“The digital era is an era of transformations, where everything we once knew is undergoing significant change.”
– Gillian Tans (CEO of Booking.com)
Do you remember when everyone used to sit together in front of their TVs and wait for their favorite shows, movies or documentaries to be broadcast as per the schedule?
Cut to today, things have changed significantly. 76% of consumers watch online TV /streaming, every day (GWI: Streaming Statistics).
Now we have the choice to watch content on our own accord, be it our childhood favorite film or any live streamer.
What do you think led to this change? Well, I am pretty sure, many of you might have no clue that startups have played a massive part in the rise of content streamers. Want to know more about it? Keep reading and uncover more details as I tell you all about the role of startups in content streaming.
Opening Doors
Startups actually played a major role in paving the way for content streaming. Let me explain it with the help of an example, Justin.tv, a startup, was one of the first streaming platforms. Twitch later purchased Justin.tv and integrated it into its own platform.
This switch from Justin.tv to Twitch was in 2011, which is considered relatively early on in content streaming. If it had not been for Justin.tv and similar sites, content streaming might not be as popular as you know today.
Remember that streaming platforms are themselves businesses and are often startups, so I will not be wrong to say that startups have had a huge role in transforming content streaming.
DO YOU KNOW? The content streaming market is on the rise. It is expected to reach $271.40 billion by 2028 from $160.55 billion in 2024.
Platform Development
As I said before, startups have been instrumental in the development of streaming as we know it. This is mainly due to the fact that it was startups that were actually building platforms from the ground up.
Almost every streaming service you know today was once a startup. Many streaming services have been purchased from their original owners by large companies like Google, but they were small operations to begin with.
Startups continue to influence streaming today, as more and more new companies are starting to open their own platforms. You might have noticed how new streaming platforms pop up every month.
If you are interested in starting your own streaming service, something worth noting is that you will need to compete with various existing startups. So, I would suggest you do your homework and research and invest as much time and effort into your startup’s development as you can.
With the advancement of technology, various modern trends are emerging in this industry as well, some of those are:
AI Integration
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is being used more and more to help improve the performance of streaming platforms. Companies majorly use it to deliver more personalized content.
AI can efficiently analyze the search history of users so that it can send them content it thinks they will like. This more personalized streaming experience can increase user engagement rates and make people feel like they get more out of the streaming platforms they use.
Something else worth noting is that personalizing content makes it more likely for people to spend long periods on platforms because the content that they are sent is likely to interest them, resulting in an increase in click-through rates and customer retention.
Live Content Participation
Thanks to startups, streaming platforms allow their users to engage with content creators through live content. They can typically communicate via live chat with content creators, as well as participate in polls.
Some streaming platforms even allow content creators to invite viewers to live stream with them, i.e., appear on a webcam. But remember that different platforms have different rules regarding content participation, so it’s important to complete your research before you are interested in talking to content creators via webcam, as you will need to find a platform that lets you, like Periscope used to.
Periscope was one of the most popular streaming platforms on the web at one time until it was closed in 2021.
Ensuring Fair Pay
In the past, there have been cases where content creators reported not being paid as much as they were promised, or they should have. Fortunately, startups seizing control of streaming platforms has meant that, finally, content creators can profit as well.
Now, it has become commonplace for content creators to earn vast sums of money, and a large credit for this goes to startups and their insistence on fair pay. Some content creators have even been able to achieve financial independence from their streaming. If you wish to become a content creator, make sure you pick a platform that puts heavy emphasis on fair pay, to ensure you get paid correctly.
Giving Viewers Choices
The large number of streaming services available today means that us viewers have more choices than ever before. If you want to watch gamers, you can easily find tens of thousands of them.
There are likewise many other types of streamers operating online. If you are here purely because streaming interests you, and you want to know where to find the best content creators, you have many choices.
But, the first thing you should know is that you need to prioritize quality above everything else. Try to find content creators who are committed to delivering the highest quality experience.
Working with Creators
As I said before, there are many different creators operating on the internet today. Streaming services now work with creators, signing exclusivity deals and contracts to ensure they stay on their platform, and in return, pay them handsomely.
Due to this, some content creators cannot stream on any other platforms and only appear on the one they have a contract with. Bear this in mind if there is a specific content creator you want to watch because there is a huge possibility that they might not be able to use many other platforms.
FUN FACT Over 60% of global internet traffic is video-related, with streaming services being the biggest contributors to this massive data consumption.
Improving Streaming
Finally, we can say that startups and their teams of developers have actually been able to improve streaming. Streamed content is no longer slow or laggy, even if the streamers have poor internet connections.
By improving the technological aspects, developers have been able to ensure that everybody can stream their favorite shows smoothly and without disturbances. Keep in mind that if you have a bad internet connection, you might not be able to watch live-streamed content, as your internet might cut out on you and prevent you from being able to see what the streamer you are watching is doing, or there might be breaks in the connection.
Today, streaming has become more popular than ever, and the way things are going, I can confidently say that it is only going to get more and more popular.
If you are interested in live-streamed content, try to research thoroughly to find the most suitable platforms and creators you can. Also, do not forget to read a platform’s reviews before signing up for it, this will make you more confident about your choice and be sure that it is the right choice for you.
Gaurav Rathore
