Succeed in Monetizing FAST Channels – In the evolving landscape of television, Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels are emerging as a lucrative avenue for content creators and distributors. However, success in this domain isn’t just about launching a channel; it’s about curating an experience that resonates with both audiences and advertisers. Here’s how you can succeed at monetizing FAST channel and video content using streaming delivery.
Is FAST Broken for Broadcasters and Premium Content Owners?
The Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) model has emerged as a promising avenue for content creators and premium content studios to monetize their offerings. However, the inefficiencies inherent in the ad-sales process have significantly hampered its potential to generate sustainable revenues. One of the primary challenges lies in the fragmentation of the advertising space, where the lack of a unified platform for ad sales leads to a disjointed and often ineffective marketing strategy. This fragmentation not only complicates the sales process but also dilutes the overall value proposition to advertisers, who seek simplicity and reach in their campaigns. Consequently, content creators and studios find themselves in a position where the revenue generated is unpredictable and insufficient to cover the costs of high-quality content production.
Moreover, the FAST ecosystem is still in its nascent stages, lacking the sophisticated targeting and analytics capabilities of more established digital advertising platforms. This deficiency results in a lower return on investment for advertisers, who are unable to leverage granular viewer data to optimize their ad spend. For content creators and studios, this translates to lower ad rates and a struggle to attract premium advertisers willing to pay top dollar for their inventory. The result is a vicious cycle where the content quality suffers due to financial constraints, leading to a decline in viewership and, consequently, further diminishing ad revenue potential. To break free from this cycle, the FAST industry must address these ad-sales inefficiencies and develop a more robust, transparent, and streamlined approach to advertising that benefits all stakeholders in the value chain.
VIEW TV has fixed this with a single solution bringing advertisers, content, broadcasters and audiences together in a less fragmented way using the following out of the box (Don’t listen to the people saying FAST is separate to TV)
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Embrace the Legacy of Television
FAST channels aren’t reinventing the wheel; they’re adapting it for a different form of delivery with the opportunity to make more money, TV shoudl still look like TV. Audiences and advertisers have expectations set by traditional TV, and when FAST channels mirror this experience, they perform exponentially better. It’s about familiarity and quality—delivering content that feels like the television we’ve known for decades.
The Cost of Cutting Corners with HLS Playout Software
While HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) driven playout software may seem cost-effective, skimping on metadata and format can halve your potential revenue. Poor user experience (UX) drives advertisers away, as they prefer not to associate their brands with subpar content delivery.
In response to the financial challenges faced by FAST Channels, rather than addressing the underlying revenue inefficiencies, there has been a tendency to compromise on technological standards. This is evident in the decision to broadcast content at a resolution of 720p instead of the superior 1080p or 4K. Such measures inadvertently undermine the quality of the content, which is ironically the most significant investment in this operation. By opting for lower resolutions, FAST Channels risk diminishing the viewer experience and the perceived value of their content offerings.
Simplifying the Ad Fill Process in FAST Channels and AVOD
A fragmented ad fill process, laden with intermediaries, can devour up to half of your gross revenues. Parties involved often shirk the responsibility of filling ad slots yet reap equal rewards regardless of performance. Adherence to VAST 3.0 syntax is crucial for maintaining compliance and satisfying advertisers’ demands.
Overcoming Ad-Fill Complexity
The complexity introduced by multiple middlemen, coupled with their inexperience, leads to a dismal fill rate. The result? Less than a third of the expected revenues are realized. Streamlining this process and ensuring expertise at every stage is key to maximizing ad-fill and, consequently, revenue.
Curating Content with Care
The curation of your FAST channel is pivotal. A channel that looks and feels like traditional TV will win audience adoption. Scheduling content appropriately—like horror movies in the evening and light-hearted programs during the day—ensures you don’t alienate viewers.
Building a Recognizable Channel Brand
Brand identity is everything. Channels like MTV and FOX News are household names. Extending an existing brand to a FAST channel can be highly effective—think World Poker Tour or Redbull TV. For new brands, aggressive social media and brand marketing are essential to quickly establish recognition and scale your audience.
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The Triad of Success: Traditional Marketing, Brand Marketing, and Social Media Management for FAST Channels
In the digital age, the rise of Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels has revolutionized the way we consume media. However, the success of these channels doesn’t solely rely on cutting-edge technology or compelling content; it’s also heavily dependent on the triumvirate of traditional marketing, brand marketing, and social media management. Here’s how these three pillars are crucial to launching and growing a successful FAST channel.
Traditional Marketing: The Unshakable Foundation
Traditional marketing methods—such as television commercials, print ads, and billboards—remain a powerful force in building awareness. They reach a broad audience and lend credibility to your channel. In a world where digital presence is omnipresent, traditional marketing stands out and captures the attention of potential viewers who are not as digitally savvy.
