The Background

MOBY Group, renowned for delivering invaluable news and entertainment to the Afghan audience worldwide, aimed to cater to the growing demand for digital content consumption among the Afghan diaspora. They decided to launch an over-the-top (OTT) service called Darya to deliver their content to users on their digital devices. The service started as an advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) platform, accessible through a progressive web app (PWA) known as WebOTT on the FlixForge platform, later expanding to native store apps on mobile and TV platforms.


FlixForge's Innovations

The decision to partner with FlixForge was based on their innovative transcoding and CDN delivery solutions, which helped MOBY Group lower costs while ensuring a carrier-grade platform with global accessibility. FlixForge’s WebOTT solution enabling direct customer acquisition from social channels along with seamless local language support were also important factors for the team at Darya. 


Audience Building Strategy

To build the initial audience, MOBY Group devised a strategy centered around Facebook, a popular social media platform among Afghan users. They leveraged FlixForge's social integration capabilities to share promotional details of upcoming shows, live TV clips, trailers, and other content. This approach proved more convenient and less intrusive to users than app notifications. The audience grew organically through shares on Facebook, and conversions to the Darya OTT service increased significantly with the one-click play functionality on FlixForge's WebOTT solution. Playing videos within the in-browser Facebook experience helped with retention, conversion and customer acquisition.


Growth and Retention

Within just three months, the Facebook audience for Darya reached 400,000 users. Retention was further enhanced by FlixForge's automatic language support for Dari and Pashto, detected and rendered via the users' device language settings. The platform seamlessly adapted to left-to-right or right-to-left language formats, which aided in user retention and engagement. Additionally, being a web-based application, Darya benefited from search engine optimisation (SEO), driving organic traffic to the OTT service. The multilingual support also contributed to much more powerful SEO results.


Transition to Hybrid Business Model

After successfully building a substantial user base, MOBY Group transitioned to a hybrid business model. They offered some channels for free and placed premium content behind a paywall in select premium markets. Leveraging FlixForge's one-click Google and Apple Pay solutions, Darya experienced strong subscription numbers from day one of the premium offering.


Custom Analytics and Optimisation

FlixForge's platform provided MOBY Group with custom analytics capabilities, allowing them to gain insights into video engagement and optimise the user journey. This data-driven approach enabled them to refine their content strategy and improve the overall user experience.


Extensive Content Library and Global Reach

Darya aimed to cater to Dari and Pashto speaking audiences worldwide. It features over 20,000 hours of on-demand content, with an additional 200 hours added monthly. The service also offers four live TV channels and 2 audio. To ensure accessibility, Darya is available as a PWA, as well as native apps for iOS, Android, Samsung TV, LG TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. This extensive coverage allows MOBY Group to reach a global audience.


Acquisition and Monetisation

Through non-paid social media channels, Darya acquired over 500,000 users in just four months. To monetise the platform, MOBY Group utilised Google AdSense for Video (AfV) and the Roku Advertising Program. These advertising solutions enabled them to generate revenue while delivering a seamless user experience.


The Result

With the support of FlixForge's platform, MOBY Group successfully launched the Darya OTT service and rapidly built a substantial audience. Leveraging social media integration, optimised user flows, and language support, Darya gained popularity and retention. The transition to a hybrid business model, combined with seamless payment solutions and custom analytics, further contributed to the platform's success. Darya's extensive content library and global reach allowed MOBY Group to cater to the diverse needs of Dari and Pashto speaking audiences worldwide, solidifying their position in the OTT market.