Streaming on TV is one of the best ways to engage with mass audiences globally. But how do you reach the most viewers? Roku channel is a highly being popular and preferable choice among people, especially in the U.S. It has the highest TV streaming watch time worldwide, with approximately 71.6 million monthly active accounts in the U.S. alone. In this blog, we’ve covered various reasons why you need a Roku app and how to create a Roku channel. However, there are three ways to develop Roku channel, such as-
- Hiring An Experienced Developers
- Leasing a Roku Channel
- Roku direct publishing
So, let’s get started with what Roku is all about.
Table of Contents
What is Roku
Roku is a smart OTT streaming device design to stream video content straight to your TV, both live and on-demand. These smart TVs usually run on Roku OS and are a part of the Roku TV and streaming ecosystem. It enables users to access a full catalog of streaming channels, called Roku apps or Roku channels. Having your own Roku app means you can watch and feel your content as if you had your TV channel.
Moreover, the company sells its hardware, which is called Roku Players. Its cost is between £29.99 and £179.99, depending on the model, and it runs anywhere. There are three types of Roku streaming devices available: HDMI sticks that plug directly into your TV, Block boxes that connect via Wi-Fi, Smart TVs, and others. Roku OS is the software that runs on these devices, enabling you to download and stream a wide range of Roku TV apps.
Why You Should Create a Roku Channel
According To Conviva, in 2022, Smart TVs And Roku Dominate Global Viewing and achieve double digital growth in streaming market worldwide.
| Streaming Devices | Contribution in the global market |
| Roku | 30.5% |
| Fire TV | 16.0% |
| Samsung | 13.7% |
| LG | 7.3% |
| Android TV | 7.8% |
| Apple TV | 4.7% |
| Others | 20.0 % |
- Roku offers commercial audience segmentation as well as global reach.
- It helps you to increase your reach, user satisfaction, and revenue.
- The Roku OS and publishing platform enable brands to directly connect with TV streaming audiences.
- It is not only providing content from broadcast TV and movie studios, but Roku also allows your business to create a channel.
- Through Roku channel, you can make your video business more accessible by letting you meet existing and potential viewers where they are (hint: Roku).
- It helps you to interact with your customer through contents..
- Capture a brand-new subsection of potential customers, because your app is where they’re searching
Through these channels brands can reach a wide range of audiences. There are thousands of Roku channels, representing businesses ranging from big brands to small businesses and even individuals. While a Roku channel seems like it natural fit with any business in the entertainment field, developing a channel can be beneficial in any businesses. Your channel is an ideal place to educate and attract new customers. Here you can provide personalized information about your industry, highlight new products and services, and even explain new technologies. Your channel can become a valuable resource to your customers.
Top Ways to Create Roku Channel
There are three different ways to create Roku channel efficiently.
Roku Direct Publishing _ To create your own Roku channel, you need to visit at Roku Direct Publishing route. First, you need to set up as a Roku customer, developer, and billing accounts. Then, log in to the Roku developer dashboard and create a new channel under the “Manage My Channel” tab.
- From here, you’ll see dashboard and a set of follow-along screens to complete. This screen has various things like your name, type of content, and branding.
- Original/licensed video content in a Roku-supported file format (DASH, HLS, SMOOTH, or M4V, MOV, or MP4).
- Content hosted online via your website, a content delivery network (CDN), or an online video platform (OVP).
- Content feed.
- Branding assets (logos and screenshots).
- Roku devices
Roku Direct Publisher is free, and using this is very easy. You’ll need to invest on it to create a Roku channel. This method will cost you between $30 and $1,000+ per month (not including developer fees), and may take a few weeks to go live.
Leasing a Roku channel_ This is the easiest and cost-effective way to create a Roku channel. Renting a Roku Channel from a reliable OTT service providers will help you to focus on perfecting your video content and running your business. The best part of leasing Roku channel is that someone experience person will takes care of all the technical aspects, like updating your app and adding new features, so you can spend time on the tasks that matter. It also saves you thousands of dollars on developers to keep up with the rest of the industry.
So, if you’re looking for an experience OTT provider, then you need to take care of various features that are:
- A video streaming website that is fully customizable, alongside your apps.
- Global payment gateways and in-app purchases.
- Live streaming capabilities.
- Protected content and secure downloads.
- Free maintenance and updates.
- A technically hands-off solution.
- Customizable and branded apps.
- Bulk video uploading.
- Marketing tools for business growth.
- Full audience ownership.
However, based on your requirement or service provide you choose, features may vary.
Hiring a developer: Leasing a Roku channel can be costly. Hence, you can contact a reliable OTT service provider. Enveu is one of the leading and well-known companies to create a custom Roku channel. They are well-equipped with an experienced developers who walk you through the app development. They’ll help you to build your app from scratch to your exact specifications with no coding knowledge required. Since it’s a full-on app development project, it will usually take between 3 and 6 months to go live, and will likely cost you anywhere between $10K and $20K depending on the features you require. That’s a lot of time and money!
Conclusion
So, depending on your business needs and budget, choose how to create a Roku channel. Envue is here to help you. As we all know, Roku is more widely used around the world – it accounts for 30.5% of global viewing time, while Fire Stick accounts for 16%. As a viewer, Roku has more channels (some of them free), works with Alexa and Google, and has more features. But the Fire Stick is still a good option for Amazon Prime Video members and those with Amazon smart devices.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Ans: While coding skills can be helpful, you don’t necessarily need them. Roku offers a user-friendly development environment that doesn’t require extensive coding knowledge. You can use Roku’s Direct Publisher platform for a simpler setup.
Ans: You can showcase a wide range of content on your Roku Channel, including videos, live streams, audio content, and more. It’s a versatile platform that accommodates various types of media.
Ans: The time it takes to create a Roku Channel can vary depending on your level of experience and the complexity of your content. However, with Roku’s user-friendly tools, you can have a basic channel up and running relatively quickly.
Ans: You can promote your Roku Channel through social media, email marketing, and other digital marketing strategies. Additionally, you can leverage Roku’s advertising platform to reach a broader audience.
Ans: Yes, you can update and modify your Roku Channel at any time. Roku provides tools and support for channel maintenance and improvements.
