Blog | Backlight

Maximize the value of your managed video assets with OTT distribution

Written by Chris McMahon | 05.29.24

TL;DR

  • Introducing a unified approach to managing and distributing your media, with internet-scale direct-to-consumer distribution backed by the power of iconik. The Zype and iconik integration connects iconik’s hybrid cloud media management and collaboration features with Zype Streaming Platform’s API-first CMS, Live, and CRM with robust distribution and monetization capabilities, facilitating internet-scale distribution from iconik. Enjoy fast asset access, collaborative asset workflows, powerful digital distribution to web, mobile, CTV, and FAST environments, and a higher return on investment, all with the simplicity of iconik's pay-as-you-go pricing. 

A disconnected media supply chain can significantly impede your operations and market reach. However, by integrating MAM and CMS capabilities, you can mitigate operational bottlenecks and support stronger revenue streams.

That’s why we’re thrilled to announce a new integration between Backlight products, combining Zype's powerful content management with iconik’s comprehensive hybrid-cloud media management and collaboration workflows. 

We’ve crafted this powerful new workflow to streamline how your team organizes, manages, monetizes, and distributes video content to its intended audience. By combining the strengths of Zype’s CMS with iconik’s efficient media management and collaboration tools, you gain a comprehensive suite for content creation, collaboration, management, and distribution and enhance your ability to generate revenue from on-demand video across web, mobile, OTT, CTV, and FAST channels.

It’s internet-scale direct-to-consumer distribution backed by the power of a comprehensive MAM.

Let’s take a closer look.


HOW IT WORKS

This workflow ensures that once your content is tagged and stored in an iconik collection, it's promptly sent to a Zype video library for distribution on owned and operated platforms.

  1. Select “iconik” in the Zype  Integrations Marketplace. Connect your Zype and iconik accounts via the Zype integrations marketplace.
  2. A new iconik collection will appear. Upon linking accounts, you’ll see a new Zype Collection in iconik.
  3. Add content and watch it sync! Any content you add to your Zype collection in iconik will automatically sync with the Zype CMS and become accessible via your Zype media library.
  4. Edit Zype metadata & curation directly from iconik. With the integration enabled, a new Zype metadata view in the iconik Metadata panel allows users to edit Zype metadata directly and assign keywords for automated curation.
  5. Automatically distribute content With the Zype Streaming Platform. In Zype, you can configure categories and playlists to automate the content curation process, apply monetization rules, and distribute video to your digital streaming platforms.

Let’s say you’ve just finished a promotional video for an upcoming documentary. After handling production, collaboration, and editing in iconik, simply move the final file into your Zype iconik collection. It’s immediately ready for distribution across owned and syndicated platforms.

In essence, the integration between iconik and Zype streamlines your content management, ingest, and distribution process. You and your team can access, work on, and distribute media swiftly and maximize revenue potential through a unified video strategy.


A VISUAL WORKFLOW FOR DEFINING AD INSERTION

This integration also offers a handy new workflow for ad insertions. Here’s how you can use in/out markers in the iconik asset player to denote ad insertions instead of using timecodes alone in Zype:

  • Open an asset in the iconik asset player.
  • Add in/out markers on the timeline. The duration of the insertion will be captured as time-based metadata.
  • Set the CMS type for ad insertion, e.g., Inline, Push Out, Overwrite, and then save. The time-based metadata will sync to Zype.
  • Head over to the asset in Zype. You’ll see the ad timings reflected in Zype.



WHAT IS ICONIK?

If you’re not familiar with iconik, here’s the rundown.

Iconik is a hybrid-cloud media management and collaboration hub that revolutionizes how media-rich teams organize, access, and collaborate on digital assets. 

Versatile and accessible, iconik breaks free from the limits of traditional MAM systems via a flexible platform that manages assets across both cloud and on-premise storage, making assets instantly available via proxies, no matter where their originals live. With iconik’s complete media archive, enriched by metadata and AI for superior searchability and discoverability, teams can effortlessly share, review, and open media in creative production applications. 


With iconik, teams can enrich content through the creative process: 

  • Manage and organize assets via a complete archive of media. 
  • Bring your own cloud and on-premise storage – connect multiple asset repositories without moving or duplicating content.
  • Find content fast with powerful metadata-powered search.
  • Find content smartly with AI-powered recognition.
  • Share, collaborate, review, and approve with unlimited team members and clients.
  • Manage asset versions and ensure only approved versions of content are available for distribution in Zype.
  • Transcribe voice-to-text to generate closed captions and search by spoken words.
  • Edit media with NLE integrations.
  • Create custom workflows and integrations using iconik's robust API.
  • Grow with scalable pay-as-you-go pricing.

With a cost-effective, pay-as-you-go pricing model devoid of minimums or long-term commitments, iconik is the ultimate all-in-one management solution to connect people with their media.

Learn more here

WHAT IS ZYPE?

Zype Streaming Platform is a cloud-based online video platform with a built-in CMS, CRM, embeddable HTML5 video player, tools for live broadcasting, encoding, distribution to web-based platforms, and consumer and content analytics.

It enables teams to manage, monetize, and distribute video across web-based platforms, allowing them to centrally operate and grow a modern multi-platform video publishing business.

With Zype, you get access to the following:

  • Comprehensive video library and metadata management through the Zype CMS.
  • Monetization and audience management via the Zype CRM.
  • High-quality streaming with an embeddable HTML5 video player.
  • Versatile distribution capabilities, including multi-rendition cloud encoding.
  • Detailed analytics to track consumer and content performance.
  • Customizable workflows with API tools.
  • Build video experiences out of the box with embeddable players, no-code app design, linear playout, and more.
  • Distribute anywhere with open MRSS and API accessibility.
  • Flexible monetization models, including SVOD, AVOD, TVOD, or hybrid options.
  • Streamlined content organization with automated categorization and playlist management.

 

CONNECT YOUR MEDIA SUPPLY CHAIN

By integrating iconik’s media management with Zype’s CMS capabilities, you gain a cohesive, streamlined workflow for content management, ingestion, and distribution workflows and enhance the media and metadata supply chain for O&O platforms. 

Try the Zype and iconik integration to access, find, and distribute media fast, maximize your revenue potential, and increase efficiency via a unified video strategy.

Please note: You must be a user of both iconik and Zype to use this integration. If you’re an existing customer or if you’re not familiar with Zype and would like to learn more, contact us here, and we’ll be back in touch. We can discuss how implementing this integration can improve your content experience.