Having begun as an old-school DVD rental business in 1997, Netflix has come a long way to becoming the streaming giant it is. You can imagine what designing services for the consumption of over 260 million people across over 190 countries looks like. Interestingly, in 2022, out of the top 15 most streamed programs, ten were produced by Netflix.
Netflix’s emphasis on offering customers immersive experiences on its platform is part of why the company continues to appeal to millions of worldwide audiences.
User Experience is a Top Priority
Netflix’s commitment to enhancing user experience mirrors a broader trend featured in other online entertainment sectors, such as iGaming. By creating intuitive websites and mobile designs, online gaming platforms ensure players can easily navigate their interfaces and find games without hassle. These platforms also ensure the games are responsive and can operate smoothly on any device. For example, variations like Slingo games at Paddy Power can be played on any established internet browser, or within the platform’s app, whether iOS or Android, enhancing user engagement.
As users interact with these online platforms, collecting as much information as possible to improve their experience has become possible. Previously selling DVDs, Netflix could not tell whether or not the customers enjoyed the DVDs. However, streaming enabled Netflix to collect insightful information about how people experienced their products, giving them ideas for improving their services. Using sophisticated algorithms like Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), Netflix can now monitor and analyze user viewing habits and interactions and tailor suggestions that fit their tastes. Its Top Picks for You feature sparks interest in viewers, encouraging them to explore new titles.
The Personalization Magic
By assessing each user’s preferences, Netflix aims to reduce the hassle of finding a show or movie that viewers will enjoy. It uses factors like audiences with similar tastes, users’ interaction with the site, and title information such as genres to generate suggestions. Plus, by combining other things like the time you watch, the devices you use, and the duration of watching, Netflix ensures every taste is catered for.
In 2017, Netflix reported that approximately 80% of consumed content came from tailored recommendations. The streaming giant uses deep learning methods to demonstrate why the recommended product is worth your time. As SproutWorth suggests, personalized image and video content can receive up to 94% more views; Netflix uses these media to ensure messages are delivered effectively.
New Subscribers are Also Catered For
Personalization is also possible for new subscribers. During signup, when they fill in information about the titles they may prefer, Netflix uses this information to assess their preferences and match them with the most favorable titles. With time, the algorithm refines the suggestions as it gathers more user information. To improve the user experience even further, the algorithm ranks titles within rows and then ranks the rows themselves.
The streaming giant also uses its enormous data to inform the creation of original content, which is often tailored to suit their target audiences. Consequently, Netflix enjoys a 93% success rate in its original content compared to 35% for TV. The company keeps evolving to establish better ways of measuring and engaging audiences, such as assessing the number of minutes a particular movie or episode has been watched.
In summary, by understanding the tastes of its massive following, Netflix has managed to keep them engaged while attracting new ones. By tailoring recommendations, the company ensures viewers can discover what appeals to them, keeping them more hooked to their services.
