Video-centric publishers, broadcasters, and enterprises typically have an outsized focus on content programming and distribution decisions: “ What content am I publishing, where am I publishing it, and how many viewers can I reach? ”

While these decisions are incredibly important to focus on, a challenge that may not always be top of mind is thinking about the Content Management Lifecycle, with a specific eye towards digital asset preservation.

How do you make sure the video content you own and manage digitally is secure, highly available, and will be formatted and distributed in the right protocols as new distribution opportunities emerge?

A snapshot of the contemporary Content Management Lifecycle:

In this diagram you can see what a sample content import, storage, transcoding, delivery, and publishing/distribution lifecycle might look like for video enterprises.

Increasingly important is ensuring your video content storage and management solution ensures support for both the present and the future.

Evaluating digital asset preservation needs:

Video enterprises should evaluate format portability, security, availability, and redundancy as important factors in their content management lifecycle. This way you can ensure your evergreen content will not only be distributed efficiently today, but available for future distribution opportunities as well!

Interested in learning more about Zype? Check out zype.com/request-demo/

Thinking About the Content Management Lifecycle

After dozens of interviews and hundreds of hours of work, we’re beyond excited to announce our brand new downloadable guide -- The Essential Digital Video Infrastructure Guide for Publishers: 2019 Edition.

Crafted exclusively for the publishing and media industries, the guide features:

30+ pages of strategic, tactical, and technical information

Breakdown of the 5 core components of digital video infrastructure and how to optimize each to increase revenue

Moving on from the pivot to video, this in-depth guide on how teams are solving the challenges of building and scaling their video infrastructure, highlights five unique hurdles publishing and media organizations are overcoming. From choosing where to distribute content to understanding revenue optimization on a technical level, the guide is meant to bridge technical and business teams together on one unifying goal: ultimate digital video success.

Throughout the guide, you’ll also discover best practices from Tom Lucas, founder of the successful OTT application MagellanTV and Kirby Grines, founder of 43Twenty.TV and more. Beyond these amazing contributors, we interviewed dozens of video engineers, product team members, and business folks knee-deep in digital video at leading publishing and media organizations to craft content catered to specific needs and hurdles they discussed.

Whether you’re on the business, technical, or product side of digital video, we guarantee you’ll find value within the pages of our latest guide.

Introducing The Essential Digital Video Infrastructure Guide for Publishers: 2019 Edition

Did you know BuzzFeed show “ Worth It,” which features the hosts trying similar foods at three different price points to determine which one is best, has run for five seasons, and...has collected 45.3 million video views and 323.4 million minutes of watch time on YouTube in the past three months?

Those are the numbers every digital publisher producing video dream of.

It’s just one amazing statistic in a pile of them when it comes to long-form video content.

Whether it’s Axios on HBO, the rise of Danny Gabai at Vice Studios with “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” and 60+ other series in production, or even Architecthural Digest’s huge Youtube growth due to long-form video content...one thing is pretty clear:

There are countless reasons why digital publishers are flocking to long-form video content.

Is it bad that we went straight for the money?

We know that’s what is on the mind of every digital publisher today -- so why not cut straight to the point?

Long-form video content allows more advertising placements -- with twenty minute content seeing four to five in-video placements and opportunities for pre and post-roll ads.

More ad space means more revenue. Periodt (that's what all the cool kids are saying...right?).

But, beyond just the ad space availability, long-form video content also opens up the door for strategic brand partnerships. We’ve seen this with Smirnoff and LADBible in the “Free to Be” series or Buzzfeed’s and NBCUniversals pairing with “Mom in Progress” amongst dozens of others.

Have we convinced you to bring up long-form video content at your next strategic meeting?

Everyone knows one of the hardest parts of producing video is its shelf life. While digital now allows us to access content anytime and anywhere, we all know the up, up, up when a video gains popularity and the subsequent crash after just a few days or weeks.

On average, “Worth It” viewers watch more than five episodes per month.

And that’s not the only Buzzfeed long-form video show crushing it.

Their longer show at 30 minutes, “Unsolved,” which focuses on unsolved mysteries, averages each user watching more than five episodes every month as well.

Content Syndication and Distribution Opportunities 

Brands like Buzzfeed are focused on Youtube, but other digital publishers are going to OTT and traditional linear TV partners to get their content out to more eyeballs.

