Amazon Prime Video to Introduce More Ads: What It Means for Viewers
Some services, including Netflix and Disney+, have already laid this groundwork. Those who subscribe to Prime Video in the US and other countries will face more ads on their service starting in 2024, unless they pay for an ad-free tier. Given that Prime Video has traditionally been free of ads, this also marks the Amazon attempt to diversify revenue streams through the provision of various pricing options for consumers.
Why Ads Are Coming to Prime Video
In this, Amazon is part of a wider industry development, because these days streaming services are also adding ad-supported models to their primary income. This will thus bring Amazon more in line with other significant services and put it alongside Netflix, which recently launched its first ad-supported tier. Ads will help provide for lower cost-subscription options, while bringing in needed money through ads for all of its advertising partners.
And with even more original content, particularly big-budget ones like The Boys and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the ad model ends up being a financially feasible choice given that Amazon is currently spending so much on these shows. Meanwhile, ads will help them keep the cost of the standard subscription relatively low.
How Will Ads Work?
The ad-supported tier of Prime Video will have ads as pre-rolled or interstitial on shows and movies. No frequency has been confirmed yet, but Amazon said the ad load will be so small it won’t break up their viewing experience. The new ads will be added into Prime Video’s growing original and licensed catalog of content to balance ads with the quality of the content.
No Ads Available Via Subscription
Amazon will add a paid, commercial-free level of subscription for those users that simply don’t want to view commercials. Existing subscribers should be able to upgrade for a fee that grants them the ability to view without commercials. As of the time of writing, no word yet on price for the no-commercials content, but this new tier will give viewers a little bit more control in how they are going to use the service.
So what is this going to mean for those streaming their favorite TV shows and movies?
While some users may regard the introduction of ads as less than ideal, Amazon’s new model may make such content more accessible to potential subscribers. These people may have been accustomed to ad-supported content before and may not mind this about Amazon as long as it is a little cheaper to subscribe.
However, the ad-ons would make the ad-free-on-demand service an optional upgrade for viewers who have enjoyed ad-free content as part of their standard Prime membership, allowing them to consider upgrading to the ad-free option to retain the type of streaming experience they have grown accustomed to.
Conclusion: Changing the Streaming Landscape
In this space of rapid shift and evolutions, it can be said that the choice done by Amazon Prime Video-to add more ads-is in line with the shifting preferences of major platforms. Although this move is likely to prompt mixed reactions, it is offering the subscribers choices which are enabling them to consume content in different ways-to an ad-supported low-cost plan, for example-with a premium, ad-free experience. More original content on its way, it has positioned itself into being better prepared to face the crowded space in which it operates.