Tips from Netflix for your consumers' on-demand viewing pleasure

Investment news is tipping the "FANG+" stocks – that’s digital giants Facebook (FB), Amazon.com (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX), Google owner Alphabet (GOOGL) and Apple (AAPL) — as all being in or near buy range at the moment, reports Investor’s Business Daily, with Netflix leading those five “hot techs with buying opportunities”.

Disruption and the power of exclusivity

This popularity is because the video-streaming service can do no wrong of late, with 86.7 million streaming subscribers worldwide. You’d be forgiven for thinking the company model is relatively new, with the likes of Amazon video reportedly “poised to challenge Netflix on the global stage” and Netflix offering tit for tat by offering offline viewing soon, but this forward-seeming move is actually a step back. Comicbook Popculture reports that Netflix started out two decades ago, albeit with a different offering, based on online ordering that relies on DVDs and the postal system. Here’s one of its first ads as proof:

That’s certainly not the Netflix of 2017, and little wonder as technology continues to progress at a rate most just can’t match.

A neologism itself (“internet” plus “flicks” equals Netflix), it has lead to binge-watching as the new norm, effectively disrupting the way we watch TV series and even movie trilogies, while resulting in a few dubious buzz phrases along the way (“Netflix neck” or “Netflix stacking”, anyone?) Some of the most-watched TV shows at the moment, like cult hit Stranger Things with its much anticipated second season just around the corner and the late-2016 Gilmore Girls update that has many speculating there’s more to come based on the four-episode ending cliff-hanger. Both are marketed as ‘Netflix originals’, adding an air of exclusivity and excellent content curation. It’s all about giving people what they want – that’s marketing 101.

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There’s an intrigue aspect too, as Fortune reports there are “Secret codes for finding super specific TV and movie categories”, like ‘Coming-of-age animal tales’. No better way to make consumers love your brand than by giving them a sense of accomplishment for ‘figuring out’ how to do things on your relatively new platform, right? That’s just one of the latest qualities of a good marketer – personalising your offering to their needs and unlocking special features to reward loyal customers. But you don’t need a vault of video content to repeat Netflix’s success in this regard.

Live-streaming and ephemeral content for the win

Forbes reports that you can grow your brand by live streaming content on social media platforms that’ll enhance your viewers’ lives. It could be a demo or how-to video on using your products, a Q&A with a brand expert or live-streaming a short webinar or event you’re hosting.

You can further tap into the exclusivity/must-have angle by offering certain services for a limited time, such as with ephemeral content that’s only available for a certain timeframe. Log in too late and you miss out. That’s the secret to the success of Instagram Stories and Snapchat, which Inc. says hides new features and purposely isn't all that self-explanatory in order to benefit from millennial multitaskers becoming its evangelists – you snooze, you lose.

It’s as apt a tagline for brands looking to boost their consumer base in 2017 as any.
Click through to the article on Ad Age for more on Netflix’ winning ways and follow the Netflix Twitter account for all the latest news. This was hacked by tech-hacking group of the moment OurMine just a few weeks ago, but back under control in less than 10 minutes:

That’s yet another 2017 win in my book.