One major example is Vice Studio’s “The Report”, which is a feature-length drama due this Fall detailing the torture of detainees post September 11th, which was purchased for $14 million by Amazon.

Condé Nast is one of the biggest players when it comes to syndicating their content in deals with big networks...and you wouldn’t even know it. They’ve kept their video strategy pretty tight lipped until recently where they put their foot down as a true stakeholder calling themselves “The New Primetime.”

Are You Diving Headfirst into a Long-Form Video Content Strategy? 

We all know producing, distributing, and managing video content is one of the hardest parts of the new world of digital publishing.

Whether you’re looking to launch long-form Youtube series or are looking to launch on an OTT app like Hulu or Prime Video, you need to understand the i ntricacies of each distribution channel and have the infrastructure in place to deliver high-quality long-form video content...and that’s something we’re good at.

Why Long-form Video Content is the Future for Digital Publishers

3 Reasons Why Long-form Video Content is the Future for Digital Publishers

While the Upfronts were the talk of the town, we’re very focused on how digital publishers have quietly been shaking up the digital video landscape in 2019.

While the pivot to video seemingly failed (thanks in large part to good old Zukerburg), digital publishers have slowly been fighting back...and 2019 might just be the best year yet when it comes to digital video.

Here are some of the top video headlines from digital publishers that you should keep an eye on.

 1. BuzzFeed’s video strategy moves to more TV-like digital shows tied to verticals

Many digital publishers are beginning to think so -- with publishers partnering with other brands and platforms to get the distribution they need.

Long-form video content opens up opportunities including:

More Ad Placement Opportunities - From pre-rolls to ad-insertion opportunities, longer content simply means more advertising opportunities.

Strategic Brand Partnerships - Beyond basic ad-insertion, long-form video content opens the doors for creative partnerships between brands like LADBible and Smirnoff.

Distribution Opportunities - You’re only going to get onto HBO or Hulu if you have longer form video content. Periodt.

Beyond the monetization opportunities, long-form video has incredibly high retention rates with Buzzfeed reporting a 78% viewthrough and average five episodes per viewer of their most popular Youtube series.

If you aren’t already diving into long-form video content, you could be behind the curve...Okay, you are behind the curve.

However, one trick some digital publishers are using is to simply lengthen their current content -- meaning a typical 3 minute video might extend to 7 or 8 minutes. You’ll see this little hack come into play in a big way in a few…

 2. HBO Returns To News Docuseries ‘Axios’ With Second Season & Four Specials

Axios wasn’t the first to ink a contract with a traditional media network, and they definitely won’t be the last.

What’s interesting about Axios is that they really exploded onto the scene thanks to these big partnerships. In their first season of the show, their guests included President Donald Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Some big names from a relatively new and small media company.

So what can other digital publishers learn from this move?

 3. Vox Media’s entertainment studio aims for 12 series for TV, streaming platforms in 2019

On February 21, 2018, it was reported that Vox Media would lay off around 50 people, particularly surrounding video production. CEO Jim Bankoff stated previously that the company planned to exit native video for Facebook due to "unreliable monetization and promotion".

Which… is yet another sign for the quick death of Facebook Watch and the rise of long-form video content in strategic partnership with broadcasters and platforms.

Current partnered content includes “Explained” on Netflix, which was recently renewed for a second season, “American Style” on CNN, and “RetroTech” and “Show Me the Evidence” for YouTube.

Chrissy Teigan and David Chang are also working with Vox Entertainment for cooking shows, exclusively on Hulu.

So rather than publishers syndicating their existing content, they’re looking for strategic partnerships and distribution deals...Which is smart -- especially if you already have the production studios needed to make the magic happen.

 4. Vice Tries to Turn the Page by Making Content for Others

Am I the only one who gets Vox and Vice confused?

Because it really looks like they’re pulling from the same playbook.

“We were seen as a redheaded stepchild,” Mr. Gabai said, “if our existence was acknowledged at all.”

Danny Gabai, now Head of Vice Studios, opened up this New York Times article highlighting digital publisher’s disdain for traditional.

With the entrance of Nancy Dubuc last year, the former frat house is turning a page as it looks to...create long-form video content.

Vice now has over 60 series in production, including the scripted “Gangs of London,” a big-budget action drama commissioned by HBO’s Cinemax and Sky, the British pay-television service.

