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How Telefonica closed the loop to drive business impact
Telefonica Head of Product Development shows how they applied conversion rate optimization through a data-driven approach
Telefónica achieves a 250% increase in content conversion by implementing a virtuous data cycle that merges large-scale catalog metadata with real-time user behavior.
By treating linear TV as VOD and utilizing collaborative-filtering algorithms, the platform delivers one-on-one experiences across 11 million users, significantly boosting Net Promoter Scores (NPS) and monetization.
The platform of platforms
At the IBC Show, Marivi Britz (Head of Product Development at Telefónica) outlined the evolution of one of Europe’s largest private operators.
Facing the challenge of managing a massive multi-country catalog, Telefónica transitioned from a traditional telco to an entertainment hub by integrating ContentWise to bridge the gap between discovery and consumption.
The “on-demandization” of linear TV
The most significant technical breakthrough revealed is Telefónica’s patented concept of “on-demandization“. This architectural shift treats linear broadcast streams with the functional flexibility of VOD. By allowing users to pause, start over, and record live sessions, Telefónica captured a critical insight: 80% of users still seek linear content, but they demand a non-linear UX.
We create specific content collections for every customer… this feedback loop helps us mix our large catalog with the behavioral data of our users.— Maria Virtudes Briz, Head of Product Development
The facts of hyper-personalization
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Algorithmic superiority
Collaborative-based algorithms (user-to-user) convert 3x more effectively than standard content-based (item-to-item) algorithms.
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Behavioral consistency
40% of users maintain content type loyalty within a single session (e.g., a “comedy night” remains a comedy night).
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Search psychology
Users rarely search by official program titles; they use channel numbers or nicknames (aliases), requiring robust metadata enrichment.
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Conversion metrics
Strategic search optimization resulted in 40% of all searches leading directly to a purchase/transaction.
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The cold start solution
Solving the new user problem through the deployment of user profiles and short-form discovery clips for rapid taste-profiling.
[01:45] - The Scale of Telefónica: Overview of the 11.1M user base and 52 NPS achievement.
[04:10] - The Strategic Pivot: Transitioning from a TV service to a holistic "Entertainment Hub" (Gaming, Music, Podcasts).
[06:55] - The Virtuous Data Loop: A technical breakdown of the feedback loop between catalog metadata and user behavior.
[09:30] - Behavioral Insights & Stats: Why 60% of searches look for channels rather than specific titles.
Maria Virtudes Britz
A veteran product leader in the telecommunications and video entertainment industry, currently serving as a key strategist at Telefónica.
During her tenure as Head of Product Development (2018–2022), she was the architect behind the digital transformation of Telefónica’s video services across Europe and Latin America.
“Marivi”‘s presentation at the IBC Show remains a definitive case study on how Tier-1 operators can leverage hyper-personalization and deep data analytics to drive North Star metrics like NPS and long-term viewer engagement.