OTT Super Apps – The Future of Video Streaming
Super apps are everywhere. The variety of things one can do on a super app makes it a hub users can love to engage. With multiple services aggregated in a single place, super apps are a great revenue generator.
Table of Contents
What is Super App?
Super app is an all-inclusive mobile / web application that club various digital services in a single place. This is a convenient option for users to access several services such as entertainment, music, ticket booking, digital wallets, and more in one place. This concept has been adapted by several streaming services leading to the birth of OTT super apps.
And, when it comes to entertainment, OTT super apps are leading the way with non-stop content viewing options. In short, OTT super apps combine the best of streaming content in a single place with bundled packages.
What is an OTT Super App?
An OTT super app is a central hub that offers a wide range of services and features beyond that of a traditional video platform/app. It is a number of mini apps clubbed together in one place for easy access to high-quality video content.
Aggregation platforms such as OTT super apps have gained immense popularity in recent years and usually are an amalgamation of movies, web series, talk shows, live content, etc. With a diverse range of OTT genres, and versatile content made available to access in a single app, launching super apps seems a promising way to make money through content.
All OTT Subscriptions in One App
The best part about OTT super apps is that, with one membership or subscription plan, a variety of OTT streaming services and their entertainment content can be accessed.
“Today, over 70% of American households have over 2 or more paid subscriptions”
The growth of OTTs and streaming services is immense as viewers’ interest towards a plethora of content consumption styles. As of 2023, stats indicate that the SVOD market has risen to over 3.5 billion subscribers.
The rather large paid user base directly reciprocates to people’s willingness to spend for quality content. 2028, five years from now, the OTT viewership and subscriptions would multifold, leading to a whopping market value of $190.13 Billion worth.
As OTT consumption continues to peak at record high, super apps pave the way for affordable content viewing pathways. Online sports, entertainment, music, TV shows, and a variety of video content from various OTT platforms can be binge-watched under one roof.
Market Share of Super Apps
Increased mobile phone usage and 5G penetration has led to a whopping surge in the super app user base. Currently super apps are growing at a CAGR of 27.8% year-on-year from 2023 to 2030. The age groups 18-25 uses the most mobile apps and despite an average of 40 apps that one installs, over 20 apps go unused.
This reveals that people do not want to juggle between apps and use only those apps that really meet their daily needs like content consumption, digital payments, online chores, etc—which is exactly what a super app does. In fact, 2022 saw a massive increase in super app market share worth $61.30 bn.
How Super Apps Resolve OTT Challenges?
As super apps serve as a central hub of entertainment from various OTT providers, this seems to be a more convenient option for streaming audiences worldwide. Besides, it resolves a number of challenges standalone platforms face.
Streaming services benefit from:
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Video Distribution
Streaming services can make video distribution effortless with a super app as the streaming and payment infrastructure are seamless and providing access to content is much simpler.
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Large User Base
Super apps, in general, have a rather large user base and traffic compared to standalone platforms. This helps OTT services achieve more viewership for their paid content.
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User Engagement
As super apps include content from over 10 to 12 streaming services, users are kept hooked on to super apps. They get to see diverse video styles that top platforms offer and hence, user engagement is exponentially increased.
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Easy Promotions
Besides regular promotions OTT providers do, partnering with a super app will drive in more user traction from promotions that the master app does, leading to a win-win situation in this case.
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Subscriber Acquisition
Costs associated with acquiring new subscribers is considerably reduced when partnering with a super app that already has a large user base.
OTT Audiences benefit from:
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Content Variety
Viewers get to access a wide range of content in a variety of styles, genres, languages, and more in a single place, without having to hustle between apps in search of quality video content.
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Convenience
Super apps usually stream content on a number of devices/ screens. This keeps user convenience at its peak as they get to consume content and engage on the go.
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Content discovery
Since super apps include other digital services like chat or commerce shopping options, user behavior and recommendations are super relevant. This ultimately leads to easy content discovery.
