Cue TV
How do we help a market leader in Opera to pivot to an OTT platform?
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problem
CueTV faced the daunting task of translating its vast library of opera performances into a compelling digital experience. Despite its unique content offering, the platform struggled with low subscription conversion rates, high bounce rates, and limited trust from users unfamiliar with the brand. The challenge was to design a solution that would bridge the gap between user expectations and the platform's offerings while ensuring a seamless and engaging user journey across devices.
solution
To address these challenges, the approach centered on creating a user-centric experience by redesigning the platform’s interface, optimizing for mobile users, and building brand credibility. Key strategies included simplifying navigation, enhancing mobile performance, integrating social proof, and establishing a cohesive design language. These measures aimed to improve user engagement, reduce friction, and drive subscription growth.
CueTV, a groundbreaking initiative by Operabase—the world's largest opera database—set out to become the premier OTT platform dedicated to opera enthusiasts globally. With a repository of over 85,000 performances spanning diverse genres and languages, CueTV aimed to deliver an immersive and seamless streaming experience accessible across all major operating systems. The project’s vision was to connect opera lovers with high-quality performances while addressing the unique challenges posed by transitioning into a competitive OTT landscape.

To address these challenges, the approach centered on creating a user-centric experience by redesigning the platform’s interface, optimizing for mobile users, and building brand credibility. Key strategies included simplifying navigation, enhancing mobile performance, integrating social proof, and establishing a cohesive design language. These measures aimed to improve user engagement, reduce friction, and drive subscription growth.
challenges
Despite the immense potential of its content library, CueTV faced several critical hurdles in achieving its goals:
Low Conversion Rates
A mere 7% of site visitors progressed to the subscription checkout page, indicating a significant gap between user interest and paid user conversion.
High Bounce Rates
Analytical insights revealed a 76% drop-off rate after the first page interaction. Compounding this issue, 71% of new users accessed the site via mobile devices, underscoring the need for mobile-first optimizations.
Brand Credibility
As a new entrant in the OTT domain, CueTV struggled with establishing trust and credibility, essential for attracting first-time users to commit to subscriptions.
solution
To overcome these challenges, we undertook a comprehensive approach that prioritized user experience (UX), mobile accessibility, and effective branding. The solutions implemented included the following key strategies:
Redesigning the Landing Page
Conducted A/B testing on different versions of the landing page to identify high-performing designs.
Highlighted the 14-day free trial prominently, simplifying the value proposition for potential users.
Improved visual hierarchy to guide users through the subscription journey effectively.
Result: A 78% increase in visits to the subscription checkout page.
Mobile Optimization
Recognized that over 70% of the audience accessed the platform via mobile devices.
Streamlined mobile navigation, ensuring that users could easily discover content and initiate trials.
Enhanced mobile page load speeds and responsiveness to minimize friction.
Result: A 44% reduction in drop-offs during the first interaction.
Building Trust with Social Proof
Integrated reviews from reputable media outlets and testimonials from opera enthusiasts.
Displayed app store ratings prominently, establishing credibility for mobile app users.
Highlighted affiliations with established opera organizations to reinforce authenticity.
Establishing a Consistent Design Language
Developed a cohesive design system to align website, marketing materials, and the OTT platform interface.
Maintained visual and functional consistency across all touchpoints, ensuring a seamless brand experience.
Introducing Engagement-Driven Features
Enhanced user retention with quality-of-life features such as watchlists, content recommendations, and bookmarking tools.
Integrated advanced search functionalities, allowing users to easily navigate the extensive content library.
Designed an intuitive user dashboard for streamlined access to ongoing and upcoming performances.
implementation process
Discovery Phase
Conducted stakeholder interviews, user surveys, and competitor analysis to identify gaps and opportunities.
Prototyping and Testing
Created prototypes of new designs and tested them with a sample audience to gather actionable feedback.
Development
Implemented the redesigned landing page, mobile-first optimizations, and quality-of-life features in incremental phases.
Launch and Monitoring
Rolled out the new platform design and monitored key performance indicators (KPIs) such as session duration, conversion rates, and bounce rates.
results
The strategic interventions delivered measurable improvements across several metrics:
Increased Engagement
Session durations increased by 1.4x, indicating improved user interest and interaction with the platform.
Improved Conversion Metrics
Visits to the checkout page rose by 78%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the redesigned user journey.
Lower Bounce Rates
First-interaction drop-offs were reduced by 44%, showcasing enhanced initial engagement.
Stronger Brand Perception
The inclusion of social proof and a cohesive design language significantly improved user trust and brand credibility.
year
2022 - 2023
timeframe
1 year
tools
Figma
category
UI/UX
01
Browse page of the CueTV platform for users to watch a performance
02
Free titles for the user to build credibility before actual subscription
03
Subscription nudge for the user to convert into a paying customer