1. Content is key...

...There's a market out there for all types of content and Internet TV is a way of delivering it to the consumer. Understand your proposition and plan your content acquisition accordingly. The trick is to offer the content that your target audience wants - securing random content deals across all genres will not guarantee success.

2. Get the navigation right...

...There's no point having 10,000 hours of premium content if you can't find what you're looking for. Search functionality needs to be second to none and there are tricks which shouldn't be missed - such as series linking and Amazon style recommendations. Multiple methods of navigation should allow casual browsers to find something they want, or sophisticated searchers to drill down to what they need.

3. Develop a slick interface...

...The interface should be designed in a way that captures your audience. It needs to be intuitive and shouldn't take the viewer hours to understand how it works. But substance and functionality should come first - don't compromise functionality for overly stylised interfaces.

4. Make it secure...

...Digital Rights Management and your technology platform are key to getting your content partners on board. Take your time to understand how content providers approach Internet TV and the security issues that are most important to them. Selecting the wrong technology vendors can lead to wasted time, money and a serious lack of good content.

5. Pick the right model...

...You need to get the consumer proposition right and part of this means choosing the right model - whether it be ad-funded or a premium service. Many Internet TV services are moving towards advertising supported models, but that's not to say that transactional and subscription services don't work. The model should depend on your content offer and how consumers traditionally watch it.

Associated Links

• Internet TV - Learn to Surf the Hype Wave - Click here
• Internet TV - BBC iPlayer launch - Click here