Brian Wallace
Growth in streaming often exposes cracks in the foundation of an OTT platform. A setup that worked fine for a launch phase can become a constraint once audiences grow, content expands, and monetization needs evolve. Most online video platforms, whether developed internally or supplied by a vendor, aren’t built to scale indefinitely or adapt quickly to new demands. If you’re noticing limits in performance, monetization, or support, it may be a sign you’ve outgrown your current OTT vendor.
Here are three key signs to look out for, along with what to expect from a more robust OTT solution provider.
1. Lack of Support and Innovation
A key sign of outgrowing your vendor is a lack of support, both in terms of customer service and ongoing innovation. Perhaps your provider is slow to respond when issues arise, or they haven’t rolled out any significant updates in ages. Many legacy video technology vendors are too slow in delivering the new features operators need to remain competitive. This means your service falls behind in capabilities such as support for the latest devices, video formats, or interactive features. In some cases, the vendor may no longer actively invest in the product at all.
NTT DATA’s Lifecycle Management Report finds that 80% of organizations agree that inadequate or outdated technology is holding back innovation. This means that sticking with a vendor who isn’t investing in R&D can leave you running on technology lacking essential features. If your OTT solution provider isn’t helping you stay current with market trends through timely updates, transparency about issues, or proactive guidance, it’s a clear red flag.
2. Poor Monetization Options
Another sign is when your service struggles to monetize content effectively. Monetization is the lifeblood of any online video service, yet not all platforms provide the revenue models you need. If you find that you can’t implement an ad-supported tier, flexible subscriptions, or pay-per-view events because of technical limitations, you’ve likely outgrown your vendor’s capabilities.
For example, many streaming services that launched with a simple subscription model (SVOD) later want to add advertising-based video on demand (AVOD) or hybrid models, only to discover their platform doesn’t support ad insertion or multiple business models. In fact, plenty of platforms underperform in revenue, not due to content quality, but because the platform itself doesn’t support flexible monetization models.
If your current solution offers only basic paywalls or lacks integration with ad networks and analytics, you’re likely leaving money on the table. Modern online video solution providers empower you with diverse monetization tools, from subscriptions and ad-supported video to data-driven insights for reducing churn. An inability to do so is a sure sign it’s time to move on.
3. Limited Scalability and Performance
Perhaps your video streams buckle under peak traffic, or launching in a new region or on a new device becomes a herculean task. Scalability is critical as your audience expands. Your platform must handle surging concurrent viewers and a growing content library without performance issues.
If your current vendor’s infrastructure struggles with the increasing data and user load, viewers will experience buffering and outages – a direct consequence of an underscaled platform. Likewise, limited scalability can show up as an inability to easily add new apps or support more content formats.
Modern cloud-based video platforms are built to scale on demand to let you expand into new markets or devices without massive upfront investments. If your platform instead requires constant workarounds or hardware upgrades just to accommodate more users, it’s a sign your vendor’s solution is not built for your success long-term.
Moving to a Better OTT Solution Provider
Recognizing these signs is the first step. The next step is finding an online video delivery technology provider that aligns with your future needs. When evaluating a new platform, look for a provider that offers:
- Robust support: Responsive customer service and a commitment to continuous improvement of the platform.
- Flexible monetization: The ability to combine subscriptions with advertising (or other models) and launch new pricing tiers without custom development.
- True scalability and reliability: Modern architecture (like cloud infrastructure and global content delivery networks) that ensures your streaming service performs well at any audience size.
In short, if your current vendor isn’t helping you grow, it may be time to explore a more capable partner. The right solution provider can give you the support, monetization features, and scalability required to take your streaming business to the next level. Making a switch is a big decision, but staying with a platform that holds you back could be far costlier.
