September 18, 2020
By Nadine Krefetz Contributing Editor, Streaming Media Editorial Staff
Short Cuts

Key Considerations for OTT Integration

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Read the complete transcript of this clip:

Darren Lepke: Efficiency is certainly something you want to consider when you're looking at integrating components. Certainly, costs are another big thing. I think the other thing we want to think about as well is the synergies that come when more of the platform is stitched together. So it's one thing to say, "I want to pull out an encoder here" or "I want to plug in a CDN there." That's pretty straightforward in terms of the integration we do. We integrate with things like broadcast playout systems all the time, so we can ingest schedules and ad breaks. And that makes a lot of sense. I think the other way to look at integration is the metrics and analytics that need to come out of your platform. A lot of those things are interrelated. They're connected. Your SSAI system is very much connected to your playout system and how well you deliver content and at what quality.

So, while it's great to have a fully modular plug-and-play system, it's also important to have a system that hangs together that can share data and ultimately integrate all of that data to provide the insights you need to bring on better ad partners or stream your video in different quality, or even start to do things like looking at the content itself. What, what content is performing the best? Where should I change my investment in content licensing, for example?

Nadine Krefetz: Okay. So the data is an interesting kind of way to look at it. I'm assuming that everyone's data needs change over time, especially as we have more and more data. Do people come to you with a data strategy?

Darren Lepke: For sure. And like you said, that that strategy matures over time as the business matures. When we first started seeing the OTT services emerge, maybe 10 years ago, the most important data was, What's my rebuffering ratio? How many users am I reaching? These are the core components of a workflow, in terms of the quality of the content that's being streamed.

Today we're seeing businesses mature beyond this initial phase of trying to make delivery work and into trying to understand what is profitable. Today our customers are coming back to us and asking, "Which of my SSAI and ad-decisioning partners are performing best? What are the profitability metrics that we can see across all of our content?" Because the businesses themselves are maturing into this model where it's no longer just this fun little experiment as part of their core business. They're looking at profit and loss and need, core business insights that a platform like the ones we all operate can unlock.