What comes to mind when you hear the name Netflix? Let me guess, is it Stranger Things?
Netflix has been dominating our screens for a long time now, but the pandemic played a huge role in its growing audience base. I personally credit Netflix for helping me retain my sanity through multiple lockdowns and social distancing.
From all-new original movies to new seasons of my favourite shows, Netflix never stops delivering content I want to see (and by see, I mean binge).
To me, the most surprising part about Netflix’s success is how they keep things interesting with their simplistic design approach. Netflix has inspired an almost cult-like following similar to the hype surrounding Apple.
How does Netflix keep itself on top of the game with the rise of other similar streaming platforms? Without further ado, let’s dive into their strategies!
1. Mastering social media
During the pandemic, social media became one of the few ways we could stay connected. It also became the only place that allowed us to create new content as the pandemic forced out all the other fun elements of marketing. The viral cooking recipes (remember Dalgona coffee?) that characterised a large part of 2020 is just one example of social media’s power.
Netflix caught on quickly and proved to be a genius in this arena as they saw the potential for social media to reach out to a much more diverse audience.
Their short video ads have been making the rounds and popping up in between our YouTube videos. They’ve also created charming interactive posts and polls for their audience that encourages them to talk about Netflix content or other trending topics.
2. Embracing meme culture
Meme culture has taken over this era and has been changing the way people interact and consume information. Think of it as a visual piece of information with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
It’s a quick way to know what’s trending and what’s happening around the world with a simple picture or GIF with a few lines of text.
Netflix has made it a point to use meme culture to their advantage. They even use them in their social media posts and captions.
Ever heard of the phrase “Bird Box effect” or seen #BirdBox? This was one of the finest examples of meme marketing. It exploded everywhere and was on every social media channel we opened up in some form, i.e., the TikTok blindfolded dance.
As a budding marketer, what was my take on the success of this viral Bird Box meme? It generated organic curiosity as to what this movie was about. This, in turn, created widespread awareness about the film without stretching its marketing budget, because it was all user-generated content! Genius!
3. Adapting to the situation
Everyone, including big businesses, stumbled with the sudden hit of COVID-19.
The film industry was no exception as film and television productions were forced to shut down.
This was a dire situation for Netflix as they were left wondering how to retain their subscribers without new content to keep them entertained. While the rest of us washed our hands and sanitised everything in our paths, Netflix was fighting to get ahead of the competition.
The race was on for more content.
Netflix moved fast by diverting their users with curated movie playlists and the Netflix Party app, which allowed users to binge a movie or series together while far apart.
This has been a key strength for Netflix since its inception. It knows its audience, what we want, and how to make us feel special. It made sure all its users weren’t staring at the same screen by picking out movies and series suggestions based on user preferences and search behaviours.
Personalisation at its best.
4. Staying updated
Unless you react to change and adapt quickly you will fall behind. Netflix has picked up on the fact that if they don’t stay on top of new trends and keep up with the next generation, they will become extinct.
Marketing has changed, and it continues to change every day.
2020 brought on a slew of changes, but even before then, the past five years have seen huge changes in marketing practices. Whether it’s the rise of social media or time spent in isolation, marketing has to keep up with the world no matter what that world looks like.
Netflix has recognised that most of Gen Z are all about social media so they hopped on the filters and camera effects trend. They created several camera effects to catch the attention of younger audiences on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram.
Keep an eye on Netflix and stay ahead of the game!
Netflix is king when it comes to marketing tactics. They’ve always managed to understand their customers and stay on top. They adapt to technology and keep up with trends, leaving their competitors in the dust.
So, what lessons should we take from Netflix? Innovation, change, personalisation, and originality. That’s the Netflix mantra and a lesson in marketing for us all.
Happy Netflixing!