4 Ways to Maintain a Strong Viewer/Subscriber Experience

As the entertainment industry continues to ebb and flow with how users are consuming content, it becomes even more important for media companies to create a positive subscriber experience.

When Netflix created its streaming platform, it changed the game. But it’s not alone anymore.

For movies and televisions shows, people can turn to Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV, just to name a few. And that’s not even including the other subscription streaming services users are signed up for, such as workout apps like Beachbody On Demand or Peloton, music apps like Spotify, and a variety of game apps.

So how can you compete when there are so many options available?

Here are 4 tips on keeping your subscription customers happy:

• Beware of subscription fatigue.

In 2019, it was reported that we each spent $640 on digital subscriptions.  That’s a good chunk of change and those numbers probably increased through COVID-19.

Yet, as people add more platforms, when is the breaking point? Personally, it came in our household when HBO Max debuted. I knew my FRIENDS (you know, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, and even Ross…sometimes) could be back on phone and TV any time I wanted (something I haven’t been able to do since the show left Netflix).

When I told my husband I wanted to add yet another streaming service, he looked at me with the “I thought we were trying to save money by not having basic cable” face. I knew we had to take some inventory on what subscriptions were still providing value to us.

Quite a few got the axe because we just weren’t using them anymore. Some I ordered on a whim and forgot about. Others I signed up for to watch a certain show that’s now over. It’s great to get people in the door of your streaming service because of something new, but what keeps them there? What prevents a user from signing up for the service, binging through all the content in one month and turning it off until next season?

The key to prevent this is to always provide continued value to your audience.

• If you are offering self-service support, make sure it is fully-functioning.

Having self-service support options is great. It grants users quick resolution to simple issues on their own time. Yet, it can be aggravating for a customer when you direct them to self-serve support and it doesn’t deliver.

For instance, you have an automated virtual assistant on your website and your customers can type in questions. You have a customer reach out and say: “An error message pops up when I try to open my audiobook. How do I fix it?”

If you direct them to help articles that have nothing to do with this error message, users will get frustrated quickly. What’s the point of having a self-service option if you can’t use it?

Also, you want to consider where users are getting support. Do you have an awesome and interactive mobile app? Great! What about mobile support? Don’t re-route customers to a mobile website for help if they are using your app. If you have a great app, have an equally great support app.

• Incorporate communication technologies into the support technologies you’re utilizing.

How are you communicating internally? Do you use a messenger like Slack? What other types of communication technologies are you utilizing? Your team is already familiar with how to use them, so you can start to find ways to incorporate them into your support technologies as well.

Get the most from the technologies you are using and create the best user experience you can.

• Focus on simplicity.

Get started with the core set of capabilities. You don’t have to go from 0 to 60 in creating the best user experience. Take a look at what is critical for you right now to provide a better experience. Then start to roll out other features to create the best experience.