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Today, we do not say anymore: "I am watching a series", but: "I am on Netflix".
The American company became the biggest online platform offering movies, series and documentaries in continuous flow. The addicts are more and more numerous and the subscriptions do not stop coming from all sides. So much so in fact that the firm does not stop anymore investing in an incalculable number of new programs, in order to always conquer more followers.
Why such an attractiveness and how can it give some explanation? How does the company always convince more new followers?
Among the skills, there is one of the more ingenious... And if you were told that don’t you click accidentally the programs which interest you?
Programs suggested according to your previous video views
You have never said that Netflix always offered you, on your homepage, series which really corresponded to you? As if by chance...
In 2015, Carlos Gomez (responsible for the algorithmic personalization algorithmic of Netflix in this period) and Neil Hunt (product manager), publish an article in which they reveal, far from revealing us all their secrets, the functioning of recommendation at Netflix.
In other words, both employees explain that a person who goes on the platform needs to have enough choice but the presentation must be rather clear so that the choice is quickly made.
We also learn that a user loses any interest if the reflection exceeds the time planned for that purpose (60-90 seconds to find a movie). Clearly, if the subscriber has enough to look for a corresponding program, it will not remain on the platform, and Netflix will lose a user. And that, it is all that the American firm does not want to.
Thumbnail images adapted to your kinds of preference...
Hence, Netflix analyzes the subscribers’ viewings, to know a lot about them. And using data collected, the firm can offer viewers the programs which look like them. Nothing ever gets made on Netflix, everything is calculated. Moreover, the illustration images of the series advanced on homepages differ according to the Internet users. Don’t be panic if your friend hasn’t the same thumbnail images as you concern the current series. In fact, to be always in the stage with the user, the American firm chooses the illustrations according to the viewing preferences of the subscriber. Hence, if you are used to looking at romantic series on your account, you can see all the illustration images of the proposed selection, the tenderness or the kisses exchanged between actors. The same thing if you are rather comedy, you can find the same selection of series with funnier thumbnail images.
... And your favorite actors
The platform also pushes its algorithm to suggest programs according to the actors whom you appreciate. Do you like John Travolta? No problem, you can be sure that Netflix will place him on all thumbnail images of movies in which the latter plays.
It makes you wonder where they will be capable of going, in 2018...
Article written by Clélia Ripoll