FAST has quickly become a winning method of distributing content. Older shows and niche favorites - even content that has done well on YouTube and Facebook video - are now finding new audiences due to the ad-supported streaming model. FAST has made it easier than ever to find low-stakes, high-reward platforms for your media. However, due to the low barrier to entry, it’s now becoming saturated. 

If you’re looking to grow your FAST viewership or begin distributing your content, localizing for new languages and markets presents a great opportunity. Now is the time to move FAST – to become channel 10 instead of channel 256. 

The rise of FAST‍

As the mutterings around Netflix and Disney+ show, subscription services have hit a bump. Many consumers don’t have the money to pay for five different streaming platforms. If this is true in countries like the UK and America, it’s even more noticeable globally. “Outside the U.S., Europe, and a couple of countries in Asia, nobody’s got money to pay a streaming service,” says Alan Wolk, co-founder and lead analyst at TVREV. “Netflix is learning this the hard way in India.” 

FAST has emerged as a media winner, eating up the traditional cable market and sustaining growth while paid streaming services struggle. It’s cheaper than cable, has fewer ad minutes per hour, and has no setup or top box fees. It's also come of age at a time when the tide may have turned on grab-bag streaming. As Srinivasan KA, the co-founder of advertising technology service Amagi, explains, “Consumers are exhausted by the cost and overwhelming choices of subscription services. Increasingly, they are clamoring for linear, “lean back” viewing experiences".

Yet with more content providers expanding into FAST, competition has become fierce. Between December 2020 and December 2021, the Amagi platform saw a 99% growth in the number of channels. With the low barrier to entry, content owners and distributors are seizing the chance to get in quick, and the market is reaching a point of saturation. 

Rather than getting lost in all the noise, look at opportunities for your content in other languages and territories. Your content has the best chance to impact areas with less industry attention.

How FAST has traveled 

Content creators and distributors have realized the global demand for FAST: there has been huge growth already in 2022. Companies are drawn by the opportunity to gain a comfortable foothold and have been forced to look abroad as the US market becomes increasingly saturated. Streaming growth is up massively in Asia, and Latin America is increasingly becoming a priority.

FAST providers have responded by lowering the barrier for entry even further: FAST Channels TV now offers launch packages for content partners with German, Italian, Spanish and French content and the Roku Channel Store enables publishers to distribute content across North America, much of Latin America, and several countries in Europe. As a result, anyone can set up globalized FAST channels and start broadcasting almost immediately. 

Move FAST to win big

The FAST model is a great way to make money off content that might not be suitable for traditional streaming platforms. Increasingly, this is actually the type of content consumers are interested in! 

You can gain significant ad revenue without associated setup costs or time constraints. It’s as simple as taking content you own the rights to, investing in an ad services platform, and pushing your content to the right FAST platform(s) for you. The revenue potential is immediate, and by distributing your content, you can quickly build a name for your brand at the same time. 

Advertising companies know that FAST advertising models are sophisticated and have larger enough audiences to produce results. FAST adverts are dynamic and usually targeted hyper-specifically at a household or individual. Because of this, you can make between $0.60 and $1 for every hour someone watches your channel (Source). 

Localize your content today

The only thing stopping you from reaching these wider market opportunities is the language of your existing content. Using Papercup’s hybrid AI platform, you can access an efficient, scalable localization tool for video dubbing with turnarounds as quick as a couple of hours. Cinedigm used Papercup to localize their entire library of Bob Ross content for a new Latin American audience, including an AI voice over that matched the soothing tone of the original.

FAST is trendier than ever, and localization offers a fantastic opportunity to expand your reach and revenue in a less saturated market. However, you need to move fast to get its potential or risk being lost in a sea of competition. Reach out to our team today to discuss your needs and learn more about the Papercup platform. Alternatively, watch our CEO Jesse Shemen discussing FAST opportunities at X-FRONTS.