Merzigo & Fremantle: Localization Drives Content Growth
▼ Summary
– Merzigo, a global business based in Turkey, London, and L.A., helps content owners like Warner Bros. and Disney maximize revenue through YouTube and Facebook, recently expanding its reach via a deal with Fremantle.
– CEO Yigit Dogan Çelik emphasizes that localization is now a fundamental content growth strategy, requiring deep understanding of YouTube and Meta algorithms to optimize engagement and revenue.
– Merzigo manages over 5,000 digital channels in 18 languages, achieving 13 billion monthly views, with localization services like subtitling and dubbing boosting revenue up to 15 times.
– The new Fremantle deal involves curating and localizing Fremantle’s catalog content for global audiences, including shows like *Wentworth* and *Neighbours*, starting with English and expanding to other languages.
– Merzigo employs 500+ content optimization experts and develops AI tools, such as Command Monitoring and image restoration, to enhance marketing and video quality while staying adaptable to algorithm changes.
Localization has become the cornerstone of content growth, with companies like Merzigo proving its transformative power in global media distribution. The Turkey-based firm, now operating from London and Los Angeles, partners with industry giants such as Warner Bros. Discovery and Walt Disney to maximize revenue through YouTube and Facebook. Its recent collaboration with Fremantle marks another milestone, expanding its footprint across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Understanding platform algorithms is critical for success in today’s digital landscape. According to Merzigo CEO Yigit Dogan Çelik, localization isn’t just an optional strategy, it’s essential. “YouTube and Meta’s algorithms constantly evolve based on trends and viewer behavior,” he explains. “Success hinges on interpreting real-time data, playback rates, ad impressions, and engagement metrics, to refine content strategies dynamically.”
Merzigo’s proprietary platform enables rapid adaptation to algorithm shifts, ensuring content remains optimized for maximum reach. The company handles everything from upload strategies to marketing, leveraging consumer insights to stay ahead. This data-driven approach has yielded impressive results: over 5,000 digital channels in 18 languages, generating 13 billion monthly views and 2+ billion subscribers worldwide.
Localization goes beyond translation, it enhances engagement and monetization. By offering subtitling and dubbing, Merzigo helps partners increase international revenue by up to 15 times. What began as a focus on Turkish dramas in 2018 quickly expanded globally, thanks to insights gained from localizing content across multiple languages.
Fremantle’s partnership underscores this success. After licensing scripted shows like Baywatch and Merlin for Turkey, the collaboration deepened. Now, Merzigo curates Fremantle’s catalog, including Wentworth and Neighbours, for YouTube and Meta, with plans to localize content for French, German, Arabic, and APAC markets.
While YouTube and Facebook remain primary platforms, Merzigo is prepared to expand. “Once TikTok and Instagram introduce robust ad models, we’ll be there,” Çelik notes. The company also helps clients redirect YouTube audiences to broadcast or VOD services, leveraging the platform’s marketing power.
Behind the scenes, AI and human expertise drive efficiency. With 500+ content optimization specialists, Merzigo continuously refines strategies using in-house tools. One such innovation, Command Monitoring, analyzes viewer interactions to adjust marketing tactics, like tweaking thumbnails for higher engagement. Another AI tool upscales SD videos to HD, ensuring content quality meets modern standards.
The future lies in AI-driven localization, and Merzigo is at the forefront. By blending real-time data, cultural adaptation, and cutting-edge technology, the company sets a new benchmark for content growth in the digital age.
(Source: Streaming Media)
