This post was originally published in May 2014. It has been updated with fresh content and new insights. Enjoy!
Netflix has seen its share of ups and downs. It successfully beat out Blockbuster, then took a disastrous hit a few years ago with the unloved Qwikster service. But thanks to smart content marketing practices, Netflix has garnered more than 60 million subscribers and counting. Here are just a few ways the video-streaming and DVD-by-mail giant is winning at content marketing.
Personalization
I’ve previously written about how companies that personalize their brand and their communications with the consumer can spark even greater engagement. Netflix’s sophisticated algorithms allow the company to offer hyper-specific content to consumers through its “Recommended For You” sections of the app and website. So whether you love Gritty Suspenseful Revenge Westerns or can’t get enough of Violent Thrillers About Cats, Netflix has a micro-genre for you (nearly 80,000, in fact). This allows for greater consumer engagement based on individual interests, and gives Netflix opportunity for strategically targeted marketing. For instance, check out how Netflix’s personalized emails address the consumer by name, and recommend top picks, based on previously watched shows: