Saurabh Bhatia, CBO, Vdopia on increasing penetration of Online live streaming and monetization…

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Vdopia offers Video Ad Network and Video Ad Platform that targets Indians across the world. It provides advertisers opportunity to advertise on the most premium online video content available on the internet. With increasing penetration of online video, company is offering platform to monetize.

Saurabh Bhatia ,Chief Business Officer, Vdopia talks to Pragya Gupta on the opportunities for online live streaming platform for publishers and advertisers in the Indian market and company\'s plans and offering in this space

ITVARNews: What is the main thought process behind the online live streaming of cricket matches and news?

Saurabh Bhatia: Working with online content owners for quite some time made us realize the value of content in areas like cricket&news. There was also a request from our publishers for providing them a solution in those lines. Thats how the concept of live streaming of cricke

t on board was developed as we worked with Ten Sports for India-Australia series and Nimbus for India Sri Lanka series. Today we not only deliver an amazing reach within audience vis-a-vis television but also provide absolute measurability. The interactivity we provide through our cutting edge technology - V-Live has been a great success. No player in the world has come close to the interactivity features we provide to the Brand advertisers.

ITVN: Shed some light on the technology used and how it works in Indian conditions?

SB: We developed the V-Live Technology which enables live streaming ad insertion. This technology can be used for any live streaming event with interactivity features like clickable ads, geotargeting, dynamic ads, Talk2Me features, etc. We have successfully tested and implemented these features with our leading partners like Cricket Nirvana and Ten Sports. The content syndication to reach through a wider audien

ce was made possible through this technology.

ITVN: What kind of response are you getting from the online viewers? With due consideration to the online video content, do you find any shift in the online viewers consumption patterns or growth in viewership since the inception?

SB: Yes, we have witnessed a humongous growth in the market of online streaming of video content since the inception. Approximately three million unique online internet viewers watched the India Sri Lanka series on Cricket Nirvana.com, and even if not in the stadium or at home, Indians surely know how to catch their dose of cricket. Viewership patterns are changing quickly&there is a steady rise in viewers of live content on the internet. Live visuals from around the globe on ones computer terminal are a boon for multi-taskers who can work and catch their favourite sport at the same time.

ITVN: Which are the major advertisers that have

come aboard so far?

SB: For live streaming we have had advertisers like Aircel, Airtel, Xerox, Maruti Suzuki, IDBI, Cisco et al.

ITVN: What are your further plans in terms of adding value for the consumers and advertisers?

SB: For consumers, we are in talks with leading broadcasters to bring premium content online with amazing viewing experience across screens - Internet, and Mobile. The advertisers are reaching to a wider audience through Vdopia platform and are using the interactivity features possible only through V-Live Technology.

ITVN: Vdopia has grown over 900% in 2009. What are your plans to sustain the same growth?

SB: In the short term, we believe that mobile is going to be a big initiative including live streaming. We are focused on the expansion of our sales, technology, R&D in India. For this year we had done significant h

iring & had doubled our sales team. Moving forward in the long run we are very clear that we need to continue to do innovation around video & we are absolutely committed in doing that.

ITVN: How do you view India as a market for these technology acceptances?

SB: The technology has been accepted well among Brand marketers and audiences. Sectors like FMCG, Fashion, and Lifestyle which had been investing in TV medium for advertising are now shifting their marketing budgets online. The Indian marketers are now willing to experiment the new internet medium in reaching the targeted audience. They need interactivity and measurability, which is only possible through internet.

ITVN: What are the potential customers to sell these solutions? What verticals Vdopia is looking which can add value to your business?

SB: Potential customers - all sectors looking to reach targeted high

net worth individuals. FMCG, BFSI, Consumer durables are the verticals which can find value through the Vdopia platform to reach a wider audience.

ITVN: What challenges are there when it comes to advertising online?

SB: The major challenge is advertising budget. Most of the advertiser dont offer budget like they have for advertising in electronic media. They invest only 5 percent of what they are investing on television. It will take more time to get major chunk of money for this platform.