Paid Media

Connected TV Advertising: What It Is & How to Harness It

Hulu, YouTube, Sling – streaming services seem to be dominating the television and film industries, providing users on-demand access to their favorite shows and movies. Not only have these platforms revolutionized the way people across the globe consume content, but they’ve also created a new way for brands to get their products or services in front of the right audience. This is primarily accomplished through connected TV (CTV) ads, a relatively new form of advertising that’s making waves in the marketing world.

Read on to learn more about CTV advertising and how it can benefit your business!

What Is Connected TV Advertising?

Connected TV refers to any television content streamed via applications, smart televisions, smartphones, and other internet-connected devices. There are currently 23.14 billion connected devices in the world – which means connected TV advertising provides a bounty of opportunities to get your brand in front of potential customers.

When it comes to video streaming services, there are two primary options available to consumers: subscription video on demand (SVOD) and advertising-based video on demand (AVOD). Some providers, such as Netflix, only provide SVOD formats, where users must pay a monthly fee to access video content; however, platforms like Tubi offer free or reduced-cost video content supported by paid advertisements. Other providers like Hulu and YouTube offer both SVOD and AVOD options. As a marketer, you’ll want to pay attention to popular AVOD platforms to get your ads in front of your audience.

With traditional television advertising, ads are displayed to everyone watching on a specific channel at a specific time. Because there’s no way of determining who those viewers are, you can’t ensure that your ads are relevant to them. Connected TV advertising, on the other hand, allows you to serve ads to a target audience using behavioral and demographic data. These advertisements are shown to one specific user at a time and can be customized to ensure they’re as relevant as possible.

Benefits of Connected TV Advertising

Video streaming platforms have skyrocketed in popularity, with many people even choosing on-demand services over traditional cable television. Therefore, CTV advertising provides an excellent opportunity for growing your audience and increasing your sales.

Here are a few of the primary benefits of CTV:

1.     CTV Is Budget-Friendly

Connected TV advertising is cost-effective because it uses precise targeting; every cent of your ad spend goes directly to your intended market. It’s also common for users to watch CTV programs with family or friends, meaning your ads can be seen by multiple people at the same time, lowering impression costs.

2.     CTV Provides Real-Time Metrics

Like other forms of digital advertising, CTV ads are measured and optimized in real-time. This means you can explore users’ paths to conversion, learn more about their demographics, and identify which advertisements are performing best.

3.     CTV Offers a Targeted Advertising Experience

As previously mentioned, traditional television advertising doesn’t allow you to serve ads strategically based on a buyer persona. CTV is beneficial in this respect, as it offers extensive targeting capabilities using demographics like age and gender, interests, and even behavior (such as what show the viewer is watching). This allows you to reach users who are most likely to be interested in your products.

How to Use CTV Advertising

If you’re interested in harnessing the power of CTV advertising, it’s best to start by determining your target market. This will help you serve ads to the right people at the right time. You should also ensure that you have high-quality video assets available in both 15- and 30-second durations. Keep these tips in mind when selecting or making your creative:

  • Include a visual or audio call to action at the end of your ad.
  • Ensure your logo is visible throughout the ad so that viewers know who you are.
  • Capture viewer attention with voice-overs and other audio components.

You should also consider utilizing Programmatic Advertising for your CTV ads. These platforms provide data-driven targeting, advanced measurement capabilities, and high-quality interactions with your audience.

Of course, it also helps to have an experienced marketing team in your corner to help you create successful CTV campaigns. At Zero Gravity Marketing, we offer a full suite of Paid Advertising services, and our specialists can create a strategic plan (along with eye-catching creative assets) that yields real results.

Contact us today to learn more!

Published by
Kyra Klopp