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Affordability
The most significant aspect why people love OTT super apps is the affordability. Rather than having multiple subscriptions on different apps, viewers get to watch content from various apps with a single subscription.
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Single subscription benefits
Often users miss out on renewing subscriptions or canceling automated payments when subscribed to multiple streaming apps. With a super app, there is only one subscription a user needs to sign up to.
Different Services of an OTT Super App
As mentioned, a super app usually consists of a number of different streaming mini apps alongside other digital services combined in a single app. Here’s what an OTT super app might majorly include:
Video Streaming Services
This is the core offering of an OTT super app with a wide range of streaming services accessible in a single hub under a single subscription with monthly/ quarterly/ annual plans.
Ecommerce
Users can shop both physical and digital goods just like on any ecommerce app within the super app itself. Including commerce as a part of the super app is a great way to generate revenue and also to recommend relevant content based on shopping habits.
Digital Payments
Online bill payments and transactions can be initiated from the super app itself. By linking the user’s bank account to the app, sending or receiving money is effortless from a super app.
Music Streaming
Just like how video streaming services are bundled, super apps also offer music streaming options of various artists, styles, and genres for free or based on the subscription plan.
OTT Gaming
Streaming games over the cloud is a recent adoption by major players like Netflix. Streaming apps have started creating their own premium games that they offer on their apps. Super apps also include OTT games to keep users entertained and engaged from leaving the app.
Travel Booking
Several super apps combine the provision to book tickets online, making it easier for travel arrangements.
Communities & Networking
Messaging and social networking is a critical part of super apps. With a peer community, the engagement and interaction rate is higher compared to apps that don’t have messaging options. It is easier to share videos, music, or gaming results with friends.
World’s Top Streaming Guides & OTT Super Apps
There are a number of streaming guide apps or OTT super apps that have been receiving amazing responses across the world.
Reelgood
Founded in 2015, Reelgood is an OTT super app with over 150 streaming services in one place. It includes movies and TV shows from popular players like Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Prime Video, and more.
Users can sign up, combine services they love, and pay to watch entertainment content from the chosen services for a fee. This streaming guide is available across the USA & UK.
JustWatch
On JustWatch, people can create a watchlist and choose what they want to watch from different streaming services. It also clubs sports content, popular leagues, and TV shows.
JustWatch was launched in 2015 as well and is currently available in 140 countries to catch several streaming services in a central avenue.
FreeCast
FreeCast clubs both free and paid subscriptions, and is a streaming home of different OTT services. It is based in the USA and is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, fireTV, Samsung, and more.
FreeCast serves as a convenient hub with a rather huge array of movies and TV shows that ensures easy content discovery and access. Simplifying multiple streaming subscriptions into one single monthly payment is the app’s prime goal.
How to Build & Launch an OTT Super App?
Video aggregation and developing streaming guide apps is a huge market with massive value. Especially with increased engagement among younger audiences and Gen Z users, building and launching an OTT super app would be the wisest move from business owners. These are the steps involved.
Conduct Detailed OTT Market Research and Analysis
Make a complete study of the age, demographics, content preferences, and paying habits of target audiences and what they look for in a super app. Ease of subscription becomes a prime reason for choosing super apps over regular streaming apps, which should be majorly covered.
Define the Services Offered
You could either get into the market as a streaming guide app/ aggregator, or as a super app with other services such as music, ticket booking, digital payments, etc. Depending on the business model and target market, decide the services you’d offer as a super app.
Partner with Streaming Platforms & Service Providers
Form agreements with streaming services on bundling and selling their services, and discuss commission cuts for each subscription you receive. Partnering with top OTT players help you bag more viewership.
Develop an OTT Super App
Look for an expert OTT app provider or hire developers who can help you build an exceptional streaming super app within days. With customizable features and an integrated payment gateway, developing an OTT super app today is much simpler than it used to be.
Market & Launch
Use the right OTT marketing strategies to get your super app out in the market. It takes proper planning and analysis while choosing the right target market and pricing plans to acquire a larger market share among competitors.
