Netflix is implementing its most significant redesign of its TV app in over a decade, aiming to make it easier for users to discover content. This major overhaul seeks to increase user engagement and potentially draw more subscribers to its new ad-supported tiers.
Research conducted by Netflix indicated that users spent considerable time browsing the home screen, a behavior they termed “eye gymnastics,” where viewers’ eyes moved between title rows, trending sections, artwork, trailers, and synopses.
“We really wanted to make that simpler, more intuitive, everything easier to navigate,” said Pat Flemming, senior director of member product, in an interview with Reuters.
Key Changes in the Netflix Redesign
- Larger Title Cards: Thumbnails for shows and movies are now bigger, making them easier to view and more appealing to select.
- Reorganized Information: Key details are now highlighted in a more streamlined manner, such as whether a title was “in the top 10 for 8 weeks”.
- “My Netflix” Tab: This new section curates content specific to the user, including shows and movies they’ve started or saved to their list.
- Simplified Navigation: The menu has been relocated from the left side of the screen to the top, allowing easier access to core options like “Home,” “Shows,” “Movies,” and “My Netflix”.
When Will The Redesign Be Available?
The redesign is currently being tested with a select group of Netflix’s nearly 270 million subscribers. The company plans to refine the design based on user feedback before a broader release.
This focus on engagement time reflects a broader strategy at Netflix, which now considers engagement a better measure of customer satisfaction than subscriber numbers alone. Starting next year, Netflix will no longer report subscriber numbers regularly.