blend of data and creativity. Some of the most successful things that Netflix has done with its content marketing strategy include the following.
Mine Audience Data for Content Marketing Insights
Netflix excels at content personalization. The company knows consumers’ interests and tailors the content it offers to each subscriber based on the data it has about them. Netflix knows the types of shows a subscriber likes to watch based on the audience member’s viewing habits. It uses this information to market similar content to the subscriber later.
Knowing and acting on what your audience wants based on its interests and previous purchases, which are revealed in data. That’s one path to Netflix success your brand can follow.
Create Original Content
Netflix not only offers its subscribers movies and shows created by others, but it also makes its own — and to great success. One huge benefit for Netflix in doing so is that it owns the content it creates. Some of the successful Netflix original series and movies include Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. When you create quality original content, you establish and solidify your brand’s credibility and expertise and enhance your brand’s image.
Benefit from the Bingeing Bonanza
Netflix knows that its subscribers like to binge-watch certain series. It creates content tailored to the natural desire people have to find out what happens next and designs characters and stories people connect with. Brands can keep audiences hooked too by creating engaging, high-quality content that comes in installments or as a series. It’s a way to keep your audience hungry for more and establish your brand as a creative force that’s in tune with its customers.
Timed Content
Netflix is strategic about when it releases its new content. For example, the company released all the episodes of Stranger Things 2 on a Friday a few days before Halloween. The show’s scary theme was just right for a Halloween release and also timed to coincide with prime binge-watching time — a weekend.
Brands can schedule content releases for certain holidays or days of the week based on a strong connection between the content and the day. Consumers will likely react with enthusiasm. There’s a reason that the phrase “timing is everything” proves true again and again for marketing.
Present a Consistent Brand Identity
Whether through content on its social media platforms or its website and ads, Netflix presents a consistent brand identity that resonates with its audience. Its messaging comes across as authentic because it’s funny, in the know and straightforward. Netflix doesn’t take itself too seriously. Similarly, when your brand understands its audience, and your content marketing reflects that, you establish a sense of authenticity and trust with your market.
Optimize Content for Mobile
Netflix knows how important the mobile market is for content. When viewers can watch its movies and shows on smartphones and enjoy the experience, it’s a huge win for Netflix. Netflix is even testing a mobile-only subscription streaming plan in some countries. When your brand optimizes content for mobile viewing on devices like smartphones and tablets, you reach a massive chunk of the online market.