The streaming wars are not about content anymore, they’re about connection. Consumers face endless choices and the competition is fierce, with high churn rates, subscription fatigue, and subscriber acquisition costs rising. Streaming isn't going away, but customer sentiment shows that there is a diminishing value exchange. Even as 90% of Americans and 75% of consumers in the UK and Australia maintain streaming subscriptions, Deloitte finds that growing numbers, including 36% in the U.S., question whether it’s worth the cost. This is a reminder that usage doesn’t equal loyalty. Growth depends on something more durable than content drops — direct, data-driven relationships that keep audiences engaged between binges.
Streaming leaders need to evolve their audiences from casual viewers to loyal members. Owning and activating on the data behind logins, preferences, and views give brands the ability to anticipate behavior, personalize engagement, and audiences into loyal subscribers. Streaming success is centered on increasing loyalty, powered by smart use of data and marketing channels.
Personalize journeys to maximize engagement
Netflix’s “Because you watched…” is one of the most recognizable tactics in the world for good reason. It keeps subscribers engaged by tailoring content suggestions to individual tastes. The leaders use behavioral, first-party, and zero-party data to create deeper moments of personalization that extend beyond the app. They tailor communications across email, mobile, push, and web to create a consistent experience across every owned channel.
Marigold’s cross-channel messaging and personalization capabilities create the opportunity for streaming brands to automate personalized recommendations and journeys that adapt to each subscriber’s behavior and timing. Tools like Liveclicker enable open-time personalization to ensure each moment is the most relevant.
Prevent churn before it happens
Subscriber churn is expensive, but often predictable. Declining logins, expired payment methods, or ignored recommendations are all signals that a customer might be ready to leave. The difference between losing and keeping that customer is how quickly you act. The most effective brands respond with retention campaigns, reminding subscribers of the value they’re getting, showcasing content they haven’t tried yet, or offering personalized incentives to stay.
These types of initiatives can and should be automated through Marigold’s cross-channel marketing solutions, using personalized messaging and targeting journeys to re-engage subscribers and reduce the risk of cancellation before it occurs.
This shift from reactive to proactive retention can make the difference between a lost subscriber and a loyal advocate.
Build loyalty between big content drops
Content alone isn’t enough to keep subscribers engaged. The most successful streaming brands create experiences that build community. Exclusive premieres, behind-the-scenes content, and fan-first events are effective tactics for building more connections. Referral programs or bundled perks also deepen loyalty, rewarding people for their ongoing commitment.
These initiatives build an emotional resonance that goes beyond price or catalog size. They transform the subscription into something personal — a community the subscriber doesn’t want to lose.
Between big releases, loyalty is built in the quieter moments. With Marigold’s audience engagement and personalization tools, streaming brands keep audiences engaged between major content drops through interactive experiences tied to the shows and artists they love — like quizzes, polls, and fan challenges that capture valuable zero-party data.
For instance, BBC Studios uses Marigold Grow to power interactive experiences like its Doctor Who Quiz, which generated more than 61,000 submissions and helped inform future content decisions.
Monetize smarter with ads and partnerships
As subscription growth evolves, more brands are adding paid tiers, ad-supported options, or hybrid models. The challenge is delivering ads and promotions that feel relevant and won’t drive the customer away. By leveraging subscriber first- and zero-party data and behavioral insights, streaming brands target ads more effectively, surface partner offers that align with user interests, and open up new revenue streams without alienating audiences.
Marigold enables brands to collect reliable zero-party data, personalize partner offers and promotions in real time, and deliver those experiences seamlessly across channels — all without compromising user trust.
The future of streaming growth
Streaming’s future belongs to those that build the deepest connections. The brands that turn data into understanding and understanding into loyalty, will lead the next wave of growth.
That’s the opportunity in front of every streaming marketer today, move beyond the binge, and build a lasting audience.
See how Marigold helps streaming brands strengthen loyalty and engagement →