Brand Marketing: Crafting a Memorable Identity
Brand marketing is about telling the story of your channel. It’s what sets you apart from the competition and sticks in the minds of consumers. A strong brand communicates the essence of your channel, its values, and its promise to the audience. Whether it’s through a catchy slogan, a distinctive logo, or a unique value proposition, brand marketing is the art of making your FAST channel unforgettable.
Social Media Management: Engaging with the Digital Generation
Social media is the heartbeat of modern communication. Effective social media management allows you to engage directly with your audience, receive instant feedback, and create a community around your channel. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are not just promotional tools; they are channels for storytelling, audience interaction, and brand personality. They provide a space to showcase behind-the-scenes content, announce new shows, and drive conversations that keep your channel top-of-mind.
The synergy of traditional marketing, brand marketing, and social media management forms the backbone of a successful FAST channel launch and growth strategy. Each element plays a distinct role in capturing attention, building a brand, and engaging with audiences. By harnessing the strengths of each, your FAST channel can achieve a robust and dynamic presence both offline and online, ensuring a wider reach and deeper connection with viewers.
In conclusion, monetizing FAST channels is an art that requires attention to detail, an understanding of traditional TV dynamics, and a strategic approach to content curation and advertising. By focusing on these key areas, you can create a FAST channel that not only looks like TV but also generates revenue like TV. Embrace the legacy, invest in quality, and watch your channel thrive in the streaming era.
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What is the solution to this serious FAST problem?
View TV, in collaboration with Kapang, has adopted a model similar to YouTube’s Platform as a Service. However, it differentiates itself by charging broadcasters and content owners for inclusion on its comprehensive platform, which is responsible for the full spectrum of content delivery and monetization.
Without this solution audiences will not get great traditional TV channels, Local News, Premium Late Night Shows and Live Events they want.
Leveraging View TV’s technology, alongside Kapang as a consumer interface, offers boundless global distribution to MVPD and CTV platforms. This is achieved without incurring fixed costs, embodying a genuine SaaS model with costs based on a simple CDN model rather than offensive revenue shares. View TV’s pricing strategy does not involve charges for each point of content handoff; instead, fees are based solely on successful audience engagement. This approach ensures that a substantial portion of revenue remains with the content creators, facilitating the growth of their brand and audience, and supporting the creation or acquisition of desirable content.
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View TV is designed to integrate seamlessly with any existing Playout Provider for FAST Channels, prioritizing the need for a broadcast-quality feed. To this end, View TV encourages channels to partner with high-caliber origin service providers like Globecast and Red Bee Media, ensuring access to polished, broadcast-grade mezzanine files suitable for AVOD and SVOD. Additionally, View TV is prepared to offer this managed service rather than a self-service technology cloud.
The commitment of View TV extends to ensuring that channels generate substantial revenue when they invest in producing broadcast-quality content. The company views streaming as an additional carriage or distribution method, rather than a complete overhaul of the business model.
By addressing the primary challenges associated with FAST, View TV presents a unified solution that promises a 500% revenue increase for the same audience size. It also provides real-time audience and revenue data, empowering content providers to strategically expand their viewership without being hindered by a lack of platform transparency.
What problems is the View TV FAST Channel Solution solving – Forget FAST it is just Streaming TV & Streaming Video
View TV has expanded its offerings to encompass over 100 channels, revolutionizing the industry with its innovative solutions to critical challenges:
View TV commits to disbursing all advertising revenue within a 28-day period, significantly outpacing the industry norm of 60-120 days, thereby aligning its payment schedule with that of YouTube’s.
In terms of advertising, View TV guarantees a 100% fill rate, utilizing a diverse mix of Programmatic, Addressable, Self Service Direct, Call to Action, and In-stream advertising through Kapang Adx to optimize revenue generation. This commitment to full advertising delivery is extended equally to all channel operators, ensuring consistent distribution across any CTV or FAST channel platform.
Unlike other providers, View TV does not impose charges for Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI). Instead, these costs are billed directly to the advertisers, ensuring that broadcasters are not burdened with additional SaaS fees, thanks to the assurance of 100% advertising fill.
View TV also offers a real-time reporting dashboard that provides comprehensive metrics on earnings, with interactive breakdowns by platform and audience geography. This tool serves as an immediate measure of success for content curation and marketing strategies. The dashboard ensures uniform data and revenue reporting across all distribution channels, regardless of the varying services provided by those platforms.
Finally, View TV’s pricing model does not include a revenue share for any aspect of its service. Instead, costs are incorporated into a straightforward Cloud CDN fee, allowing channels to retain 100% of the revenue generated from Kapang viewers and 75% from global distribution. Kapang itself does not claim a revenue share from the channels; rather, it derives income from premium advertiser targeting and interactive advertising solutions.
Check out View TV on Kapang