During the bleak times of the pandemic, OTT platforms emerged as a popular distraction, helping people cope with the uncertain times surrounding them. The concept of instant gratification that OTT platforms allowed – access to ‘anything, anywhere, anytime viewing’, changed the way viewers now consumed content. According to a report, during covid, OTT consumption rose drastically, with more than half of consumers streaming videos at home on their chosen streaming platforms. Prominent among this was the popularity of regional content that OTT platforms witnessed and decided to cater to regional markets with more diverse content libraries online than television channels.
As always, content is king, and the need for high-quality material is growing. OTT is a fantastic platform for storytelling. With the growth of OTT and other digital streaming services, the scope of creativity has greatly expanded in India and the freedom of imagination has been given the possibility of experimentation and innovation. OTT programming offers a wide range of original viewpoints to keep viewers interested.
In the OTT world, the storytelling model is continuously evolving. We are currently searching for the magic ingredient and unsure of what kind of material will make it more cinematic and distinctive from what is already available.
- Compelling Stories
To keep the audience interested in the topic of the narrative, the OTT platform needs compelling stories rather than the same old formulaic storytelling. Any content which is published needs to be original and distinct from what others are doing. There is no ideal method for producing material or releasing anything and being certain that the audience would enjoy it. It is never a sure thing.
- Diversity of the content
This can also give the audience something new to see instead of the same old action movies or love stories. To provide the audience with full amusement of the story and to keep them interested, mix-and-match love action thrillers. People need an incentive to keep visiting on the platform. How many users click over from other digital channels to the OTT platform, where the genuine value is, and also it will depend on the strength of the narrative.
- Variety in formats
Stories can be in a variety of formats thanks to the OTT platform. Depending on the needs of the plot, it can either make it longer or shorter. Thus, unlike movies where it must finish the entire plot, including the conflict and solution, in a set amount of time, in series. Making it more engaging, add complexity and length by creating subsequent series and choosing what and when to reveal. Finding the ideal content ratio can help you draw in viewers and ultimately direct them to your OTT platform, where you want them to be.
- Creative Structure
It’s important to retain the creative framework of an OTT series while preserving the overall plot’s central idea. Story should be as particular as it can be in one season and then it can be more specific in another area in the following season while still maintaining the consistency of the main plot. Give visitors a reason to visit and remain on your site.
Creators also need to work on some intriguing ideas before creating a story to make it more captivating. Such as,
- The length of the story
- The Platform where it is going to release
- The demographic and the language of the story
- Determining the core moral of the story
- Add challenges and conflict to make it interesting
- Making the audience our Hero
- Keeping it simple and straightforward without distracting from the core message
- Making the Ending Strong with an Important Take-Away Point
There are numerous ways to create a story in the digital sphere, so use the imagination to develop narratives that will compel viewers to use your OTT platform. The audience will be kept interested by the fun, interesting, and non-preachy local content, and the customer will feel their time was well spent.
Views expressed are personal.
