What Hulu Got Right About Its $9.99/Month Subscription Plan
Hulu finally unveiled with its long-rumored subscription plan, Hulu Plus, yesterday, and now that its details are confirmed, it's clear the site has done several interesting things that make paying $9.99 per month for better and more access to professional video content more attractive, even if the paid service does still include ads.
The key one is the subscription plan will make it possible to play Hulu content on other devices, including the iPad, iPhone and this box called a TV. Even though the subscription plan also offers full access to several season worth of popular TV shows -- as opposed to the free version, which usually only allows viewers to watch the five most recent -- this brings the subscription's value to a whole new level. The iPad (not to mention the TV) was basically meant for video -- but free Hulu won't run on them, nor will it currently run on the iPhone.
Another reason bringing subscription Hulu to other platforms is a good idea is that consumers have shown a willingness to pay for apps for mobile devices -- and TV -- even if they are loathe to pay for most PC-based content. It's not all that logical, but that's the way it is.
Speaking of things that aren't logical, Hulu is also wisely using one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book to market Hulu Plus, by making subscriptions invitation only for now. If you click on the "Request an Invite" link at the Hulu site, it spouts back this rather hilarious line:
Become one of the first Hulu Plus subscribers during our preview. Enter your email address and we'll send you an invite as soon as one becomes available.As soon as one becomes available? Will people really fall for that? As exclusivity so often seems to be everything in consumer culture, well, yeah.
I still stand by my contention from an earlier post that most people won't think a Hulu sub is worth it. They'd rather use their DVR more heavily since they are already paying for it, then cough up almost $120/year to pay for more content. But Hulu is smart to recognize that its subscription model shouldn't just be about content, but how accessible that content is.
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