Streamers are gonna pull out all kinds of tricks for the foreseeable future to bring you in and never let you go. But one of the unsurprising moves is bundling. While Disney+ bundling Hulu and ESPN+ is the most well known, others are beginning to happen.
For example, AMC’s streaming platforms includes Shudder, IFC and other libraries that separately would cost much more than the nine bucks they’re charging.
This article highlights other decisions by streamers and bolsters the belief that as price concerns hang over streaming, packaging up a bunch of stuff and charging a discount could be the wave of the future.
But the problem with having a bunch of stuff is, well, there is a bunch of stuff. While you don’t want your viewers to feel underwhelmed by your library, the paralysis of choice is very real. And if you are going to expect them to flip through multiple other platforms to see what to watch you may end up overwhelming them, and their next choice may be unsubscribing.
This is why AI can help make bundling better for everyone.
By using the same kind of AI that is used for library optimization, the entire bundle’s library can be analyzed, finding the elements of all the content that a certain audience would want to watch.
Instead of siloing content and forcing viewers to go hunting for something to watch, AI can help pull from each part of the bundle to make sure that nothing is being hidden away. The ability to flip through multiple platforms may appeal to some, but the industry is realizing the importance of the content being as quickly as possible, and that content needs to be what people want to watch.
Additionally, by collecting metrics on what people are watching, these bundles can grow as they begin to learn what kind of content their audience wants to see even more of. This can aid them in acquisition of additional platforms that will only make them more valuable.
There is the danger of bundling becoming an endless maze. A better understanding of what viewers want to see is crucial to presenting them with the very best content that will keep them engaged and AI is the way to make it happen.