From Challenges to Triumph: ODK’s Journey to Enhanced User Engagement

OnDemandKorea (ODK) is an Over-the-Top (OTT) streaming service that delivers a wide range of Korean entertainment content to audiences primarily in North America. ODK focuses on providing high-quality Korean dramas, documentaries, variety shows, and movies. The platform caters to Korean-speaking audiences but also aims to broaden its reach to non-Korean-speaking users who are interested in Korean culture and entertainment.

ODK's offerings include a robust library of on-demand content and a recently launched live TV channel that provides real-time streaming similar to traditional television. The company operates on a subscription-based revenue model, offering both ad-supported (AVOD) and ad-free (SVOD) plans to cater to different user preferences. ODK's mission is to bring Korean entertainment to a global audience, leveraging digital platforms to expand its viewership and engagement.

ODK sought to enhance its digital marketing efforts to increase user engagement and retention. Previously using SendGrid for email campaigns, they encountered significant limitations with the platform's usability and customization options.

In addition, the marketing team was interested in expanding their communication channels beyond email to include mobile-friendly channels like push notifications and SMS.

"Our revenue model is subscription based, so most of our revenue comes from ads and two different subscription plans," describes Sowoon Jo, Marketing Lead in Korea. 

Messaging is crucial to their business model because it helps increase LTV by nurturing user retention and encouraging plan upgrades. Although email was their primary channel prior to adopting OneSignal, their challenges with SendGrid and lack of mobile engagement options were inhibiting their ability to scale and target users effectively. OneSignal was the perfect fit to remedy their current challenges and unlock new growth opportunities.

Transition to OneSignal Email from SendGrid

ODK experienced issues with SendGrid's UX and customization options, leading them to look for a better solution that could empower non-technical marketing team members to build campaigns without developer support.

"In OneSignal, we’re focused on retaining current users as much as we can — retention through targeted communication based on audience behavior (like the content they watched in the last month) and driving higher LTV," says Jo. Taking a multichannel approach to engagement has given them an invaluable edge.

Adopting New Channels

• Push Notifications: To build an audience on their app, ODK used OneSignal for push notifications. This shift helped them engage users directly through their app, complementing email, their primary communication channel.
• In-App Messages: In-app messaging provided ODK with a new opportunity to communicate with actively engaged users, sharing announcements and information about new features.
• SMS: Recognizing that their main user demographic (40-60-year-olds) is more familiar with text messaging than with push, ODK started testing SMS campaigns with OneSignal. This initiative, combined with a new easy login feature, aims to collect phone numbers and further enhance their communication strategy.

Unwavering Support

OneSignal's support team provided extensive assistance during the integration process, addressing numerous questions and ensuring a smooth transition. Jo can't stress enough how critical this proactive support has been to her team.

With their previous messaging solution, tailoring their messaging to each user was more difficult. With OneSignal, Data Tags make automating and targeting messaging easy based on real-time audience interactions. In addition to sending promotions and newsletters, they began building re-engagement campaigns to win back users who had become inactive.

Since implementing OneSignal, ODK has observed significant improvements in user engagement and retention, including a 12% increase in Monthly Active Users (MAU). They’ve also earned positive feedback from initial SMS tests and plan to expand this channel to reach their audience more effectively.

In addition, OneSignals flexibility and customization options have given them more creative freedom with their messaging — including experimenting with GIFs in in-app messages, which lead to higher click-through rates. They plan to incorporate more moving images in future campaigns.

OneSignal has played a crucial role in ODK's digital marketing strategy, providing a versatile and user-friendly platform for multi-channel communication. Proactive support and advanced features like User Data Tags and Journeys have empowered their marketing team to uplevel their engagement strategy and improve user retention. Moving forward, ODK aims to explore more of OneSignal's capabilities to continue driving engagement and growth.