Netflix had more than 230 million members globally as of the first quarter of 2024 (source: ShackNews). This is mostly due to its expansion into foreign markets. In fact, more than 60% of Netflix's users are based outside of the US, particularly in Asia-Pacific, which accounts for 47.5 million users. 

To achieve such rapid development, Netflix has employed several market entry techniques that have shown to be highly successful in its streaming territories across the globe. These include making large investments in regional content, forming alliances with regional telecom providers and content producers, and putting in place a variety of pricing schemes that are adjusted for different economic conditions. To learn more about these and other topics, let's take a closer look at what

Netflix’s market entry strategies

Investing in local content

Netflix’s investment in local content has significantly boosted subscriber growth in various regions. By producing and promoting shows that resonate deeply with local audiences, Netflix ensures a higher level of engagement and viewer loyalty. The media giant also uses dubbing to gain more reach for programming from different regions, and you can see why they’ve expanded so fast.

"Sacred Games," an Indian production, exemplifies this. Upon its release, it became a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers and driving a 50% increase in Netflix subscribers in the region. The success of "Sacred Games" exemplifies how locally relevant content can bolster subscriber numbers and engagement. Additionally, Netflix has invested over $400 million in Indian content between 2019 and 2021.

In Germany, the series "Dark" not only gained international acclaim but also significantly contributed to Netflix's growth in Europe. Dark was Netflix's first German-language original series and became one of the most-watched non-English shows on the platform, helping to increase its subscriber base in Europe by 19% in the year following its release. Of course, dubbing had a role to play here too.

Partnerships with local telecoms and content creators

Another smart strategy that Netflix employs is partnering with local telecoms and content creators to leverage their existing infrastructure and local expertise. For instance, Netflix has partnered with significant Indian telecom providers like Jio, Vodafone, and Airtel to provide Netflix memberships as part of a few of their premium plans. This bundling strategy allows users to access Netflix without having to purchase a separate subscription and gives Netflix access to the larger companies’ extensive customer base. 

The partnership with Jio, India’s largest telecom provider, has been particularly impactful. Jio's widespread network and affordable data plans have made high-quality streaming accessible to millions of Indians. (Sourced from Forbes India.)

Varied pricing models

Netflix makes its services more accessible and inexpensive by modifying its pricing structures to fit various economic climates. After realizing that the Indian market was sensitive to pricing, Netflix launched a mobile-only option that costs about $2.70 a month. In the first quarter after its launch, mobile-only plans accounted for almost half of all new subscriber additions in India, demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy in growing market penetration.

Tech innovations for scalability

Netflix has taken big strides in its technology to make sure that it provides high-definition streaming for various internet infrastructures. Part of this is adaptive streaming where videos get adjusted to fit the speed of the viewer’s internet hence having an uninterrupted flow of images in areas with low connectivity. 

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In addition, Netflix uses big data to understand what its viewers want and predict which content will be successful. The company reported a 120% annual growth in viewership of dubbed content, indicating a strong demand for localized versions of popular shows. Furthermore, services like TelevisionStats.com provide online TV ratings which support Netflix’s data-driven approach to content selection and localization. 

Another thing about Netflix is that it uses artificial intelligence as well as machine learning technologies to enhance its content recommendations and personalization. This means that these systems are able to look at vast amounts of data and from there predict what the viewer would like before telling them what they can watch on Netflix based on their individual preferences so as to keep them happy and interested all along.

Cultural challenges and adaptations

Netflix’s global growth has necessitated a deep understanding of diverse cultural traits and a well-thought-out approach to non-western audience content curation. This means not only translating content but also negotiating vast regulatory systems and differing cultures. In Japan, Netflix focused on animes and locally produced content as its main strategy. In bringing millions of Japanese subscribers on board, anime titles such as “Devilman Crybaby” and live-action adaptations of famous mangas have been essential. Furthermore, Netflix follows the unique way Japanese viewers watch anime seasons simultaneously through binge-watching.

In the Middle East, Netflix had to deal with conservative values and censorship laws. Netflix launched an Arabic interface specifically for viewers in this region and produced content grounded on cultural values, such as the Jinn series. Although there was discontent over how the show portrayed teenage dating, Netflix has learned from its experience and is exploring more ways of balancing artistic freedom with cultural sensitivity. 

In Turkey, Netflix faced serious regulatory challenges when it was required to delete scenes containing LGBTQ+ figures from its original series “Love101”. Adapting to cultural nuances has been a steep learning curve for Netflix, but one we can all learn from.

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What the world of dubbing can learn from Netflix

Netflix’s approach to dubbing has become a benchmark for the industry, showing how market timing, cultural sensitivity, adaptive pricing structures, and data leveraging all matter! Successful launches in markets like Brazil and South Korea teach us that strategic timing is everything. The introduction of Netlfix’s services into these markets was timed with increasing high-speed internet access penetration rates plus a rising preference for on-demand video service providers. 

Cultural sensitivity has also played a vital role in Netflix's localization. In South Korea, Netflix is heavily invested in producing and promoting K-dramas and movies that reflect Koreans’ desire for high-quality and culturally relevant content. 

Different regions have different economic conditions, so Netflix applies adaptable pricing approaches appropriate for each particular region. For example, Netflix offers a mobile-only subscription option among other subscription tiers that aim to target cost-conscious consumers in Brazil. 

As for the less successful ventures, Netflix’s challenges in China are an educational experience for all media companies. Though many attempts have been made to penetrate China, strict local content rules and censorship laws have greatly hindered Netflix’s efforts. To some extent, Netflix has licensing arrangements with such indigenous streaming platforms as Tencent Video or iQiyi; however, direct operations are limited. 

Dubbing is the future of streaming

Any company wishing to expand globally must have adaptability and innovation as integral aspects rather than just being beneficial. Netflix is able to localize its content with cultural sensitivity, deal with complex regulatory environments, and innovate continuously in technology and business models; this results in significant market penetration as well as user engagement. It ensures that the audience can relate to the content broadly speaking worldwide leading to loyal subscribers across the globe.

Deepdub’s revolutionary AI-led dubbing technology can greatly improve media streaming companies' major global expansion plans. Platforms can address language barriers effortlessly by providing high-quality, localized dubbing in many languages through Deepdub. That way, their target audience becomes wider and content resonates with them better. The ability to keep the true meaning and emotions of original content while adjusting it to different cultures is also exceptionally important, and it’s this – with the help of a variety of solutions like Deepdub’s proprietary emotional-Text-to-Speech (eTTS™) – that helps content stand out in a world that’s crowded with on-demand shows coming at viewers from just about every channel.