Netflix wants to make it easier for you to recommend the TV shows and films you love.
The streaming service introduced a “Double Thumbs Up” button Monday that is “an additional way for members to let us know what types of series and films you want to see more of.”
Netflix already has “Thumbs Up” and “Thumbs Down” buttons that work as a recommendation tool, but the company said Monday it wanted to add an extra option to convey when consumers really love something.
“We’ve learned over time that these feelings can go beyond a simple like or dislike,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Providing an additional way to tell us when you’re really into something means a profile with recommendations that better reflect what you enjoy.”
Years ago, Netflix had a star rating, similar to Uber and Amazon. But the company said it was confusing some customers, and it ditched the stars in 2017 in favor of a simplified thumbs-up/thumbs-down rating system. “Double Thumbs Up” marks a return to more fluid recommendation options.
The new rating system may seem insignificant — or merely a call back to the days of Siskel and Ebert — but a simple update like this is actually important to Netflix’s business.
Netflix is the streaming leader with more than 220 million subscribers worldwide. Pleasing those subscribers is vital to the company’s growth and bottom line, and one way to do that is with better content curation.
Giving subscribers a way to tell Netflix when they really loved something they watched allows the service to offer more content like it, which helps keep those consumers satisfied and signed up.
“For example, if you loved ‘Bridgerton,’ you might see even more shows or films starring the cast, or from Shondaland,” the company said.
Finding ways, even small ones, to keep subscribers happy is important to Netflix — especially now. The company’s stock tanked on weak subscriber outlook when it reported fourth quarter earnings in January, leading to questions about the platform’s growth going forward.
Netflix stock has a chance to bounce back next week when the company reports first quarter earnings.
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