Despite the exponential rise of HD in the TV market, it still needs time to penetrate certain areas with full effect. It is an essential task for service providers to understand and utilise HD technology from an early stage. Ensuring that you have a head start in improving HD penetration in new areas and getting an early understanding of the technology you need to support HD will give you an edge over your competitors. Read on to find out more specifically why, according to Eutelsat research, being an early adopter of HD is the way forward.
Make HD work for you
A positive brand impression
“…by the time we launched the channel and everyone saw the quality we were bringing to the table, they were impressed. That gave us a good leverage when it comes to the quality of our brand.” (Broadcaster from Sub-Saharan Africa)
The most likely adopters of new technology are public broadcasters and large commercial rivals. They are at the forefront of adopting technologies that can change audiences’ viewing experience. Being ahead of the curve and embracing new TV technologies allows audiences to feel they are being prioritised. A happy audience who has the impression that their service provider is keeping up to date with technologies that will improve their viewer experience is a positive brand impression that guarantees viewer loyalty and viewer retention.
A unique selling point
“If you’re HD in Africa, you’re seen as a bright new channel… you bring something different to the viewers on top of the content itself… With HD, viewers are happy and [platform] operators are happy because they have got something more to offer their viewers.” (Broadcaster from Western Europe)
Since HD and UHD are relatively new concepts in areas like Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a lot of space for broadcast service providers to present something unique. In areas where HD penetration is still low, there is an opportunity to be the first and foremost provider that audiences trust. Giving new audiences access to something new, exciting, and better provides a unique and organic selling point. This will then allow the service provider to gain more traction from audiences and gain their trust and loyalty.
Increased interest from advertisers and TV operators
“Most advertisers prefer our channel for commercials. It’s been a great beginning and a breakthrough for our country.” (Broadcaster from Sub-Saharan Africa)
In the same vein, early adoption in providing HD means that advertisers and TV operators are more likely to be interested in working with the broadcast service. The differentiator will set broadcasters apart and show their dedication to adopting new technologies and investing in growing their audience. With a likely audience increase, advertisers and TV operators will be interested in working with broadcast services dedicated to building a solid foundation with innovation.
Increased viewership
“People were surprised and very happy. They couldn’t believe that we could produce such a quality signal in TV... People have increasingly bought new TV sets and HD decoders having seen the quality of our channel.” (Broadcaster from Sub-Saharan Africa)
The promise of improved image quality and content access inherently comes with HD. With this in mind, audiences will be attracted to the idea that they could improve their entertainment time. As benefits alongside increased viewership, broadcasters can expect greater visibility for their brand, more potential for marketing opportunities and increased interested from advertisers, as noted above.
Greater visibility
“When you're zapping through the channels and you get to [ours] you don't want to leave, everything is perfect.” (Broadcaster from Sub-Saharan Africa)
HD channels and content are better positioned and more visible in electronic programme guides, which are increasingly becoming commonplace for television services. With HD broadcasts attracting more attention and prominence for viewers, they can easily surpass their competition while gaining and holding attention for longer.
HD is the new normal
HD is becoming ever more popular around the world, and as such, becoming a staple of viewing and entertainment. In developing markets, there is a unique opportunity for broadcasters and investors to move towards something that can help the rapid growth of these markets and establish trust with audiences.
If you would like to grow your broadcasting audience or explore the options that HD offers, consider Eutelsat as your satellite service provider. As one of the world’s leading satellite service providers, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that our service offers our customers the competitive advantages they deserve. Visit our website for more information on how you can expand your success.