House of Talent (HOT+).

Responsibilities

• Developed and maintained core VOD features on the web platform

• Integrated advertisement modules (pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll)

• Optimized web performance and rendering efficiency

• Implemented analytics and tracking for user behaviour and content performance

• Built SEO structure from scratch for improved discoverability

Key Challenges

1. Performance Degradation on Content Pages. Video pages suffered from slow initial load and delayed first render, especially on low-to-mid range devices and unstable networks.

2. Advertisement Integration Without UX Degradation. Ads were critical for monetization, but aggressive ad loading negatively impacted playback stability and page performance.

3. Low SEO Visibility. At the start of the project, the platform lacked proper SEO structure, limiting organic discovery and indexing.

Solutions & Implementation

1. Performance Optimization

• Improved rendering strategy and reduced blocking JavaScript on initial page load

• Optimized component structure and resource loading in Next.js

• Reduced unnecessary re-renders and improved code-splitting

Result:

• Lighthouse performance score improved from approximately 30–40 to 60+

• Achieved ~0.6s First Contentful Paint (FCP) on key landing pages

• More stable playback experience on content-heavy pages

2. Advertisement Integration (JWPlayer + Google IMA SDK)

• Implemented pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads using JWPlayer with Google IMA SDK

• Ensured ads loaded asynchronously to avoid blocking video playback

• Added fallback handling to prevent playback failure when ad requests failed

Result:

• Improved ad delivery stability by ~20–30%

• Reduced video playback interruption caused by ad-related errors

• Maintained user experience while supporting monetization requirements

3. Analytics & Monitoring

• Implemented analytics tracking using Conviva, Appier, and Firebase

• Tracked key events including video start, pause, completion, buffering, and ad events

• Provided reliable data for product and content performance analysis

Result:

• Increased event tracking coverage to 100% across key user interactions

• Enabled data-driven decisions for content and ad performance optimization

4. SEO Implementation

• Built SEO structure from scratch, including meta tags, structured content, and crawlable page architecture

• Improved internal linking and content discoverability

• Ensured compatibility with search engine indexing requirements

Result:

• SEO score increased from approximately 30 to 75+

• Improved organic visibility and indexing for video content pages

Technical Stack

• Framework: Next.js

• Video Player: JWPlayer

• Ads: Google IMA SDK

• Analytics: Conviva, Appier, Firebase

• Languages: JavaScript, TypeScript

• Tools: Git, performance profiling tools

Impact Summary

• Improved overall site performance and stability on high-traffic pages

• Enabled reliable ad monetization without sacrificing user experience

• Established SEO and analytics foundations for long-term growth

• Supported a scalable VOD platform serving millions of users

Key Learnings

• Performance optimization is critical for media-heavy platforms

• Ads must be treated as first-class technical components, not add-ons

• Analytics and SEO are essential for sustainable product growth

• Small performance improvements compound significantly at scale