The digital content services industry is experiencing a seismic shift, driven by a convergence of factors that are challenging traditional industry norms. Moreover, the proliferation of smart devices, digital gadgets, and high-speed connectivity has led to an explosion of content consumption, unleashing new growth opportunities for content creators and distributors.
But challenges like rising content production costs, interoperability and integration, streaming and bandwidth issues, talent and skill-set gaps, and content saturation are making it increasingly difficult for providers to guarantee growth. Further, the following forces are pushing them to pivot expansion strategies amid rising competitive intensity:
- Increasing Internet Penetration: Bringing millions of new users online, thereby spurring traction in distribution channels like social media platforms, over-the-top (OTT) streaming, and immersive worlds.
- Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): Enabling users to create a range of digital content (text, images, audio, video, code, and 3D models) with minimal human intervention.
- Digital Security: Protecting assets from unauthorized access, piracy, and content delivery network (CDN) leeching through advanced cybersecurity protocols.
- Hybrid Business Models: Combining approaches like subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), advertising video-on-demand (AVOD), and transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) to maximize profitability and user loyalty.
- Sustainability-Focused Solutions: Optimizing energy consumption and operational costs throughout the technology stack, while accelerating sustainability initiatives.
Are your teams equipped to align content creation and delivery strategies with evolving customer needs to overcome growth challenges?
Champions of Change: Innovative Leaders Transforming the Digital Content Services Ecosystem
With the rise of digital content, the parallel demand for advanced infrastructure and services that help create, deliver, store, and process this content is at an all-time high. Consequently, industry incumbents feel the pressure to harness edge computing, cloud platforms, scalable storage, automation, robust network infrastructure, and immersive technologies to maximize operational efficiencies. Amid this revolution, the following providers are developing future-proof solutions across the digital content services landscape. They play a pivotal role in helping business improve customer experience and data security, while delivering customized services for different industry verticals.
Digital Media Content Security
- Irdeto provides an end-to-end suite of anti-piracy services that combine skilled analysts and technology products in a comprehensive five-step approach.
- NAGRA (a subsidiary of the Kudelski Group) takes the leadership position in combating CDN leeching, while delivering secure and smart solutions for diverse content security needs.
- PallyCon by INKA ENTWORKS offers a wrap-around set of security services for OTT distributors/content owners through flexible, usage-based pricing models.
Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) Software
- Salesforce delivers customer relationship management (CRM) and CPQ solutions in a single, proprietary platform, catering to specialized needs with industry-specific features/integrations and efficient subscription management.
- Oracle’s CPQ solution is characterized by a broad set of integrations, subscription management, and omnichannel experiences for CRM, enterprise resource planning (ERP), human capital management, and performance management.
- PROS’ key differentiators are its expertise in AI and machine learning (ML), collaborative quoting features, and its ability to monitor and meet emerging customer needs.
Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs)
- The Trade Desk helps advertising buyers effectively forecast, purchase, and measure digital media with data-driven insights. The company’s omnichannel reach, integration of innovative technologies, and R&D strategies set it apart from other providers.
- Google‘s DSP Display & Video 360 is an end-to-end platform that provides all the functionalities needed to manage campaigns – from initial planning to performance measurement.
- Criteo’s multi-solution platform, Commerce Media empowers brands, marketers, and media owners to drive growth with enhanced advertising experiences.
Commercial Extended Reality (XR) Hardware
- HTC offers high quality, durable XR devices for both personal and commercial applications, delivering premium hardware and focused attention to detail.
- RealWear uniquely integrates assisted reality (aR) technologies into its portfolio, with devices that give frontline workers real-time access to information and guidance, enabling hands-free tasks with an unobstructed field of view (FOV).
- Varjo delivers groundbreaking hardware endpoints and solid software capabilities that allow for smooth compatibility with industrial-grade applications across automotive design, healthcare, and aviation.
Immersive Virtual World Platforms
- Roblox Corporation offers a leading immersive platform where people come together to play, learn, communicate, and socialize through shared experiences. This includes features like 3D modeling tools, animation systems, sound effects, spatial voice, and cloud-based service suites.
- Fortnite by Epic Games is one of the most popular online video games available on various platforms, popularized by its free-to-play modalities, unique building mechanics, and accessibility.
- ZEPETO has unique features that help users create personalized 3D avatars, interact in virtual worlds, and trade in virtual goods.
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)
- Cloudflare sets the fastest pace in developing new products and features that drive value/ performance. The company’s hybrid research model maximizes innovation to deliver products that leverage AI, thereby optimizing the network using real-time intelligence.
- Edgio delivers a sophisticated edge platform with comprehensive functionalities for web application development, including integrated security, AI, and enhanced content delivery/management.
- Fastly Inc.‘s platform successfully enables users to build internal observability systems with real-time and historical data.
Adapting Long-Term Digital Content Strategies to Thrive Amid Transformative Megatrends
The ever-evolving digital content services landscape is pushing businesses to continuously adapt and innovate, paving the way for exciting new applications in AR, VR, generative AI, the metaverse, digital advertising, and social gaming. Throughout this evolution, “Companies to Action” in digital content services demonstrate strategic foresight and innovation. They strike a balance between embracing disruptive technologies, diversifying revenue streams, and enhancing content security, while upgrading infrastructure and delivery to expand their global reach – Which growth processes and business models will your organization prioritize to capitalize on new opportunities in digital content services?
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the growth pipeline company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class industry positioning in terms of innovation and leadership. The company’s ‘Growth Pipeline-as-a-Service’ provides corporate management teams with transformational strategies and best-practice models that catalyze growth opportunity generation, evaluation, and implementation. Let us coach you on your transformational journey, while we actively support you in fostering collaborative initiatives within the global Digital Content Services ecosystem. This journey is fueled by four powerful components, ensuring your success in navigating dynamic business and industry landscapes.
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