--- title: "What Is Content Migration? Definition and Examples" description: "Content migration moves a streaming catalog, its metadata and its subscribers from one platform to another. See the steps and how to avoid losing subscribers." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-migration" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-migration.md" category: "Platform" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is content migration? Content migration is moving a streaming service from one platform to another: the video files, metadata and artwork, the plans and prices, and the subscriber accounts with their active subscriptions. ## What has to move - Video: original files where available, re-encoded on the new platform - Metadata: titles, descriptions, cast, genres, series and season structure - Assets: artwork, trailers, subtitles and audio tracks - Commerce: plans, prices, coupons and purchase history - Subscribers: accounts, entitlements and, where possible, watch history - Billing: the stored payment tokens that let renewals continue ## How a migration runs - Audit the catalog and the subscriber base on the old platform - Export and import content and metadata, then check a sample title by title - Import members and map each to the right plan - Plan the billing switch so that renewals carry on without re-entering cards - Run both platforms in parallel for a short period, then switch domains and apps - Tell subscribers what is changing and how to sign in ## The risks to plan for Losing subscribers is the main one. If payment tokens cannot be transferred, every subscriber has to re-enter a card and some will not. Ask both the old and new payment providers about token migration early, and time the switch away from a major release. Sign-in is the second. Passwords are usually stored in a form that cannot be exported, so plan a first sign-in by email link or a password reset. Subscriptions bought through app stores stay with the store and need the new app to recognize them. ## Content migration on RentAnOTT Migration is part of a RentAnOTT launch. We migrate videos, artwork, metadata and pricing into the CMS, import your member list, and plan the billing switch and sign-in so active subscribers keep access. [See how switching works](https://www.rentanott.com/uscreen-alternative). ## Related terms - [Video CMS](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/video-cms) — A video CMS (content management system) is the back-office application where a streaming team uploads video, adds metadata and artwork, organizes titles into a catalog, sets who can watch and at what price, and publishes to the website and apps. - [Content metadata](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-metadata) — Content metadata is the information that describes a video title and governs how it is presented and used: its title, synopsis, cast, genre, rating, artwork, languages, rights and technical details. It is what makes a file into a catalog entry. - [Recurring billing](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/recurring-billing) — Recurring billing is charging a customer's saved payment method automatically at a fixed interval, such as every month or year, until they cancel. It is the billing mechanism behind every streaming subscription. - [Payment gateway](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/payment-gateway) — A payment gateway is the service that securely collects a customer's payment details, sends the transaction to the banks and card networks for approval, and reports the result back to the business. A streaming service uses one to sell subscriptions, rentals and purchases on the web. - [Managed OTT](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/managed-ott) — A managed OTT platform, also called OTT SaaS, is streaming software that the vendor hosts, operates and updates on your behalf for a recurring fee. You run the content and the business; the vendor runs the technology. - [App store submission](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/app-store-submission) — App store submission is the process of preparing a streaming app, sending it to a store such as Apple's App Store, Google Play, the Amazon Appstore or a smart TV store for review, and publishing it once approved. - [Transcoding](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/transcoding) — Transcoding is converting a video from one encoded format into another. On a streaming platform it means taking an uploaded file or a live feed and producing the several resolutions and bitrates needed for adaptive playback on every device. - [Churn rate](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/churn-rate) — Churn rate is the percentage of a streaming service's subscribers who cancel or fail to renew during a period, usually a month. It is the main measure of how well a subscription service keeps its customers. ## Further reading - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing) - [White-label streaming platform buyer's guide](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/white-label-streaming-platform) - [OTT solution guide](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/ott-solution) ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does a content migration take? It depends on catalog size, integrations, subscriber migration and app-store review. A small catalog can move in days; a large one with active billing takes longer to plan than to execute. ### Will subscribers have to sign up again? They should not. Accounts are imported and entitlements preserved. Subscribers may need to set a new password or confirm their email the first time they sign in. ### Do videos need to be re-encoded? Usually yes. Each platform encodes to its own set of qualities and packaging, so the new platform processes the original files again. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt