Labs

Can Hotstar be More than Just Entertainment Platforms?

Exploring possibilities of turning an OTT platform into something more than just for entertainment purposes. Here’s our attempt of working out new sources of income benefiting the platform as well as the audience?

2018

During a discussion, our team members happened to talk about their favorite shows which they were binge watching and ended-up getting recommendations about similar shows from each other! Afterall, the various streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime, Hotstar, etc. which users consider as their new source of entertainment, have been booming, offering the audiences with a large array of content to watch. These platforms are solely meant for entertainment purposes but team Monsoonfish’s inquisitive and curious minds happened to take a look at these streaming platforms from a different perspective, which gave rise to questions such as:

What could be new revenue streams for an app like Hotstar?

What are the relevant areas of expansion for such streaming platforms?

This brainstorming session led to a case study project for Hotstar demonstrating how new sources of revenue can be identified and applied to any streaming service provider.

06

Creative Brains

11

Hours

50 +

Coffee Cups

100 %

Nonstop Music

Research & Discovery

We conducted thorough research to primarily understand the user’s needs, triggers and goals towards an entertainment platform and how those can help gain insights to establish better experiences for the user while benefiting the platform.

Our research included understanding the triggers for users to start watching content, user goals to consume content and what are the other things happening in the surrounding of the user during or around this activity

Understanding when and why users consume content; and what is the value added to the user while consuming content helped us gain the following insights:

Entertainment programmes are watched in their free time or when they get bored.
Recommend shows to friends, while discussing or commenting about the shows.
Some users watch shows together and even ‘bing-watch’ certain shows.
Users get inspired from their favorite actor or actress which influences their buying decisions.

All the above insights and discoveries about user behavior helped us establish innovative ideas and solutions for Hotstar which can not only benefit users but also gain new revenue sources for the streaming platform.

Introducing Hotstar + Uber

Users tend to spend several minutes of the day waiting for something or when users have nothing specific to do. For example- waiting for the cab to arrive, or while traveling in an uber, users are sitting idle.

This passive wait is an opportunity where users can be triggered to watch content online.

Linking Hotstar to Uber by reducing passive wait.

Do you want to watch your favorite show while you’re on the go and have nothing else to do? Well, why not!

Get a Notification – Uber homepage would display a link to Hotstar, pinging the users to consume content.
As soon as the ride starts, the user will get a pop up notification to watch Hotstar.
This isn’t intended to encroach on the parent app. Uber would always remain the parent app and the hotstar feature will not affect the core functionality of Uber.
Hotstar will only come in when Uber’s utility value is over, i.e. just after the user books the cab and doesn’t have anything else to do on the app.

Hotstar is a value add feature to Uber. As and when Uber wants to send its users a notification about their destination informing them that they are reaching the destination soon, the Uber would pause the Hotstar content, and overlap Uber’s notification to prioritize information for the user.

Bringing Shopping to Entertainment: Hotstar + Amazon

Users tend to get inspired from the shows and movies they watch, and also follow their favorite actor/ actress, their style, fashion/dressing style and get inspired to shop similar fashion for themselves.

This could be the trigger for shopping while users are watching shows online.

Combine shopping with Hotstar!

Shopping icon can be added on the corner of the screen which does not affect the core functionality of the app.

Enabling easy shopping, to buy what users see.
Users can shop for different items which they see in the show.

Collaborative Consumption: Hotstar + Social Media

As we were discussing and recommending shows among our teammates, we all do the same with our friends and family too. With this new social platform for Hotstar users is a value add for collaborative content consumption.

Be updated, share and enjoy together!

Users can create an account and send requests to friends and be updated.
Follow friends and get inspired to watch shows from like minded users.
Users can share the special screenshots of their favorite shows on different apps.
Enable users to comment while watching shows together with friends.

Rewarding with Entertainment: Hotstar + Asana

Users always want to follow up their favorite T.V shows and also binge watch the shows they like. Task managers can motivate users to complete a task by rewarding a show at the end of the task completion.

Deliver Tasks, Stay Motivated and Enjoy Your Favorite Shows!

A gamified approach to task completion: Get a motivating notification users keep completing the task.
As the users complete the task the app will unlock the content which users can watch then watch as a reward.

We’re always ready to brainstorm new and innovative approaches to apps, platforms, and businesses to not only enhance user experience but also benefit the brand.

Click here to check how we redesigned Redbus’s user experience!