Content is King: Choosing the Right Partner Ecosystem to Create High Value Multimedia Services

Next Generation Communications Blog

Content is King: Choosing the Right Partner Ecosystem to Create High Value Multimedia Services

By Susan J. Campbell
For those network operators hoping to drive revenue and profits in this new market, the primary focus must be on rich, quality content delivered whenever and wherever the customer demands it. An inability to do so is putting the customer on the fast track to find another provider, leaving the network operator struggling to find new customers in an intensively competitive industry.

When content is the primary focus, service providers may find themselves struggling with making the change in a way that is successful, profitable and sustainable. One of the best ways to make this change is to leverage a partner ecosystem to create high-value multimedia services.

Think about the direction of the market: Internet content is steadily moving to broadcast TV and online content remarkably resembles TV output. As platforms rapidly converge, the surviving media is searching for a home. This highlights the importance of freedom in content, allowing it to be rid of platform restrictions.

As a result, content and service providers must examine content and delivery from the perspective of the consumer instead of categorizing consumers according to platform. Consumers are increasingly defaulting to the best screen available to view the desired content and customizing this content for as many screens as possible will allow content and service providers to enhance the multi-screen experience and retain customers.

In 2009, Alcatel-Lucent Market Advantage launched a multi-phase investigation to determine the end-user receptiveness to multi-screen advertising. The main target audience was youth as they consume much of the content available today. Their answers provided keen insight into the type of partnerships service providers should develop in order to maximize opportunities.

Basically, ads should be relevant, complement user experiences and should be actionable. The PC is a key component to research and find information before making a purchase. Respondents tend to favor "Click" and "Search" to interact with multi-screen ads and respondents are willing to share personal information in exchange for things they cared about, such as coupons, deals, information and causes.

The bottom line here is that service providers can certainly leverage partnerships with other companies - specifically advertisers - as long as content is personalized and adheres to specific guidelines users prefer. At the same time, content delivered overall must be of high quality, available on multiple screens and designed according to individual tastes and desires. When the provider can develop partnerships to leverage such expertise, the likelihood of success is great.


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