Digital Disruption in the Media Industry

The pace of digital disruption in media is accelerating. New technologies are shifting customer expectations and behaviours, and changing the industry landscape.

More and more media organisations are moving to digital-first. Big Data has transformed the way organisations approach products, services, and customer experiences. And machine learning has helped companies activate automation, identify trends, and improve customer personalisation.

In this guide, we’ll explore digital disruption in the media industry, and how those adopting a digital-first, consumer-centric approach gain a competitive advantage.

How digital disruption has impacted the media industry

The pandemic has been a catalyst for significant transformation in the media industry. Organisations have been forced to embrace the shift to digital — and understand the changing needs of their consumers.

Media companies have traditionally relied on strong partnerships and new offerings to maintain their position. But video streaming has significantly disrupted traditional media consumption trends.

Emerging companies are now outpacing traditional media companies, thanks to disruptive digital business models.

So, it’s crucial to consider adopting digital technologies to stay ahead of your competitors.

Why direct-to-consumer businesses have an advantage

It has never been more important for media businesses to differentiate themselves. A digital-first strategy can help create loyal customers — it enables you to connect with your consumers and develop new products to gain a competitive advantage.

Since the start of the pandemic, new opportunities for revenue and stronger strategic partnerships have increased. Direct-to-consumer streaming services in particular have experienced explosive growth.

DAZN, a global sports subscription streaming service, is a Trailblazer that has disrupted the media landscape. DAZN is looking to become the number one sports destination in the world by unlocking new revenue streams with a direct-to-consumer model and they are seeing spectacular growth.

Direct-to-consumer businesses have the opportunity to directly engage with their customers and learn through those interactions. And it’s crucial to use the learnings and data insights gained through customer engagement to increase customer loyalty and revenue.

How new technologies have affected media consumption trends

Traditional media consumption trends have shifted from cable and satellite television bundles to on-demand streaming, thanks to 5G and faster internet speeds.

Rapid fibre rollouts and better download speeds have disrupted sports broadcasting too. Because of technological advancements, today’s consumers have less reliance on satellite and cable.

DAZN has destabilised traditional media consumption with its on-demand, personalised streaming service.

Typically, linear broadcasting as seen on television involves an editor choosing which footage will be broadcast, and all viewers have the same experience. However, DAZN offers alternative camera angles, commentary, and real-time performance analysis overlays. Linear broadcasters can never compete with this experience.

Personalisation in media is now expected

Personalisation in media is one of the most important ways to use your data to create meaningful customer experiences.

At a Salesforce Live session, Ben King, Chief Subscription Officer at DAZN, spoke to us about how the company has changed the future of sports consumption with personalisation.

Sports packages drive the majority of TV bundles, but DAZN recognised that consumer trends were changing. Sports fans want to consume entertainment on their terms — when they want, where they want, and how they want.

The surge of digital technologies shifted consumer behaviours towards on-demand streaming apps. Users expect to receive tailored content, so your business must provide personalisation.

DAZN used its consumer data and customer insights to drive the business forward, create hyper-personalised customer experiences, and grow its subscription base. It is now one of the fastest-growing sports media brands in the world.

Technological advancements have created enormous opportunities to better understand our customers and disrupt the landscape. Companies that are slow to respond to digital disruption risk being left behind.

Beyond personalisation to unique customer experiences

During the Salesforce Live session, Etienne Sournoy, Principal Solution Engineer in Media at Salesforce, demonstrated how you can tailor a one-to-one experience with your customers using digital solutions, like Salesforce Customer 360.

Read on to find out how a one-to-one experience can benefit your business.

How to increase customer engagement with personalisations

Organisations can increase customer engagement by using artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time data to deliver more personalised content and services. This hyper-personalisation approach helps you to create unique customer experiences that go beyond your competitors.

For example, a sports streaming service might send real-time reminders before the start of a football match. The notification is managed by the Salesforce Decision Engine which generates a 360 profile of every customer. All customer interactions with the brand are recorded on this platform and used to make better recommendations. The company knows which matches its customers are interested in and how they want to engage with the content.

By using digital technologies, you can deliver automated one-to-one customer experiences at the right time.

The importance of driving meaningful real-time engagement at scale

Every user has a different interest, so every personalisation is different. Building a single view of your customers means you have the data to better serve their needs.

AI technology can trigger a different user journey based on consumer behaviour. For example, if a football fan is missing an important game, a sports streaming service can utilise AI to trigger an important interaction with the consumer. The company could then offer live updates or highlights at the end of the game. This tailored one-to-one customer experience is orchestrated by Journey Builder, which allows you to drive meaningful and real-time customer engagement.

Creating personalised recommendations for every user at scale is possible with the right technology.

How DAZN accelerated to a digital-first, customer-centric approach

DAZN predicted that sports broadcasting would evolve through apps and digital consumption based on consumer trends. These insights shaped DAZN’s digital-first approach, with changing consumer behaviour at the heart of the company’s strategy.

With the help of digital technologies, the company has transitioned to omnichannel communications and developed an in-app message centre with the ability to activate push notifications to mobile devices and pop-up messages to help customers get the most out of the service. Emails are personalised, displaying real-time fixture calendars no matter what time the email is opened.

DAZN is continuing to implement AI technology and machine learning that will trigger a different user journey based on consumer behaviour. And the more a subscriber engages with DAZN, the more information the company has to better understand what the subscriber wants to watch, where they want to watch it, and how they want to watch it.

And with the integration of the right technology, like Salesforce’s Marketing Cloud, you can also offer unique, real-time engagement with your customers at scale, driving both loyalty and revenue.

What does personalisation in media look like in the future?

The key to success in disrupting the media landscape is to deliver personalised products and services that meet changing consumer trends. But consumers want to engage with your content on their own terms, so you must adapt to new digital technologies to provide customers with the right information, at the right time, and on the right channel.

Technological advancements offer valuable opportunities to learn more about your customers. And it’s essential to build a single view of your customer to stay ahead.

Watch the full Salesforce Live on-demand session: The Future of Media: Becoming a Digital Disrupter.