From Standard to Standout: elevating UX with personalization and localization

The success of a video streaming service largely depends on its ability to provide a compelling user experience that feels tailor-made for each viewer. In today's digital age, a service must stand out by not only offering great content, but also by ensuring a highly personalized and intuitive interface. Here, based on Accedo’s 2023 Customer Research, we explore the key elements that make personalization and localization critical components in crafting a successful video service.

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Understanding the Role of UX in Viewer Engagement

The user experience (UX) plays a pivotal role in how viewers interact with a video streaming service. A well-designed interface enhances user engagement by simplifying navigation and making content discovery effortless. Our research indicates that 35% of global users might discontinue using a service if the UX does not appeal to them, highlighting the importance of an attractive and functional design.

A personalized UX goes beyond aesthetics; it involves understanding and responding to the subconscious preferences of the users. Personalization can significantly enhance the content discovery process and foster a deeper connection with the service, leading to increased viewer satisfaction and retention. For instance, 50% of respondents in a global survey consider personalization of the UI to their preferences as very important.

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Localization: More Than Just Language Preferences

While personalization tailors the UX to individual tastes, localization addresses broader aspects like language and cultural preferences, which are crucial for households with diverse backgrounds. About 63% of users from multi-person households find it very important to have their video service in their preferred language. This emphasizes the need for video services to accommodate personal and cultural differences right down to the player level, ensuring that each user's experience is not only personalized but also localized.

Moreover, 62% of global users deem setting the default language and audio preferences as very important, highlighting the necessity for services to adapt to the linguistic needs of their audience. Localization is not just about translating content but also about adjusting the user interface, recommendations, and even advertising to fit the cultural and linguistic context of the viewer.

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The Recipe for Success: Tailored and Intuitive UX

Creating a UX that seems tailor-made yet intuitive requires a fine balance between automated customization and user-controlled settings. Adaptive interfaces that respond to user behavior can enhance the user experience without overwhelming them with choices. For example, the interface could automatically highlight frequently watched genres or simplify the layout during specific times of the day to suit viewing habits.

User-controlled customization is another essential aspect of a personalized UX. By allowing viewers to modify layout, select themes, or create custom content lists, services can empower users, making the experience feel more personal. Additionally, context-aware personalization—adjusting settings based on the time of day, viewing device, or demographic trends—can further refine the viewing experience, making it as relevant and engaging as possible.

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Dynamic User Profiles and Personalized Playback Experience

The concept of dynamic user profiles is pivotal in personalizing the playback experience. By enabling viewers to tailor settings such as subtitle languages, audio tracks, and playback speed, video services cater to a diverse audience, including multilingual families and individuals with specific accessibility needs. These preferences are saved within dynamic user profiles, which evolve based on user feedback and interaction, emphasizing privacy and user control.

Personalized playback experiences not only enhance user engagement by allowing viewers to feel in control of their viewing experience but also build trust by prioritizing data privacy and user settings preferences. This approach leads to a more satisfying and inclusive viewing experience for all users.

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Conclusion

Personalization and localization are not just enhancements, but essential components of a successful video service. By focusing on creating a personalized and intuitive interface that respects user privacy and caters to the diverse needs of its audience, a video service can significantly improve viewer satisfaction and retention. As the digital landscape evolves, those who master these elements will likely lead the market, offering experiences that are not only enjoyable but also deeply resonant with their users.

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Hungry for more? Get more insights in our latest  eBook “Back to OTT Basics”. 

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