Just four years after Netflix began expanding internationally, two-thirds of its subscribers are outside the U.S. – many in emerging markets. The trend is the same for Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, among other leading media and entertainment providers.
The reason for the enormous growth outside developed markets is simple. The vast majority of populations in developed markets are already online, and many people consume video on demand (VOD). Internet and VOD penetration rates are much lower in emerging markets, where populations are also much larger. If VOD penetration rates in just the two largest emerging markets – China and India – rose even to Hong Kong levels, it would mean an additional 1.2 billion viewers. That’s nearly double the entire populations of the United States and European Union.
The Edge Cloud and Media & Entertainment in Emerging Markets: Trends, Challenges & Best Practices for Reaching Your Next Billion Users.
Boston Consulting Group put it well, “With their domestic core growth slowing, international markets are more important than ever for big subscription video providers.” That’s the premise of our new interactive ebook, The Edge Cloud and Media & Entertainment in Emerging Markets: Trends, Challenges & Best Practices for Reaching Your Next Billion Users.
The ebook is for business and technical leaders at media and entertainment companies looking to tap into emerging markets as the next engine of growth. It explains the business and the technical challenges associated with delivering great digital experiences to users in emerging markets and how media and entertainment companies are overcoming them. You can get the highlights here, but check out the full animated version as well.
New Markets Demand New Media & Entertainment Edge Cloud Strategies
Media and entertainment companies will need new strategies to succeed in emerging markets. One reason is that consumers in emerging markets have different habits and preferences. As just one example, the use of mobile devices to access media and entertainment is much more prevalent in emerging markets. That has implications on both the business side (e.g., subscription types and price points) and the technical side (e.g., IP transport and networking for direct connectivity with mobile ISPs).
Another reason media and entertainment companies will need new strategies to succeed in emerging markets is that those regions pose unique challenges. Some are business-related challenges, such as local entity requirements (e.g., ICP registration in China) and complex compliance schemes (e.g., content regulations). Others are technical challenges, such as under-developed interconnectivity (e.g., limited peering) and under-developed utility infrastructure (e.g., relatively low power reliability).
How well prepared are you to overcome these challenges? Take the quick Edge Cloud in Emerging Markets Maturity Assessment to see.
Make sure to out part two of this series, where we outline some best practices for overcoming emerging market challenges. Give it a read.
Media & Entertainment Edge Cloud Resources
Edge Cloud in Emerging Markets Maturity Assessment
Take this quick 8-question assessment to learn how well prepared you are to successfully serve users in emerging markets.
Reaching Your Next Billion+ Viewers Infographic
Get an at-a-glance look at the trends and challenges media & entertainment companies face and the best practices they’re leveraging to reach the next billion+ viewers.
Trends, Challenges & Best Practices Ebook
Written by the media & entertainment experts at Zenlayer. Learn how your peers are capitalizing on the tremendous opportunities in emerging markets – and how you can, too.
