From online self-made to film company video websites are getting bigger and bigger

After the dispute over copyright content, online self-produced dramas have become the latest profit point for video websites. In 2014, video websites have begun to expand their upstream content industry through rich self-produced drama content, thereby expanding and changing the inherent business model of video websites. More and more video websites have begun to formally enter the film and television industry, which is regarded as a symbol of the "explosion" of the self-produced content strategy that these video websites have been preparing and brewing for many years.

It is estimated that the on-demand volume of online self-produced dramas will reach 1.5 billion times in 2014. Whether in terms of video content or business development model, it is becoming increasingly important for video websites to develop self-produced video content business.

Differentiated content attracts user groups

Before video websites started to produce their own content, looking at the recommendations on the homepages of major video websites, they were all the same popular TV dramas and TV variety shows, and users' choice of website was limited to the level of corporate brand awareness.

However, after the emergence of self-made content, self-made dramas have become another magic weapon for websites to attract traffic and users. The content differentiation competition formed by self-made dramas is not limited to video websites, but also extends to self-made content and traditional TV dramas.

Sohu Video, which relies on a large number of American TV drama copyrights, focuses on the masses, civilians and "diaosi" images in the production of online drama content. The first season of its "Diaosi Man" won a total playback volume of more than 300 million; and Youku's popular online self-produced dramas "Never Expected" and "Miss Puff" have a total playback volume of more than 200 million times each; LeTV's first self-produced drama "Northeast Past: 20 Years of Gangster Storm" has been on the air for only 16 days, and the playback volume has exceeded 200 million times; after the recent broadcast of Tencent Video's self-produced seasonal drama "The Darker Side", it has received unanimous praise from netizens.

On the other hand, with the various restrictions imposed by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television on TV drama content, such as restrictions on war themes, violence themes, and emotional themes, it has indeed effectively controlled "weird" TV series such as shocking dramas, time-travel dramas, and anti-Japanese dramas, but it has also caused a decline in the appeal of traditional TV dramas . In comparison, the content of online self-made dramas is slightly freer, and the content themes are mostly based on the preferences and tastes of the audience, which also better cultivates user stickiness.

In addition, online self-made dramas have also absorbed the essence of overseas dramas, making them more flexible and not restricted by specific broadcast times and lengths. The plot rhythm is also more brisk and interactive. Some dramas can even be filmed and broadcast at the same time, and the plot and ending can be adjusted at any time according to the audience's preferences.

Profit model is the fundamental orientation

With the continuous increase in the price of video content copyrights in the past two years, the profit margin has become smaller, and the passive situation of video websites has become more serious.

With the high cost of copyrights for high-quality content and serious content homogeneity, self-made content has become the only choice for video websites. From the perspective of input-output ratio, self-made content is also more cost-effective than purchasing copyrights. Especially in the past two years, the focus of traditional TV dramas has begun to be on the popularity of actors, the luxury of scenes, and the hype of the plot, resulting in higher and higher shooting costs and more and more expensive copyrights; while online self-made dramas pay more attention to the design of the plot and the preferences of the audience.

More importantly, self-made content has also changed the previous situation where online videos relied on a single revenue model of patch advertising, and has achieved the effect of diversifying profit models. Through self-made content, video websites can access advertising, title sponsorship, implantation, insertion, derivatives, virtual gifts, user charges, etc., and even direct purchases.

So far, the development of self-made content on major video websites has basically been on the right track. Video websites have set up film and television companies or studios and officially entered the film and television industry to continue to develop self-made content. "Heyi Pictures", a subsidiary of Youku Tudou Group, which was established on August 29, said that it will invest no less than 9 Internet movies every year in the future. Liu Dele, president of Youku Tudou Group , also proposed to invest 300 million yuan in 2014 to strengthen online self-made content. LeTV Pictures, established in 2012, also announced that it will launch 700 episodes of high-quality self-made dramas in 2014 after successfully producing Zhang Yimou's "Coming Home".

From the initial micro-films and online self-made dramas that made the audience feel fresh, to the establishment of their own film and television companies, the self-made dramas of domestic video websites can be said to have "risen". I hope that they can continue to develop in a healthy and orderly manner, and while bringing high-quality content to users, I also hope that they can form a healthy competition with traditional TV dramas and promote the further development of each other.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.