Best CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms

CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms Guide

CTV and OTT Advertising Platforms offer a variety of solutions for marketers to reach their target audience in effective and cost-efficient ways. CTV, or Connected TV, is the cross between traditional linear TV channels and streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. This type of advertising targets viewers who watch streaming video content on connected TVs like Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TVs.

OTT stands for Over The Top. It is an advertising method that uses internet-connected devices such as smartphones, tablets, computers or smart TVs to deliver video content directly to the consumer without intermediaries such as cable or satellite television providers. OTT advertisement platforms enable digital advertisers to reach a large number of people across multiple devices with merrily targeted ads with more accuracy than was ever possible before with traditional methods.

The main advantages of these platforms are that they are highly efficient in targeting audiences at scale due to their ability to identify user interests and behaviors through data points such as device IDs, IP addresses, demographics (age/location/gender) along with other psychographic information. This ensures advertisements are seen by users who have expressed interest in the products or services being advertised. Additionally, this type of platform allows advertisers to track user engagement with their ads in real time using tracking pixels embedded into the creative assets that report back when users interact with them (clicks/views). Furthermore many platforms provide additional options for ad formats such as programmatic buying which enables automates purchasing processes for online display ads giving further control over how campaigns are managed by allowing buyers to customize bids based on their specific needs (cost per view/click).

All together, CTV & OTT Advertising platforms provide a powerful way for digital marketers to engage audiences on multiple devices efficiently while delivering highly personalized messages tailored towards individual preferences and needs.

CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms Features

• Programmatic Buying: Programmatic buying is a process that enables buyers to purchase ad inventory through automated bidding and exchanges. This feature allows for better targeting, faster delivery, and more efficient pricing.
• Audience Targeting: CTV & OTT advertising platforms provide the ability to target audiences based on various demographics such as age, gender, location, interests, and more. This allows brands to be more effective in their messaging by choosing an audience they want to reach with their ads.
• Creative Optimization: Through creative optimization features, users can quickly create multiple versions of their ads tailored to different audiences so that they can get the best possible performance from their campaigns.
• Analytics & Reporting: CTV & OTT advertising platforms provide powerful analytics capabilities allowing users to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns in real-time. These analytics tools also help marketers understand which audiences are responding best to certain types of ads and use this information to further optimize their campaigns.
• Cross-Platform Measurement: Through cross-platform measurement tools, advertisers can understand how viewers are interacting with content across devices and evaluate how much time a user spends watching a particular program or advertisement. This provides valuable insights for marketers to optimize their campaigns.
• Connected TV & Video Inventory: CTV & OTT advertising platforms provide access to a wide range of connected TV and video inventory, allowing brands to reach audiences through premium content on popular streaming services. This gives advertisers more control over which content their ads are appearing on and ensures they are reaching audiences in the most effective way.
• Campaign Management: CTV & OTT advertising platforms provide tools that allow users to manage their campaigns from start to finish. These tools enable users to set up campaigns, monitor performance in real-time, adjust targeting, and optimize creative for maximum impact.

Types of CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms

• CTV & OTT Advertising: CTV (Connected TV) and OTT (Over-the-Top) advertising platforms allow marketers to advertise their products or services on streaming video services. These platforms provide the ability to target consumers based on demographic, geographic, device, and interest data.
• Video Ads: On CTV & OTT advertising platforms, marketers can purchase video ads that are displayed before, during or after content as part of a programmatic ad campaign.
• Display Ads: These types of ads are typically static images that appear within the content stream or in a dedicated area outside of the main viewing window. Advertisers have the option to customize messages for different audiences with dynamic creative optimization (DCO).
• Interactive Ads: With interactive ads, viewers can actively engage with an ad by clicking a link or interacting with an embedded feature like an app download button.
• Native Ads: These types of ads appear alongside organic content but are distinguishable from it due to sponsored messaging being labeled as such. They often integrate seamlessly into the user experience without interrupting normal viewing habits.
• Sponsorships & Branded Content: Advertisers can take advantage of promotional opportunities like sponsoring content or creating branded content series for additional exposure. This type of advertising is most effective when done in collaboration with influencers who speak directly to target audiences.

