Suppose you are thinking about creating your own video-on-demand streaming platform. You would probably like to have a good software and hardware solution for your new OTT or IPTV business. You probably want software that can help you reach your business goals. In this article, we are going to talk about things that you should consider to build a video streaming service.
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What should you consider before building a video streaming service?
#1 On-premise vs. cloud
It is a constant question of whether to have on-premise or in-cloud deployment. They both bring benefits to a business. For example, on-prem infrastructure allows you to control all data transfer and manage processes, while in-cloud infrastructure doesn’t require so many investments.
With on-premise deployment, you will have all infrastructure on your location. You will probably need to hire a team to maintain hardware and software. But you will be able to take care of security by yourself. You can ensure that the firewall you use can reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
With cloud deployment, you will be able to forget about maintenance because you will rent the infrastructure from a vendor. And a vendor will have to care for its operation. Also, these vendors have advanced security standards making security violations a rare occurrence. Moreover, it is cheaper to pay a monthly fee for using cloud services than purchase all the hardware and team salaries.
#2 Decide on the monetization strategy
This is an important step because it will define how you will receive revenue and what IPTV/OTT solution you should obtain. Not all software on the market can maintain the common monetization models:
- AVOD usually offers free content for users, but the platform receives money by letting other businesses advertise on it.
- SVOD requires a recurring fee for a period (a week, a month, a quarter, and a year).
- TVOD charges a fee for every video the service offers.
On the market, there are software solutions that maintain only one of these revenue-generating models. If you are OK with that, then decide what model you want.
But it is always better to have alternatives. If you have a solution with the maintenance of all monetization models, you will be able to offer your audience many alternatives to how they want to purchase. Also, you will be able to test which one works the best or use them all creating a hybrid revenue model.
#3 Content security
Usually, IPTV/OTT solution providers secure your content with DRM technology. It stands for digital rights management. It helps a business control and manage access to content.
The technology helps you prevent unauthorized access to copyrighted videos, making it impossible for malicious actors to steal your content or share it with people illegally.
It can be done by restricting content sharing, encrypting videos, and limiting the number of devices an account can be accessed from. Some even don’t allow viewers to take screenshots.
So, DRM can help you define what users can and cannot do with your content. With this technology, you can also save your income.
Final Thoughts
Creating a video-on-demand platform requires many things to do. You will need an IPTV/OTT solution that can help you achieve your business goals. We have provided you with three important questions that you should consider when launching a VOD service. Of course, there are more of these questions, but those that we described are usually postponed. But they are essential for a video streaming business.