Personalization is an important component of content delivery: Ooyala CEO

Ooyala, a video publishing, analytics and monetization company, has expanded its India operations. They have recently launched an office in Chennai. Ooyala has been working with many Indian companies such as Star India, Hot Star, etc. Joyce Mary from Dataquest spoke to Ramesh Srinivasan, Chief Executive Officer, of Ooyala regarding their business in India.

Q. How is it important for content providers to keep personalization in mind and maintain a clear monetization strategy?

Deciding on the monetization strategy is one of the most important steps for content providers to take. Whether it’s subscription-based, ad supported, or transactional, maximizing revenue should be top of mind for content providers.Regardless of the monetization model, personalization is the future of online TV. Instead of the traditional, linear TV which is a one-to-many distribution, online TV allows for one-to-one distribution. With advanced analytics, user preferences and viewing patterns, TV today can have hyper-personalized video and advertising experiences. Both of these, Ooyala provides for the benefit of our customers.

According to our latest Global Video Index report, the cof premium video continues to grow on all devices and at the moment, there’s no clear “winner” in terms of which model delivers the best ROI. We’ve found that content owners which adopt a hybrid of subscription, ad supported, and TV on-demand models reach the most potential customers. But every business is different, based on target audience and content.

With the availability of advanced analytics technology, personalization is an important component of content delivery. This includes the ability to deliver relevant ads and suggest relevant videos based on users’ preference and viewing patterns.

Q. How do you see the traction for OTT services in india?

The online TV market is set to explode. Its growth has been driven by the wide availability of low-cost smartphones and rapidly improving coverage of mobile networks across the country, especially as 4G rolls out across major cities this year. Video content today accounts for roughly 40% of all mobile-data traffic in India, and industry analysts expect the demand for OTT video to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 83% in the next five years.

The fragmentation of video viewing has caused an enormous challenge for content providers. Today, they need to produce content that reaches millions of viewers consuming video on a deluge of different platforms and devices, deliver high-quality experiences on each one, monetize the content as well as measure audience engagement to make better decisions about their video business in the future. Ooyala helps solve all of these challenges. Starting with media logistics, we give content providers more control and visibility into their video production workflows by connecting disparate teams and siloed systems with software and analytics, helping them produce content more efficiently. Data and analytics is built into Ooyala’s DNA. We provide the necessary technology for customers to understand how audiences engage with video differently to help inform monetization and video delivery strategies. Finally, Ooyala also supplies the capabilities to directly or programmatically sell, manage and deliver video advertising across entire content libraries, allowing customers to reach revenue levels that meet and exceed the revenues they received with traditional TV.

Q. What is the latest trends in mobile video advertising?

Data from Ooyala’s latest Global Video Index report says:

· Mobile viewing now represents 48% of all online view starts, up 14% from a year ago and up 129% from 2014.

· Nearly one in five (18%) of all mobile views are now on tablets, marking the third consecutive quarter of growth for tablet viewership.

· After being served recommended content, viewers will average a 10% organic lift in video viewing thereafter, leading to a 6-23% uptick of time spent on site.

· During weekdays all devices ramp up in viewership synchronously in the morning, PCs outpace tablet and smartphones combined, but at night tablets and smartphones increase as PCs decrease.

· During the weekends, interestingly, all devices share similar cycles: ramp up in the morning, maintain steady usage throughout the day and dip in the evening.

Q. Who is the target audience and how will they benefit from Ooyala?

Ooyala's suite of offerings includes one of the world's largest premium video platforms, a leading ad serving and programmatic platform, as well as a media logistics solution to improve video production workflows. Built with superior analytics capabilities for advanced business intelligence and a strong commitment to customers’ success, Ooyala helps large-scale broadcasters, operators, media companies, enterprises and brands build more engaged and profitable audiences, and monetize video and TV with personalized, interactive experiences across any screen.

Q. Can you please share your long term plans for Indian market?

At the moment, we’re focused on our new research and development center in Chennai, to help further accelerate the already rapid pace of growth and innovation in the company. The Chennai office will also be instrumental in expanding Ooyala’s global presence, providing another local team to support our growing Asia-Pacific customer base.

Q. How is technology being used for providing video campaigns?

Technology has certainly revolutionized the way we consume video:

· Mobile and cloud computing technologies enabling users to consume video, anytime, anywhere, on any device.

· Advancements in online video delivery helps content producers, broadcasters, and publishers offer a convenient and accessible platform for users to access videos.