The Broken Streaming UX
The Media Odyssey Ep. 13
Ever sat down ready to watch something only to find yourself endlessly scrolling and ultimately choosing nothing? Rhetorical question, I know you have.
As viewers, we drown in options to choose from. So many different services from streamers to TV channels, so much content and so little help to make a quick decision. The numbers don’t lie : Brits spend 182 hours per year searching for content (according to a 2024 study by UK retailer Currys).
This is an industry-wide challenge, one that is not so easy to fix but also do we want to fix it? Let me explain. If platforms were built viewer-first only, then viewers would be taken to content as quickly and as easily as possible. Thing is: streaming services want to drive your attention to specific pieces of content (e.g. why do I have games as a top row on Netflix when I never use them?) while aggregation platforms need you to spend time on the home screen (why can’t I hop from one app to the other?) to monetise your attention.
With streaming services battling high churn rates and user fatigue, Smart TV platforms looking more and more the same, the stakes have never been higher for getting the UI right but who will solve it first?
It will take a village of innovators and we went looking for one with Evan Shapiro.
Meet this week’s guest Calle Sjönell introduces Swipefinder, a Tinder-style app that helps users find what to watch faster—while unlocking new monetisation opportunities for streamers. To learn more about Swipefinder 👉 here.
Go listen or watch our latest episode where you get your podcasts:
We got more platforms here for you.
📢 Interested in amplifying your next piece of research or demo’ing innovative technology on The Media Odyssey?
→ Ping us on LinkedIn or send us an email at themediaodyssey@gmail.com, even better fill in this inquiry form to see how your brand can reach C-suite level M&E executives across the globe.
That’s it for today but before you go:
⚡️ This Week In The Streaming Made Easy Universe:
📦 Amazon Channels, Unpacked
In streaming, I see a world divided in 2. General entertainment streamers & Specialty/niche streamers. It’s a bit simplistic I know but bear with me for the sake of today’s discussion.