Do you still remember your cable subscription days?

Or has ‘Netflix and chill’ become your mantra of life as well?

Without a doubt, Netflix has become the go-to app for leisure and entertainment for most people. People are increasingly binge-watching their favourite shows, movies, and series on Netflix spending most evenings and lazy hours curled up on the couch.

So, how has Netflix managed to become the most popular media service provider?

How is it continually attracting new subscribers while keeping the current ones completely hooked?

What are its unique selling points?

What can Marketing heads learn from Netflix’s successful marketing model?

Let’s take a look:

1. Originality Rules

Original content is king!

One of Netflix’s greatest strengths is its original content. People tend to use Netflix synonymously with originality. Netflixconsistently offers good quality, binge-worthy new shows. And the audiences always love watching something fresh and original.

Case in point: Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black, Mirzapur, House of Cards, Daredevil.

The result of original programming – not only does it help Netflix to acquire new consumers in bulk, but it also keeps the existing ones enamoured.

And it is not just the originality of content. Netflix offers a plethora of series and shows to watch time and again. The sheer volume of content available ensures that people end up spending much of their time there.

2. Data makes all the difference

Do Netflix recommendations usually influence your decision while trying to figure out what to watch?

Netflix has more than 220 million subscribers worldwide. All these subscribers bring with them a wealth of data. Netflix uses this data to the maximum potential and advantage through artificial intelligence. It continuously analyses consumers’ browsing behaviour, preferences, history, their social media updates to create performance reports for enhancing the user experience. Once Netflix understands a viewer’s taste, it uses predictive algorithms to recommend shows to watch. 

But it doesn’t stop there. 

Netflix usually releases mini trailers of about-to-be launched new series, recommending it to viewers based on their browsing history. This is a brilliant step for using data to direct marketing for greater engagement.

The takeaway here is that Netflix uses data to invest in real-time creativity. It applies date to make more confident decisions regarding what to present, to whom, and how.

3. Build a strong brand voice

Long-term profitable relationships are usually built on collaborations and partnerships wherein both parties tend to gain. Consumer buying decisions are not only guided by rationales but also by emotions. Most people tend to buy from brands they like, the ones they think care not only about them but also bigger causes like the environment.

Netflix has adopted the omi-channel approach to gain a significant reach. It entails a blend of on-app and off-app ventures. Apart from trailers and descriptions on the app, Netflix also indulges inYouTubeadvertising to highlight its upcoming shows. It leverages the popularity of Twitter and Instagram by posting GIFs,  iconic quotes, behind-the-scenes footage, and opinion polls to keep people interested. It also uses KOL (Key Opinion Leaders) marketing to complement its marketing strategy. Biggies from Netflix actively participate in talk shows and podcasts to share their ideas and vision. They are present on Linkedin to ensure that Netflix goes beyond the realm of entertainment to project the brand as more approachable with a human touch.

Case in point – Netflix regularly releases witty memes about its shows, ensuring that everyone is talking about them. 

It has successfully positioned itself as a friend to its users, creating a sense of closeness, familiarity, and relatability.

4. User-friendly app interface

The content definitely matters but the way it is presented matters equally. 

Netflix’s well-designed interface plays a key factor for its dominance. Unlike other viewing platforms where scrolling through the show’s categories can be a tad tiresome, Netflix has ensured that it’s a cakewalk. The viewers can comfortably browse even from their mobiles to learn what shows are running. The interactive platform provides trailers, descriptions, and screenshots to help viewers decide what to watch. It gives the viewers the chance to try its shows for free with the aim to lure them and then engage them in an endless web of sci-fi, romance, drama, and documentaries. 

The more convenient it is to browse, the more time a user is likely to spend on the platform. 

5. Innovation is the key to success

We all know that Netflix started as a rental DVD system only to grow into the multimedia powerhouse of today. A part of this was made possible by a series of new experiments, innovations, and improvisations. 

Netflix modernized its UX to ensure faster scrolling and to enhance its ability to showcase more titles and categories. It advertises on social media platforms, posts giant video ads of shows on the home screen, and cross-sells to refresh its message to keep the audiences thoroughly engaged.

Sometimes taking the road less travelled can lead you to unexpected success.

It doesn’t matter how much time you spend bingeing on Netflix. One thing is a given – they are a successful marketing machine with a large customer base that continues to grow. We all can learn from their marketing model to chalk out our own success stories.