OTT Video Monetization with Super Apps
Selling content from most popular streaming services via aggregation is one of the wisest ways to garner good profits. Here are the revenue models that you may incorporate to monetize :
(i) Subscriptions (SVOD)
SVOD is the most common and rewarding means of monetizing OTT super app content. In most cases, users will have to pay for only one subscription for access to videos from multiple streaming services on a monthly/ quarterly/ annual basis. This is a recurring revenue stream and hence, helps the OTT super app sustain itself in the longer run.
(ii) Ads (AVOD)
Major OTT players who had earlier relied solely on subscriptions are now moving on to include ads. AVOD is an interesting revenue model where an app gives free content while earning from ads. Ads can also be placed alongside subscriptions for better monetization capabilities.
(iii) Pay-per-view (TVOD)
In TVOD, certain premium content would require separate one-time payments. These types of services can be given out to users via the PPV mode of monetization for lifetime access or on a rental window of 24/ 48 hrs.
(iv) Freemium
Freemium models are often used for better conversions. The videos are given free access for a trial period of time and then later converted to paid access.
(v) Bulk Purchase
Videos from various streaming services or a single one are bundled together for a flat fee. This is what bulk purchase is all about and lets users get the benefit of several related videos for a small amount of money.
Bottomline
OTT Super apps are undeniably the future of video streaming. Super apps are highly economical and offers a great value for money. Content variety, easy discoverability, and simplified access makes super apps a hit among users of various demographics.
Moreover, so many different offerings for a single subscription fee steers super apps to the forefront of video consumption. Businesses that launch OTT super apps are all set to be sure shot winners as the GenZ viewership is unique and would very much be willing to acquire all digital services in one app rather than juggling between multiple apps.
If You Already Have An Idea About Starting A OTT Super App, Schedule A Free Demo And We’ll Get You On The Road To OTT Super App Success!
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ):
Super apps are usually web or mobile applications that combine a variety of digital services like OTT content, shopping, ticket booking, etc in a single app. And, an OTT super app is a central hub that combines a number of different streaming services in a single app and under a single subscription.
Usually apps are built to offer one particular service to users. But, an app is called a super app when it clubs a number of different digital services that can be accessed under one plan. A super app relieves users of the hurdles of juggling between different apps for content consumption and services.
Super apps have high popularity among audiences of age groups 18-25 and are constantly growing at a CAGR of 27.8% from 2022 to 2033. With a projected market value of $426 Bn in 10 years from now, super apps have high growth potential and revenue outcomes
Since OTT super apps club multiple streaming services and digital offerings in one place, it is the most ideal time for content owners, content aggregators and service providers to build all-inclusive super apps for increased viewership and revenue. This drives businesses to invest in OTT super apps.
Yes, super apps usually offer monthly/ quarterly/ annual plans that offer different bundles of video content. By subscribing to any of these subscription plans, users get to access popular content from various streaming platforms in one place.
While it is subjective, super apps are definitely a convenient alternative to a number of mini apps. It is also economical and easy to use and has great potential considering the fact that the younger gen finds it more appealing. However, taking over the regular app landscape is something the future of tech has answers to.
Super apps usually include flight ticket booking, cab options, food delivery, and most popularly used as digital wallets as well. A combination of all these services with loads of entertainment content from different streaming apps makes super apps a hit among users.
There is a thin line that differentiates streaming guides from super apps. Streaming guides are usually an amalgamation of content from different streaming apps. However, a super app includes ecommerce, ticket booking facilities, chat, etc.
Since users rely on super apps for a wide variety of other services and shopping, their viewing and paying habits help super apps understand customer usage and preferences better. This with the help of advanced recommendation engines help suggest personalized OTT content to users, helping content owners and aggregators provide more accurate recommendations.
Since multiple services are included in a super app and all user transactions take place through a single payment gateway, it is required that it is most secure and free from any hindrances or breach.