How to Get Netflix for Operators: A Comprehensive Guide
In today’s fast-evolving streaming landscape, offering top-tier content has become essential for OTT (over-the-top) providers aiming to attract and retain subscribers. With audiences increasingly expecting a diverse library of high-quality entertainment, OTT services face the challenge of meeting those expectations while distinguishing themselves from competitors. Integrating popular content offerings like Netflix can be a game-changer, helping platforms tap into a loyal audience base while enhancing their appeal to new customers.
As a global leader in streaming, Netflix is more than just a recognizable brand; it’s a strategic asset for OTT services. Featuring Netflix on your OTT platform can significantly boost user acquisition and retention, thanks to the brand’s universal appeal and reputation for high-quality content. But more than just a crowd-pleaser, Netflix integration offers other benefits for OTT providers, including potential revenue growth through flexible pricing models and the ability to position Netflix as a premium service add-on.
For OTT providers looking to integrate Netflix, there are multiple pathways to achieve it, each offering distinct advantages. From Android TV’s Operator Tier, which provides high customization, to Netflix’s Hailstorm and Self Serve programs, which simplify the process, there’s an option to suit OTT services of all sizes and technical capabilities. This post will explore why integrating Netflix can be a winning strategy and outline the various ways OTT platforms can achieve seamless Netflix integration to offer a premium experience to their subscribers.
Why Integrate Netflix on Your OTT Platform?
Integrating Netflix into your OTT platform can be a powerful move that enhances both the value of your service and the experience of your subscribers. As one of the world’s most widely recognized streaming services, Netflix has a vast and loyal customer base drawn to its high-quality, diverse content offerings—from popular series and blockbuster films to award-winning originals and exclusive releases. By integrating Netflix, OTT providers can capture these audiences, improving subscriber retention and acquisition while also leveraging Netflix's brand reputation to boost their own service's credibility. Here’s how adding Netflix to your OTT platform can yield real strategic benefits:
Enhanced Subscriber Acquisition and Retention
In an increasingly competitive OTT market, attracting new users while keeping existing subscribers satisfied is essential. Bundling Netflix with your OTT offerings can be a significant driver for both subscriber acquisition and retention. Netflix is often seen as a “must-have” service for streaming consumers, and offering it as part of a subscription bundle can attract viewers looking for one-stop access to top-tier entertainment. Existing customers, meanwhile, are more likely to stay subscribed to a service that provides convenient access to Netflix, alongside other streaming content. The allure of Netflix’s vast library and trusted brand makes it a powerful tool for driving engagement and loyalty, allowing you to provide a more compelling, competitive service.
Potential for Revenue Growth
While OTT providers don’t generate direct revenue from Netflix subscriptions, integrating Netflix offers substantial indirect revenue opportunities. Many OTT providers use Netflix as a premium offering that can be packaged with their own content for an enhanced subscription tier or bundled into existing services at a slightly higher price point. For instance, an OTT provider might offer a base package that includes general content and a premium tier that includes access to Netflix, enabling upselling opportunities. Additionally, bundling Netflix with other services can increase perceived value, allowing OTT providers to justify higher subscription fees and generate greater average revenue per user (ARPU).
Competitive Edge and Brand Enhancement
The ability to offer Netflix on your platform can be a unique selling point that sets you apart from other OTT providers, particularly in markets where Netflix remains highly sought-after. As Netflix consistently ranks as one of the top streaming services, its inclusion can serve as a mark of quality, enhancing your brand reputation and giving your platform a competitive edge. Moreover, the Netflix brand is globally recognized, and its association with high-quality streaming experiences can elevate your service in the eyes of both current and prospective subscribers. By partnering with Netflix, your OTT platform can signal its commitment to delivering premium content and experiences, positioning itself more favorably against competing services that may lack such a recognizable offering.
Three Main Integration Methods for Netflix on OTT Platforms
Integrating Netflix into your OTT platform is a valuable step, but the process varies depending on your platform’s technical needs, customization goals, and desired time-to-market. Netflix offers three main integration methods to accommodate different OTT service models and operator capabilities. These options range from fully customizable solutions that provide control over the user experience to more streamlined, pre-certified approaches that reduce development complexity. Here’s an overview of each approach:
Android TV Operator Tier
The Android TV Operator Tier is a highly customizable integration option that allows OTT providers to have substantial control over the user experience. This approach is particularly well-suited for pay-TV operators who want to create a branded and cohesive experience across their services. Through Android TV’s Operator Tier, providers can implement a custom launcher to design a unique interface, integrate their own content, and maintain brand consistency. However, this customization comes with certain requirements, such as meeting Google’s guidelines and obtaining both Google and Netflix certifications—a process that can be resource-intensive but worthwhile for operators seeking a unique and controlled user experience.
