Twice as good: Netflix introduces a new way to recommend content you love

Netflix’s latest treat for its users 0:34 New York (CNN Business) — Netflix wants to make it easy for you to suggest the shows and movies you like. The streaming platform on Monday introduced a two-thumbs-up “I love” button that is “an additional way for subscribers to let us know what types of shows and movies they want to watch more of.” Netflix already has “Like” (a thumbs up) and “Not for me” (a thumbs down) buttons that work as a recommendation tool, but the company said Monday it wanted to add an additional option to stream when viewers consumers really love something. “We have learned over time that these feelings can go beyond a simple ‘like’ or ‘dislike,'” the company wrote in a blog post. “Providing an additional way to tell us when you really like something means a profile with recommendations that better reflect what you enjoy.” Years ago, Netflix had a star rating, similar to Uber and Amazon. But the company said it was confusing some customers, ditching the stars in 2017 in favor of a simplified thumbs-up/thumbs-down rating system. The “I love” button, with two thumbs up, marks a return to more fluid recommendation options. The new ratings system may seem insignificant, or just a nod to the days of Siskel and Ebert, but a simple update like this is really important to Netflix’s business. Netflix is ​​the streaming leader with more than 220 million subscribers worldwide. Pleasing those subscribers is vital for the growth and results of the company, and one way to do it is with a better selection of content. Giving subscribers a way to let Netflix know when they really liked something they watched allows the service to offer more content like it, helping to keep those consumers satisfied and subscribed. “For example, if you loved ‘Bridgerton’, you can watch more series or movies starring the cast, or Shondaland,” explains the company. Finding ways, however small, to keep subscribers happy is important to Netflix, especially now. The company’s shares slumped on weak subscriber prospects when it reported fourth-quarter results in January, leading to questions about the platform’s future growth. Netflix shares have a chance to rally next week when the company reports first-quarter results.