Are we saying bye bye to the binge?

Most of us are old enough to remember both ways of watching shows: eagerly anticipating a new episode a week and the hungry thirst of devouring a season (or two) in one sitting.

But after seasons of all-in-one-go content delivery and consumption that defined the early streaming period, is the era of the binge about to be cut short?

Noticed that more and more of your favourite shows are now being dropped weekly rather than all at once? Whether it’s Netflix, Stan, Disney+ or Amazon Prime, the waiting game has returned.

It’s a significant shift away from the binge model introduced by Netflix way back with House of Cards -  and a move that proved integral to its early success.

As the growing number of streaming services fight to keep customers loyal, the attraction to drip feed content in the episodic format first introduced in the ‘50s rather is becoming more attractive.

It makes it harder for people to love and leave you after their 7 day free trial is up. It stretches out the conversation, potentially leading to more coverage. And audiences develop a stronger relationship with characters as they enjoy a series of weekly dates rather than a one night stand.

There’s no doubt that it’s a bold move to suddenly change the way you do things after you’ve trained everybody into thinking it’s the only way. But the reasons are compelling…

Which is exactly why it’s a trend worth applying to or considering for your own brand content strategy.

• Step away from the pressure to constantly be churning out quantity. 

Get back to the heart of what and why. Less and consistent is a much more viable option than sporadic dumps and will encourage a better relationship with your customers and audience -  and higher brand awareness, too.

• Get more from your content.

While extensive listicles are great, consider getting more out of each idea by treating each feature as a separate piece of content or releasing it over a longer time period. Particularly if it’s high-performing content or a topic that your audience really engages with, you’re going to get more eyeballs and brain space.

• Don’t let your content die.

How can you get more out of that extensive library of content you’ve built? Can that article be made into an engaging video? Would it make an interesting topic to poll your customers on stories? Working out how to use and reshare the content you’ve already produced (in a way that’s interesting rather than stale) is just as valuable as the new topics you’re brainstorming.

• Claim your space in the calendar.

Just as Monday used to be ‘Game Of Thrones Day’ before we were betrayed by that awful ending, establishing a regular time or day for content release will help build positive associations and anticipation for your products and content - as long as you deliver on something worth waiting for. Having them come to you instead of waving wildly on the internet to attract their attention? Now that’s priceless.

There are pros and cons to both, as well as consumers’ own personal preferences. 

But don’t be afraid to experiment, be realistic with your resources, and make your own playbook rather than simply mirroring everyone else. We’re watching. 

Not got a content strategy? Let’s make one.

Need, erm, content to match that strategy? We can do that too.