Does Your Second Screen Proposition Have the X Factor?

As the sophistication of mobile and web applications are becoming smarter, multi-screening is one area where broadcasters and companies as a whole, need an aggressive and profitable strategy. With The Voice and Celebrity Big Brother back on our screens, these two prime time shows offer broadcasters numerous second screen opportunities to engage with their audiences. Smartphone and tablet consumption is increasing and as a second screen, apps can work for many kinds of content, including sports, news and reality programming.

Last year, Celebrity Big Brother annoyed viewers by only allowing those with iPhones or iPads using iOS7, to download its app. The production company has made the same mistake this year, alienating any Android or Windows users, or those with older Apple devices.

The X Factor developers also still have a lot to learn, as the show reached the lowest viewing figures in seven years, despite offering free voting on their app.

Here are ten top tips to help you maximise second screen opportunities and ensure others don’t make the same mistakes:

1. Innovation

Consumption of content on multiple screens will only increase. Organisations must be at the forefront of innovation to capture market opportunity and end-user engagement. For eGaming organisations, the sports betting opportunities are major. For advertisers, second screen delivers new revenue streams. For TV networks, it helps to generate revenue, maintain audiences; thus improving ratings. It’s vital that you understand where your opportunities lie, and invest appropriately.

2. Live end user engagement

Give end users the ability to vote and engage with a live television show. Revenue opportunities come from various sources such as advertising and voting. It is also in keeping audiences engaged with your show and the knock-on effect for ratings.

3. Be location and activity aware

You also need to know what your customer is doing. Are they watching a football match? Are they shopping at their favourite store? With this insight, you can targetyour customers more appropriately based on how they are interacting with your application.

4. In-sync conversations

Conversations need to be in sync between you and your customer, the TV and the second screen. As a result, you could have multiple data sources trying to stay in step, in real-time. You need the ability to cope with mashups of different source data, so you can deliver rich engaging content that will stick with customers. You need the ability to engage conversationally back and forth, or bi-directionally, with your customers. When you offer rich content that means your conversations are engaging; and engaging conversations equals customer loyalty.

5. Know your competition

Even if your organisation is not innovating with new applications and technology, you can bet that your competitors are. Do your research and stay alert for all changes inyour competitor landscape. Don’t be so complacent to assume that you know who all your competitors are. Where there’s new technology, there are new competitors you haven’t even met yet.

6. Support any device

As mobile traffic grows, mobile devices become increasingly fragmented. With a huge variety of screen sizes, operating systems and capabilities, it is essential for your website, mobile apps and systems to detect and react to the specific device your customers are using.

7. Interesting and engaging facts

Whatever the subject matter, regularly check that you are delivering customers with interesting and engaging facts. It is an important factor in successful advertising and opening up new revenue streams.

8. Intelligent data movement

Intelligent data movement (i.e. only sending the latest and most relevant data across the network), means a huge reduction in network bandwidth consumption and therefore less cost, complexity and strain on your data centre.

9. Personalisation

As big data offers increasingly more insight into customers, the ability to combine this information in a personalised way for an instant dialogue with customers, becomes another essential tool for delivering second screen content. Distribute the insight gained from big data to the customer, as and when they are interacting with your brand, to deliver a personalised experience.

10. Quality of service

You need to ensure that customers are experiencing a rich application experience; user loyalty will soon become a major issue in repeat earnings.