It seems Verizon wasted no time putting its newly acquired employees from internet video startup Vessel to work.
The company on Thursday announced its go90 mobile video platform is getting another facelift, with upgrades to its app and web interfaces that are meant to improve the content discovery experience as well as programming and merchandising. According to Chip Canter, Verizon’s GM of Digital Entertainment and go90, go90 3.0 includes both design changes and tweaks to the platform’s algorithmic search and recommendation features.
“We’ve completed a pivotal step across the aesthetic and technical putting go90 in a position for faster future development and deployment,” Canter wrote in a blog post. “We are excited about it. We hope you are too. We’re not done…more to come.”
Canter said the update will bring with it a new bottom navigation menu instead of the old side nav setup. That new menu includes “smarter” recommendations, search, and programming courtesy of an improved recommendation engine. The update will also introduce audience-specific networks, including go90 Saga for sci-fi, horror, and gaming; go90 Session for music, style, art, and information; go90 XO for “fierce, fresh, fearless dramas”; and go90 Zone for live sports, commentary, and comedy.
Speaking of live content, go90 3.0 will bring that category into better focus with a new live events section and live calendar to highlight sports offerings from the NFL, NBA, major league soccer, and others.
The move to highlight live content – particularly sports – isn’t surprising. Verizon EVP Marni Walden back in September said live sports, live music, and concerts were among the most successful content on the platform.
But go90 3.0 isn’t just an update for users.
The upgrade is also seeking to woo advertisers with new motion posters (MoPos, for short) that the carrier said will drive engagement when combined with its targeting data. MoPos are “immersive” video display ads that pop up as users are scrolling though content.
Content partners will also get new perks in the form of new partner wordmarks, verified accounts, and dedicated series landing pages with new stylized artwork. Additionally, partners will have a new portal through which to upload content, review metric reports, and complete other “day-to-day tasks.
Verizon said the go90 3.0 update will be rolling out across both iOS and Android over the next few days.
Filed Under: Apps