They also the rights to a soon-to-be released film about  to Amazon for a whopping $14 million...so, if you’ve learned anything from these headlines, 2019 is all about long-form video content in partnership with media behemoths like Hulu and HBO.

 5. Hearst UK doubles video team to focus on original series

While everyone cut their video teams in 2018 due to poor monetization and oversaturation, Hearst is doubling down on their video strategy in 2019.

According to Hearst, on-site pre-roll revenue grew 1000 percent in 2018, albeit from a small base, thanks to the publisher’s focus on creating more video.

This quote was pulled from this piece, and most digital publishers can relate:

“Like a lot of publishers, Hearst transitioned from emphasizing fast video fodder for platforms before dialing up more on-site originals last year, partly after Facebook’s algorithm dented views, forcing publishers to re-assess their strategy.”

So now that we fired everyone on our video teams...it’s time to think about restructuring and understanding who should be at the video operations table.

 6. <a href="https://adage.com/article/digital/how-conde-nast-built-sound-video-structure-youtube/2171146"> How Conde Nast Built a sound video structure on Youtube </a>

My mind was blown when I read this piece…

First -- who the heck though that Architectural Digest would ever be a thing? Let alone, who thought it would become a cornerstone for Conde Nast’s video strategy?

Another one of Conde Nast’s properties, Bon Appétit, saw subscribers triple in the past year to 3.7 million.

Remember my little tidbit about simply increasing the length of existing programming? It’s the backbone of Architectural Digest's success with videos now running six to ten minutes when just a year ago they typically ran from one to three.

If you thought Youtube was dead...think again.

 7. Group Nine Media Prez On BuzzFeed Merger Rumors, And Why Social Distribution Isn’t Dead

From earlier talks about Group Nine Media merging with Refinery29 to this piece on merging with Buzzfeed, one thing is pretty clear: Group Nine is as big of a heavy-hitter as its much older counterparts.

If other headlines were about content creation (long-form + partnered), this one is all about video distribution -- something Group Nine has nailed.

“We are monetizing over 20 platforms. We have “InstaChef” launching its second season on Amazon Prime Video, as well as “Really Dough,” a pizza show. The Dodo has been exploring some distribution through TikTok, and looking at programming specifically for that. We’ve been programming on for IGTV. We have content distributed on Pluto TV and Roku.”

And, if you ask them, social distribution isn’t dead, as a majority of their viewership is still from these platforms. It’s all about going where your audience is, and Group Nine has done a great job guiding their viewers from social to their sites and to longer-form content on OTT platforms.

 8. Quibi ramps up search for daily video programming

We couldn’t have a digital publisher headlines piece without mentioning the already infamous Quibi.

They’ve already raised $1 billion...and are looking for another.

Spearheaded by Meg Whitman and Jeffrey Katzenberg, Quibi, which stands for “quick bite”, has been making headlines since they came onto the seen last year.

However...they still don’t have a platform.

But they do have the backing of giant media companies including Time Warner, 21st Century Fox, MGM Studios, Alibaba Group, and more.

So why, as a digital publisher, should you care?

Because they’ve either been in talks with you...or your competitors.

Their executive team has met with popular digital publishers including Insider Inc., Group Nine Media, Refinery29 and iHeartMedia, sources have said.

And they’re on the hunt for “daily essential content that’s lower cost but at a higher frequency”...Which sounds a whole lot like what Facebook Live and Watch pushed for from these digital media darlings..which lead to hundreds, if not thousands, of layoffs when things didn’t exactly pan out…

So, while we might get a bit of flack for saying this, we definitely wouldn’t put all our eggs in the Quibi basket.

 What Do These Digital Video Headlines Mean for Digital Publishers? 

Overall, things are looking up - which is huge when you consider the disastrous peril digital video was in just last year. Digital publishers are finding ways to lengthen the shelf life of their video content while monetizing beyond traditional advertising revenue -- and that’s a win/win for everyone.

8 Digital Publisher Headlines Shaking up Video in 2019

We all knew The Office was leaving Netflix…

But we weren’t sure of its new home until NBC’s Upfronts 2019 presentation, where it was announced it would stream on their own service, coming in 2020.