Advantages of CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms

• Reach: CTV and OTT platforms offer access to a wide variety of audiences, including those who may not be exposed to traditional television or other digital advertising sources. This helps brands reach new customers and expand their existing markets.
• Precise Targeting: When used strategically, CTV and OTT platforms can deliver more accurate target audiences through demographics like age, gender, location, income level and device type. This allows marketers to create customized campaigns that will more effectively engage the right people with the right messages.
• Flexibility: Unlike linear television advertising, which is limited by time limits, CTV and OTT provide the opportunity for greater flexibility when it comes to creating campaigns. Marketers can choose from different lengths (pre-rolls, mid-rolls or post-rolls) as well as formats (in-stream videos or in-banner display ads). With this flexibility, marketers can better tailor their messaging to specific audiences.
• Scalability: Because they are based on programmatic ad buying technologies, CTV and OTT media plans can be easily scaled up or down depending on budget constraints and desired audience sizes. This makes it relatively easy for companies of all sizes to join in on the trend towards this type of advertising if they so desire.
• Measurement: Last but not least is measurement, one of the most important aspects of any successful campaign. With traditional TV ads, you have limited visibility into how viewers interact with your message – whether they watched your ad till completion or skipped past it after a few seconds, etc. However through CTV & OTT, you get access to real-time analytics that allow you to measure what’s working and tweak your campaigns accordingly for improved results over time.

Types of Users That Use CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms

• Consumers: Those who watch TV and movies streamed on connected devices, such as Roku or Apple TV.
• Advertisers: Brands looking to reach an audience through CTV & OTT platforms.
• Agencies: Firms that are responsible for buying, planning, and executing ad campaigns on behalf of advertisers or brands.
• Networks/Broadcasters/Producers: Content creators that leverage CTV & OTT platforms to monetize their content and expand their reach.
• Platforms & Aggregators: Companies that create the technology to deliver ads in real time to viewers across many different devices.
• Publishers: Websites or partners that own inventory and can distribute advertisements through CTV & OTT advertising outlets.
• SSPs (Supply Side Platforms): Technology companies that give networks access to multiple demand sources by connecting them with programmatic buyers of inventory.
• DSPs (Demand Side Platforms): The tech companies used by agencies and advertisers to purchase media through CTV & OTT channels.
• Ad Exchanges: Marketplaces that facilitate the purchase and sale of digital ad space.
• DMPs (Data Management Platforms): These provide real-time insights into consumer behavior, enabling advertisers to target precise audiences with their campaigns.
• Analytics Companies: Companies that analyze large amounts of data generated by CTV & OTT platforms in order to help brands determine which strategies are working best for them.
• Content Creators & Influencers: Those who curate and create content for CTV & OTT platforms.
• Platform Partners: Companies such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire Stick that provide services to CTV & OTT networks.

How Much Do CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms Cost?

The cost of CTV & OTT advertising platforms can vary greatly depending on the unique needs of a given campaign. Generally speaking, CTV & OTT platforms are comprised of two main components: inventory (the ad space) and creative (the media assets used to advertise). The cost associated with each component can depend on a variety of factors including the target audience, billboard size, contract length, seasonality, and more.

Inventory costs for CTV & OTT campaigns range from $5 - $25 per thousand impressions (CPMs), depending on the platform. CPMs tend to be higher for premium content like sports or news programming. Additionally, publishers may charge different CPMs based on agreed-upon targeting criteria such as geography or demographics.

Creative costs for CTV & OTT campaigns are often included in the inventory rate but can also be broken out separately by suppliers. Creative costs may include design and development fees as well as production costs such as voice talent, animation, and stock video footage. Production fees will vary greatly depending on what type of creative assets are needed and how long it takes to develop them. Marketers should expect to spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to tens of thousands for larger campaigns with multiple formats and placements.

