Jared M. Lawandales

I would like to discuss two online communities for TV and movie lovers. Netflix and Hulu. Both of these are interactive communities that allow for threaded conversation about your favorite titles, as well as live streams of your favorite movies or shows. While these sites are similar in their general offering, I think that the differences are what will attract you to one site or the other. While Netflix requires a paid subscription, Hulu has just recently begun to, by invitation only, offer a paid subscription service available at Hulu Plus. Hulu has currently made available a wide array of TV shows, while Netflix provides a much better movie selection. Netflix also allows for DVD’s or Blu-Ray’s to be shipped directly to your home. Based upon the fact that both of these services are valued at less than $10 dollars a month, I really see no need to choose one or the other. However, I guess it would depend on what you are most interested in. I find that a blend of the two works well and I am currently waiting on an invite from Hulu Plus.

Based on the fact that I have not yet experienced the Hulu Plus services, I would have to say that Hulu is better for search engine marketing. By providing a free service you open up more possibilities for the collection of revenue from external companies looking to market their products via your medium. Also, people tend to feel more comfortable watching commercials when they’re not paying for the service. Posting to and becoming involved in the community is easier, as it does not require any monetary commitment from the prospective community members. Since Hulu is a free service, I think that more people will be inclined to utilize its resources and spend time on the site, thus allowing for more visibility to your marketing strategies.

~ Jared Lawandales