But… Netflix’s licensing deal for “The Office” runs through 2021...It’s unclear if NBCU will need to wait until the Netflix deal runs out before bringing  the show to its own service…

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg at this year’s Upfronts.

Here are a few more headlines that anyone producing or distributing online video should continue following throughout the year.

Beyond “The Office”, other older yet top performing shows like “Friends” are “coming home” according to NBCUniversal’s ad sales chief Linda Yaccarino, who spoke on stage at their upfront 2019 preseentation at Radio City Musical Hall.

They aren’t the only ones pulling their older content from streaming partners like Hulu and Netflix.

With the DisneyPlus streaming announcement just a few weeks ago, it’s clear that old shows and content can be an acquisition and retention tool for subscription video as DisneyPlus will be the exclusive home for top Pixar and Disney movies.

Which might be bad news for Netflix as “more than half of the top 50 shows on Netflix are made by media companies planning to launch rival streaming services, according to Jumpshot data cited by Recode.”

CBS News’s live streaming news network, CBSN, now has one million daily video streams, with 80% watching the content live.

Millennials are likely to consume their news through other media forms like print and digital words. In fact, sixty four percent of millennials use digital outlets to find out what’s happening in the world. Millennials still watch TV, but only 24 percent of them, compared to 51 percent of the 55+ generation.

So it makes sense that live news streaming is gaining in popularity. CBS News also has a five year head start on other news channels… So it will be interesting to see how the news streaming wars plays out.

 Digital Publishers are Producing More Long-form Shows 

Buzzfeed announced that their video strategy will moves to more TV-like digital shows tied to specific verticals.

You may not have known this, but Buzzfeed’s move to longform, serial content has been slowly occurring over the last several years. One of their top millennial media video series shows include “Worth It,” which features a host trying similar foods at three different price points to select the best.

The show, which has run for five seasons, has collected 4 5.3 million video views and 323.4 million minutes of watch time on YouTube in the past three months.

If you’re not analyzing what top digital publishers are doing in video...you’re falling behind.

Did you know Meg Whitman was running a “mobile first TV” company?

Quibi came out of the woodworks at the perfect time to announce...they’re raising $2 Billion.

While they were not an official part of the 2019 Upfronts, it’s clear this was a strategic announcement on their part.

But...does it really take that much money to compete with Hulu, Netflix, and other digital streaming services?

Well, they’ve already raised $1 billion...so some venture capitalists must believe them.

When Netflix is spending over $15 billion in 2019 on producing and licensing content, the number begins to make a little sense.

With a mission to “entertain, inform and inspire with fresh content from today’s top talent—one quick bite at a time”, we’ll see if they can take a bite out of the streaming wars when they launch in the fall 2020.

 Upfronts 2019: Streaming is Here to Stay but TV isn’t Dead 

There were dozens of other Upfronts 2019 headlines...and to be honest, it was hard to pick just four. However, we think these headlines will be the most interesting to follow over the next year, especially for those in the streaming and digital video verticals.

4 Upfronts 2019 Headlines to Follow in the Age of Streaming Media

Digital content has exploded over the years as more and more media companies have started targeting the Millennial consumer base. And when you look at video content alone, you can clearly see why Millennials are such a big piece of the puzzle.

Millennials spend about 7 hours a day on their phones, which is more than any other age group and in some cases, more hours than they actually sleep. It makes you wonder...what are these folks spending so much time watching?

Well, we’ve pulled together a list of a few of the top video series created by Millennial media companies to give you some inspiration and highlight some of the top video series being produced today.

The Sweet Digs video series features Millennial women and highlight what it’s like to live in cramped studios and stylish pads in cities like New York City, London, and Los Angeles. The videos give a glimpse into how much they pay in rent or have paid in renovation costs. Most Millennials can relate to the videos as they often talk about how to make the most out of a small space or inexpensive ways to dress up the place.

This series started in July of 2017 and has been so successful that they are currently on Season 4, with over 20 episodes total.

The OG of millennial media marketing, In 2018, Buzzfeed launched “As/Is”, the first series launched under the company’s newly formed division for its lifestyle brand, BuzzFeed Media Brands. As/Is features several mini-series about topics such as common issues women struggle with personally like hair removal or the very popular “Feed Famous”, which follows aspiring social influencers competing to become a social star. The video series covers everyday questions that many Millennial females find themselves pondering.