When budgeting for a CTV & OTT campaign it’s important to keep in mind that these digital ad formats offer an extremely targeted reach that is not available through traditional broadcast television ads alone. Thus most marketers find that they get an excellent return-on-investment (ROI) when combining both methods in their branding efforts.

What Software Can Integrate With CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms?

Software that can integrate with CTV & OTT advertising platforms includes anything related to audience segmentation, media buying and planning, campaign management, reporting and analytics, ad serving, creative production, and workflow automation. Audience segmentation software can identify target consumer audiences based on a variety of data points across multiple devices and create custom segments for advertisers. Media buying and planning software helps with the purchasing of CTV & OTT advertising space across various networks. Campaign management solutions assist in managing all aspects of the campaign including budgeting, scheduling, optimizing campaigns in real-time, and creating dynamic ads to reach consumers on any device seamlessly. Reporting and analytics software allows users to measure the performance of their campaigns in order to gain insights into how well they are performing compared to other campaigns or benchmarks. Ad serving platforms ensure that the right ads are served at the right times to the most relevant viewers on any device connected to an internet-enabled TV. Creative production solutions help create engaging video ad content tailored specifically for CTV & OTT advertising channels by providing access to templates as well as interactive tools. Finally, workflow automation systems provide assistance with automating mundane tasks such as verifying targeting accuracy and compliance prior to launch which drastically reduces turn-around times.

Trends Related to CTV & OTT Advertising Platforms

• CTV & OTT (Over-the-Top) advertising platforms are transforming the television and digital video advertising landscape.
• CTV and OTT allow marketers to deliver personalized, targeted ads in an engaged environment with higher engagement levels than traditional linear TV.
• Advertising on these platforms also provides flexibility when it comes to buying inventory and targeting audiences.
• The emergence of advanced data and analytics tools has made it much easier for advertisers to measure the performance of their campaigns.
• With improved targeting capabilities, brands can reach their target audience more effectively at a lower cost than traditional TV ad buys.
• Another trend related to CTV and OTT is that brands are taking advantage of new creative formats such as interactive video ads, dynamic product placement, etc., which allows them to engage with viewers in a more interesting way.
• These platforms are also increasingly being used as part of larger integrated campaigns involving multiple media channels including broadcast, digital display ads, mobile video, etc., allowing marketers to develop messages that can be tailored for specific audiences across different devices.
• Finally, there has been a surge in investment into CTV & OTT platforms over the last few years from both advertisers and content creators because of their low barriers to entry and low cost compared to traditional TV ad spending.

How To Select the Right CTV & OTT Advertising Platform

1. Analyze Your Audience: The first step in choosing the right CTV & OTT advertising platform is to determine your target audience. Research different demographics, such as age, gender, location, and interests, to ensure you are creating campaigns tailored to the right people.
2. Understand Ad Formats: Different CTV & OTT platforms offer various ad formats, from skippable preroll ads and six-second bumpers to sponsored content and interactive video experiences. Choose which format best suits your goals and budget.
3. Consider Viewership: When selecting a platform, consider the estimated viewership of each channel or streaming service that you’re considering. Knowing the size of the potential audience can help you make an informed decision when allocating your budget for CTV & OTT campaigns.
4. Set Goals: Once you have identified an audience and understand what ad formats are available on each platform, it’s important to set goals for each campaign prior to launching on a specific network or app. This will help clarify what metrics need to be tracked in order to measure success or failure of a particular campaign.
5. Track Performance: Lastly, it is important to track performance of each CTV & OTT campaign in order to optimize moving forward and ensure return on investment (ROI). Track impressions (viewership), clicks (CTR), view-through rates (VTR), etc in order to gauge how effective each campaign has been within its target audience.

Utilize the tools given on this page to examine CTV & OTT advertising platforms in terms of price, features, integrations, user reviews, and more.