Marketing a Miniseries

These days, everything seems to be a miniseries.

From The Queen’s Gambit to Tiger King, the rise of streaming platforms is shifting how stories get told. More and more, two-hour movies are being replaced by a 10-episode series.

Critics and couchgoers are quick to point to overlong shows that would have been better realized as a movie.

But for companies like Netflix and HBO, the miniseries has strategic business benefits.

Finding the Right Format

Traditionally, movies and TV make money by selling a one-time experience – a ticket or a rental, or advertising during an episode. Streaming services, on the other hand, sell monthly subscriptions. That ever-expanding watchlist keeps people subscribing for longer.

What’s more, streaming services saw an opportunity to earn awards and attention with miniseries without having to compete directly with movie studios or television networks.

And if the series is popular, there’s an option to make more a la True Detective and Big Little Lies.

The rise of the miniseries format has had clear communication takeaways for content marketing efforts as well.

People’s preferences for consuming content are always evolving. From podcasts to TikTok videos, content marketing continues to expand beyond the written word. It’s important to adapt your formats and channels to make sure you’re meeting audience needs and business objectives.

Timing matters too. Just as a miniseries can keep audiences engaged (and subscribed) for longer periods, content that hits audiences when they’re primed to receive it can have a much greater impact and a more consistent presence in their lives.