The As/Is YouTube account alone has more than 10 million subscribers.

This one isn’t just on the list just because you can catch the writer of this post in the background of an episode. It’s here because it’s blurring the line between digital video and traditional media. And Third Rail usually has an interesting lineup that many Millennials are very familiar with. Guests include celebrities such as Amber Rose and subject matter experts such as Malcolm Gladwell and are carefully selected to debate a highly-contested issue, with a live audience in tow.

Touted as the “ largest youth company in the world ”, Vice is no stranger to the Millennial digital video arena. Vice introduced an interesting twist on explainer videos with their “ How to Treat X ” series. Topics range from the do’s and don’ts on treating anyone from gender fluid individuals to flight attendants. There are about nine episodes, each ranging from about 3-5 minutes long and they’re designed to help people understand the nuances of life.

Guess who’s the largest group of pet owners? Millennials. That’s what makes the Dodo’s Comeback Kids a perfect video series for this animal-loving age group. There are three seasons-worth of heartwarming videos featuring the stories of animals that were given a second chance to live and bring happiness to their owners. I’m not crying...you’re crying.

Like most millennials, traveling to new cities is a must as is getting the full local food experience. Thrillist delivers on providing that experience through their series “ Gatekeepers ”. Each episode features a local “gatekeeper” who knows their way around a major city such as Denver. Episodes run for about 20 minutes and leave you with serious food envy.

“This is the way you fix politics by participating in it…” These words were spoken by Ithaca, NY’s mayor, Svante Myrick in Upworthy’s inspirational video series “ Another Person’s Shoes ”. This video series distills in two minutes powerful messages of hope, compassion and true American spirit that so many Millennials long for in today’s society. Topics covered range from volunteer medical flights to suicide and women’s pro football.

 LadBible’s “Free to Be” series featuring Smirnoff 

In June of 2018, LadBible and Smirnoff announced a new video series focused on inclusivity and to “attempt to make difficult topics around race, disability, LGBT+ and other issues more accessible.” The Free to Be series features real-life “nightlife heroes” such as a history-making deaf music artist and a toilet attendant (it’s actually quite a fascinating job).

The Vox’s Divided States of Women is another great video series targeting Millennial women. The series covers “most divisive and controversial issues facing American women today” in the hopes of bringing a common ground to American women no matter their beliefs. The series started in the fall of 2017 and has over 25 episodes covering everything from sexual harassment in the workplace to the unrealistic expectations of being a perfect mom.

HBO announced in February of 2019 that it would be renewing its documentary series “ Axios on HBO ” for a second season.  The new season “...will include a unique mix of breaking news content, exclusive interviews and short profiles.”  What’s interesting about this series is that it covers how different industries and trends are intermixing to change the world.

While they’re not following our best practice of bucketing content series and making it easy for me to link you to all the 5 stages content, it’s still a great series. 5 Stages covers everything from the 5 stages you go through before getting laid off to the steps you take to try budgeting.

Another great series from Vice is One Star Reviews. Whether you’re looking to laugh or are curious whether one star reviews really mean anything, this series is prime material. It’s hard to tell whether the series is returning with new episodes, but based on how viral it’s gotten, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of these videos.

Last, but certainly not least on our list is another gem from Buzzfeed, “ Eating Your Feed.” The series takes us through the food adventures of hosts Andrew and Niki as they try some of the most outrageous food recipes. Everything from edible corgis to recreating black ice cream, these videos appeal to Millennials and anyone curious about trendy recipes.

 Why These Millennial Media Video Series Matter 

Why should you care about these millennial media top video series? If you’re asking us, we believe it’s the future of media consumption versus traditional broadcast TV or even OTT platforms like Hulu. We’re seeing a quickly changing landscape in how people, not just Millennials, view and consume content. Companies like Buzzfeed, Vice, and Ozy need eyeballs and advertising dollars to keep these top video series going and we’re interested to see how it all unfolds.

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Thinking About the Content Management Lifecycle

Introducing The Essential Digital Video Infrastructure Guide for Publishers: 2019 Edition

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8 Digital Publisher Headlines Shaking up Video in 2019

4 Upfronts 2019 Headlines to Follow in the Age of Streaming Media

Top Video Series from Millennial Media and Publishing Companies

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