Paid Ads: CTV / Streaming TV

Guides Connected TV (CTV) and OTT advertising: ads on streaming platforms (Hulu, Roku, YouTube TV, etc.). Use when targeting viewers who watch streaming content; CTV achieves ~95% ad completion, higher than mobile/desktop.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

What Is CTV / OTT

• CTV (Connected TV): Smart TVs, streaming devices (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV) that serve ads
• OTT (Over-the-top): Video delivered over the internet (Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, etc.)
• Streaming share: Streaming surpassed broadcast + cable combined in 2025 (~45% of TV viewing)

Why CTV

Advantage	Detail
High completion	~95% ad completion rate vs lower on mobile/desktop
Unskippable	Most CTV inventory is non-skippable pre-roll/mid-roll
Targeting	Demographics, interests, location, household data
Underinvested	CTV received ~7% of ad spend despite ~18% of media time (2024)

Ad Formats

Format	Use
Pre-roll / Mid-roll	Standard video; 15–30 sec
Interactive	Drives engagement; ~71 sec additional time vs standard
QR / URL	Direct response; track offline-to-online

Platforms & Buying

• Programmatic: DSPs (The Trade Desk, etc.); audience-based buying
• Direct: Hulu, Roku, YouTube TV, Peacock—platform-specific deals
• Google: YouTube on TV; part of Video campaigns

Metrics

Metric	Use
Completion rate	% who watch full ad; CTV typically 95%+
Reach / frequency	Household reach; avoid over-frequency (e.g., <7)
CPM	Cost per thousand impressions
Attribution	QR scans, URL visits; harder than web/app

Creative

• Horizontal: 16:9; TV screen format
• Sound on: Assume sound; design for audio
• Brand focus: CTV often awareness; clear brand, CTA

UTM for CTV

Use utm_medium=video or ctv with utm_source (e.g., hulu, roku) for QR/URL campaigns. Tag links in interactive CTV ads for attribution.

Pre-Launch Checklist

• Creative in 16:9; sound-on
• Targeting defined (demo, interests, geo)
• Attribution plan (QR, URL, brand lift)
• Frequency cap set
• Budget aligned with CPM expectations

Related Skills

• paid-ads-strategy: Ad formats by medium; when to use TV vs web vs app
• traffic-analysis: UTM for CTV direct-response; attribution
• analytics-tracking: Conversion tracking for QR/URL campaigns