Netflix Hailstorm
Designed primarily for Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs), the Netflix Hailstorm program simplifies and standardizes the integration process. By focusing on reducing BSP (Board Support Package) fragmentation and establishing consistent certification checkpoints, Hailstorm accelerates development and lowers the integration costs. Hailstorm provides a robust framework that helps ensure quality standards and compatibility across Android TV devices. This method suits operators or manufacturers who want to bring Netflix-enabled devices to market faster and with less customization while still delivering a high-quality streaming experience that aligns with Netflix’s performance standards.
Netflix Self Serve
Netflix Self Serve offers a turnkey solution for OTT providers, enabling them to deploy Netflix-enabled devices quickly without going through the typical certification process. Through this program, pre-certified devices with the Netflix app pre-installed are available directly from select ODMs. Netflix Self Serve simplifies the process significantly, as it shifts ongoing support and maintenance responsibilities to the device manufacturer, reducing operational demands on the OTT provider. This approach is particularly valuable for smaller operators or those looking for a faster, simpler way to add Netflix to their platform without a major investment in development resources.
Choosing the Right Netflix Integration Path for Your OTT Platform
Selecting the optimal integration path for Netflix on your OTT platform depends on several factors, including your company’s size, technical capabilities, desired customization level, and time-to-market priorities. Each of the three integration options—Android TV Operator Tier, Netflix Hailstorm, and Netflix Self Serve—offers unique benefits and is tailored to different operational needs. Here’s what to consider when determining the best fit for your platform:
Assessing Platform Needs and Resources
Understanding your platform’s specific requirements and limitations is essential. Larger OTT operators with the technical resources to handle extensive customization may benefit from the Android TV Operator Tier’s flexibility. Smaller operators, however, or those with limited development teams, might find the simplified options provided by Hailstorm and Self Serve to be a better match, as these solutions reduce the need for ongoing technical maintenance and support.
Key Considerations for Each Option
- Customization Needs: If delivering a highly customized user experience is central to your brand strategy, the Android TV Operator Tier is likely the best choice. This option allows for a branded interface and advanced control over the user experience, but it comes with additional certification requirements that may demand more time and resources.
- Time to Market: Operators focused on rapid deployment with minimal setup may find Netflix Self Serve ideal. This option provides pre-certified devices with Netflix pre-loaded, minimizing setup time and allowing for a quick rollout. Similarly, the Netflix Hailstorm program can help reduce time-to-market through a standardized approach, although it provides more limited customization than the Operator Tier.
- Operational Capacity: Consider the resources your team can dedicate to maintaining Netflix integration over time. For operators who want to reduce their operational burden, Netflix Self Serve is advantageous because ongoing support and device maintenance are managed by the device manufacturer. Hailstorm also eases operational demands through its certification checkpoints, which simplify ongoing compliance efforts.
By carefully weighing these factors, you can choose the integration path that aligns best with your business objectives, brand requirements, and technical capacities. Making the right choice not only enhances the user experience but also ensures that the integration process is efficient and aligned with your platform’s goals.
How to Get Started?
Netflix collaborates with various technology providers and pay-TV operators to offer the Self Serve solution. Notable examples of ODMs include SDMC Technology and SEI Robotics. Both vendors have practical hands-on experience in delivering Netflix to OTT services using UniqCast’s OTT platform. These technology providers have successfully deployed Netflix through a Self Serve program for renowned OTT operators. Start your journey by contacting one of them and asking about references. These real-world examples can be invaluable for your estimations of time and budget for such a project.
Evaluate which integration option - Android TV Operator Tier, Netflix Hailstorm, or Netflix Self Serve -best meets your platform’s goals and capabilities. If you are opting for Netflix Self Serve, for instance, you’ll have access to pre-certified, turnkey devices, while Android TV Operator Tier and Hailstorm may offer more customization but come with additional requirements and a longer setup process.
Each integration method has specific certification requirements. Work with your ODM and platform provider to review these requirements, define your user interface (UI) specifications, and ensure that your platform meets the technical standards for certification.
Once certification is underway or complete, coordinate with your ODM and platform provider to set a deployment schedule. For Self Serve, the pre-certified devices can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling a rapid rollout. For more customized options like Android TV Operator Tier, allow extra time for any additional UI or feature development.
Conclusion
Integrating Netflix into your OTT platform can elevate your service, attract new audiences, and enhance your brand’s reputation in a crowded streaming market. By offering access to Netflix, you not only provide a popular and trusted entertainment source but also open the door to increased subscriber acquisition, improved retention, and potential revenue growth through strategic pricing models.
Choosing the right Netflix integration method is crucial to ensuring a seamless, effective deployment. Whether you opt for the high customization of the Android TV Operator Tier, the efficiency of Netflix Hailstorm, or the quick-to-market simplicity of Netflix Self Serve, each approach offers distinct advantages tailored to different operational needs. Assessing your platform’s customization goals, technical resources, and time-to-market priorities will guide you to the integration path that best aligns with your objectives.
Integrating Netflix enables your OTT service to remain competitive and adaptable, meeting subscriber demands for premium content while setting your platform up for long-term growth. With the right integration choice, you can harness the power of Netflix to offer a richer, more engaging experience for your audience and strengthen your position in the OTT market.
