The sector of entertainment is in constant development and the key social trend is digital video distribution. Video on Demand, also commonly referred to as VOD, has brought a dramatic shift in multiple user-generated movies, television shows, and other video formats to viewership, within their preferred time and device.
All this creates an opportunity to establish a VOD platform and make money through target subscription charges, advertisement, and PPV for businesses and content creators.
Nonetheless, establishing a successful event by opening a VOD website is not just a case of uploading viral videos but requires properties like infrastructure, technology, and others. In this guide, we will explain how to build a video on demand website platform, what functions are worth implementing, and finally, how Enveu can assist you.
What is VOD?
Video On Demand, in short, VOD is an arrangement where a user wants or requires a video, possibly in the form of TV programs, motion pictures, or some other video content at a certain point in time rather than at times that are set by the broadcast schedules.
VOD is another process where a customer goes through a library of programs and can watch it instantly without having to plan for a certain time for it.
Types of VOD Platforms
By their nature, there are several subgroups of VOD each designed to address different business models and consumers. Here are the main types:
1. SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand)
In this model of consumption, people are charged a subscription fee which could be on a monthly, bi-monthly, or yearly basis to be able to access a pool of contents.
Examples: Netflix, Disney+.
2. AVOD (Ad-supported Video on Demand)
This means that it can offer its viewers the possibility to watch their pieces of content for free while covering its expenditures by providing them with ads that are shown during these videos.
Examples: YouTube, Peacock streaming service (there is a free option).
TVOD (Transactional Video on Demand)
TVOD services enable consumers to purchase specific content as and when they need, for instance, renting or buying movies or episodes of Television shows.
Examples: Apple iTunes, Amazon Video.
FVOD (Free Video on Demand)
FVOD platforms provide consumers with the content of videos for free, while the costs are recovered from advertisers or sponsors.
Examples: Crackle, Tubi.
Why You Should Create Your Own VOD Website?
Making your own VOD website comes with various benefits if you are a content-generating firm, an entrepreneur, or an organization planning to invest in an online video streaming business. These are the following factors that deserve concern when you fancy establishing your VOD platform.
1. Make Money Off of Your Content
- When you start your VOD website, you get the choice of making money from your video material in different ways, paid subscriptions (SVOD), advertising (AVOD), or per-title sales/rental (TVOD).
- The revenues can be lucrative, especially if you’re a content provider with a rich content base or if you target particular niche consumers.
2. Rights of the Content and Branding
- One advantage of having your platform is that you have complete authority over your content, the presentation, and everything that a user will go through.
- Finally, you can upload logos, images, and maps and add features that would suit your vision and the users. This control enables you to develop and maintain your brand image.
3. Build a Faithful User Base
- They include inviting the users to follow or subscribe to your channel and therefore giving them a chance to become loyal customers so that they can be offered personalized content among others.
4. Analytics and Insight Links
- Being your platform, you will be able to obtain important information about the users, what content is relevant, and what they want to see.
- These insights aid in content creation processes, marketing, trend analysis and logic, and central guiding principles of design for user interfaces.
5. Increasing Interest in VOD Content
- It has been established that there is increasing demand for VOD content.
- The market for VOD is increasing year on year, more customers are opting for streaming services rather than having cable subscriptions. You pre-sell yourself into a growing industry or market or tap into a huge global market base.
Key Features That You Should Have on Your VOD Website
As the theory about the need for knowledge of information-workflow management in the application of VOD platforms suggests, there are primary features that the environment must include to support content management and user satisfaction.
1. Content Management System
A powerful CMS is important for ensuring that videos are easily stored within your system and can be worked through to achieve your goals. It should enable you to upload the videos, and also modify the videos’ metadata (title, descriptions, tags), and group the videos so that they can be organized into playlists or movie genres. Organizing numerous videos becomes easy if your CMS is easy to use throughout your team.
2. Multi-Device Support
In today’s mobile-first environment, your VOD website has to be compatible with smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs, notebooks/ desktops, and laptops. The platform must also be optional and designed for desktop and mobile so that people can watch comfortably.
3. Access control & User Authentication
When it comes to SVOD and TVOD platforms, you require effective user authentication to allow access to the content and for data protection. They should be able to sign up, log in with their credentials, and be able to control subscription options. It is also of great help in the management of users together with access rights if you have many content contributors or admins.
4. Payment Gateway Integration
If your video distribution model is SVOD or TVOD, the payment gateway integration is mandatory. It enables users to sign up or pay for a single item safely. This website must accept all payment channels like PayPal, Stripe, and Credit cards among others.
5. Video Player with Dynamic Streaming
Your VOD website should contain a single video player which supports adaptive bitrate streaming technology so that you increase or decrease the video quality depending on the current internet connection of your user. This helps to play out the material without interruption, depending on the quality of the network connection.
Top Industries Using VOD
Many industries have employed VOD platforms to deliver content and further their customer relations.
Entertainment & Media
This type includes various platforms for movie and serial watching, such as Netflix affecting people’s lives with movies, serials, and their products, as well as Amazon Prime Video. These channels depend more on VOD, to cross-border and gain the maximum revenue out of subscription and rental.
Education
The main trends in the use of VOD are connected with the introduction of distance learning technologies, where educational courses are held online and Web seminars and instruction videos are used. It also provides the flexibility that is being seen in platforms such as Coursera and Udemy to enable students to access content on VOD.
Fitness
Gym instructors and other fitness-related companies are broadcasting workout videos, yoga sessions, and fitness tutorials through VOD channels. Beach Body together with other platforms that it is competing with such as Peloton offers a blend of live and recorded programs.
Corporate & Business
VOD is found useful for developing training and development programs, corporate communications, and customer support material. Civil societies are also companies that provide webinars and live events to address their employees’/customers’ needs.
Sports
Today’s leading sports associations and leagues such as the NBA and NFL have developed applications that allow users to watch games on-demand apart from associated content.
Step-by-Step Process to Create Your Video On Demand Website
Step1: Selection of Specialty Business and your Niche Vendor Strategy
The primary goal is to make it necessary to outline the target audience and the content that will be covered. Are you offering Hollywood, documentary, physical and health, or some other type of videos?
Step 2: Choose the Right VOD Platform Solution
Picking the correct platform to create your VOD site is very important. Although you could design every aspect from the ground up, using a reliable platform such as Enveu can help reduce time, energy, and money. A Subscription Service Provider, Enveu provides you with a full-featured and customizable Video CMS to start a quality VOD platform.
Step 3: Secure your Site Architecture and User Interface
After choosing the type of website, start considering the design and usability of the website. Select a theme that works for every device, and above all, contains a creative and simple structure. Make sure your site is user-friendly, good-looking, and most importantly the video plays well.
Step 4: Publish Your Content and Categorise It
Power up the Content Management System (CMS) and start feeding your video content and categorizing it into categories, playlists, or genres. Make sure that the videos will have appropriate tags for them to be easily located by web users.
With Enveu, get expert guidance in completing the steps. Explore the comfortable way to build your on-demand video website
