The Ultimate Guide to CTV & OTT Advertising

The way people consume television has changed dramatically. With audiences shifting away from traditional cable and toward streaming services, advertisers and brands must rethink their strategies to maintain reach, engagement, and impact. CTV/OTT advertising has emerged as a powerful solution, blending the storytelling strength of television with the precision, measurement, and interactivity of digital advertising.

In today’s fragmented media landscape, success requires expertise, data-driven decision-making, and a strategic approach to ensure that brands connect with the right audiences at the right time.

Understanding these key principles will help you create more effective campaigns, drive better results, and maximize your advertising investment.

OTT vs. CTV: What’s the Difference?

While often used interchangeably, OTT and CTV have distinct meanings in the digital advertising space.

• Over-the-Top (OTT) refers to video content streamed over the internet without relying on traditional cable or satellite providers. This includes platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube, accessible via Smart TVs, mobile devices, gaming consoles, and streaming sticks.
• Connected TV (CTV) specifically refers to internet-connected television sets—either Smart TVs or those using devices like Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire Stick to access OTT content.

Simply put, CTV is a subset of OTT, meaning all CTV is OTT, but not all OTT is CTV. Advertisers use both to reach audiences, but CTV focuses on delivering ads within premium, big-screen experiences, making it a powerful tool for engaging viewers in a TV-like environment.

What Is CTV/OTT Solving For?

As TV audiences migrate to digital channels, CTV and OTT combine TV’s impact with precision, targeting, and premium inventory to address fragmentation and ensure brand safety.

Reaching Fragmented Audiences Across Screens

With consumers streaming across Smart TVs, laptops, and mobile devices, traditional TV ads no longer guarantee reach. CTV and OTT reconnect brands with viewers across multiple screens, ensuring consistent messaging and engagement wherever content is consumed.

Enabling Precise Targeting & Attribution

CTV/OTT ads leverage demographics, behavioral data, geolocation, and custom segments for more accurate targeting than traditional TV. Unlike linear TV, CTV allows real-time performance tracking—measuring ad completion rates, website visits, and conversions for better campaign optimization.

Ensuring Brand-Safe, Premium Inventory

Advertisers can access trusted networks, AVOD platforms, and top-tier streaming services, reducing risks of ad fraud and poor content placement. Private marketplace deals and curated inventory provide control over where ads appear, ensuring a high-quality viewer experience.

Who Benefits the Most from CTV/OTT Advertising?

OTT and CTV advertising are ideal for data-driven, performance-focused brands. They provide granular audience insights, allowing advertisers to target specific demographics, behaviors, and intent with precision. OTT and CTV allow advertisers with a variety of KPIs to see success from awareness all the way down to purchase. 

Compared to traditional TV, CTV/OTT offers cost-effective, highly targeted ad placements that maximize reach without wasted spend.

Brands that prioritize measurement and ROI benefit from CTV’s advanced tracking capabilities, which provide real-time insights into viewership, conversions, and engagement. 

Whether the goal is driving website traffic, generating leads, or increasing brand awareness, CTV/OTT delivers high-impact, trackable ad experiences that align with modern marketing objectives.

Why Use a CTV Approach?

CTV advertising combines advanced targeting, real-time optimization, premium content access, and precise measurement to deliver more effective campaigns than traditional TV.

Audience-Behavioral Targeting

CTV enables advertisers to reach highly specific audiences based on factors such as: 

• Age
• Gender
• Household Income
• Purchase Intent
• Family Demographics

Whether targeting high-income consumers, active shoppers, or families with children, CTV provides precision that traditional TV lacks.

Data-Driven Optimization

Unlike static TV ads, CTV campaigns can be adjusted in real time based on performance insights, ensuring maximum effectiveness.

Premium Content Access

Advertisers gain access to a variety of premium OTT publishers, ensuring ads appear alongside high-quality, brand-safe content across Smart TVs, streaming devices, and apps.

Measurement & Attribution

CTV provides incrementality tracking, showing how campaigns extend beyond linear TV. Multi-touch attribution models help measure ad effectiveness, while Halo Effect enhances overall campaign performance. Custom measurement tools track brand awareness, conversions, and engagement for data-backed decision-making.

Where Can We Run CTV/OTT Ads?

CTV/OTT ads can be delivered across a variety of platforms, ensuring brands reach audiences wherever they stream content.

AVOD/SVOD

Ads can appear on Ad-Supported Video on Demand (AVOD) platforms like Hulu, Tubi, and Pluto TV, as well as within select Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) services that offer ad-supported tiers, such as Netflix and Disney+.

Channels & Networks

Brands can advertise on broadcast, cable, and streaming TV channels, including major networks and niche content providers.

MVPDs/vMVPDs

Traditional Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) like Comcast and Spectrum, as well as virtual MVPDs (vMVPDs) such as YouTube TV and Sling, offer ad placements within live and on-demand content.

Smart TVs

Ads can be served directly through internet-connected Smart TV platforms, including Samsung TV, LG, and Vizio, providing seamless integration with premium streaming content.

How to Activate a CTV/OTT Campaign

Activating a successful CTV campaign requires a structured approach that aligns with your business goals and optimizes results. Here’s how to get started:

Define Goals

Begin by setting clear key performance indicators (KPIs), such as engagement rates, website visits, or sales conversions. Establish a budget that aligns with your objectives, and define audience segments based on demographics, behaviors, or interests to ensure your ads reach the right viewers.

Select Inventory

Choose from premium OTT and CTV placements that best align with your target audience and campaign goals. Opt for high-quality inventory on trusted platforms like AVOD, SVOD, or popular streaming services to ensure brand safety and maximum engagement.

Place Pixel

Implement a conversion tracking pixel on your website or app to monitor user interactions after they view your CTV/OTT ad. This allows for accurate measurement and tracking of specific actions, such as purchases or sign-ups.

Measure Results

Continuously monitor real-time data and campaign performance. Use analytics to assess key metrics such as reach, impressions, view-through rates, and conversions. Based on this data, optimize campaigns in real-time to adjust targeting, creative, or budget allocation for better results.

Key Client Goals Achieved with Performance CTV

Performance CTV advertising is highly effective at meeting a variety of key client goals, including:

• Driving Website Traffic and Leads – Target specific audiences to encourage visits to landing pages, product pages, or forms.
  
• Increasing Online Purchases – Engage high-intent shoppers to boost eCommerce sales and facilitate seamless online purchases.
  
• Boosting Sales & Conversions – Use data-driven targeting to drive direct conversions, whether for products, services, or subscriptions.
  
• Reaching Premium, High-Intent Audiences – Deliver ads to consumers who have shown active interest in your offerings, ensuring relevance and impact.
  
• Enhancing Foot Traffic for Physical Locations – Promote local stores, events, or services, driving visits and increasing customer engagement in-person.
  
• Strengthening Brand Awareness & Engagement – Use high-quality video ads on premium platforms to build a recognizable brand presence and deepen audience interaction.
  
• Achieving Scale with Precise Audience Targeting – Reach a broad yet highly relevant audience, ensuring that your message is seen by the right people at the right time.

Ready to elevate your CTV/OTT campaigns? Whether you’re just starting or seeking to optimize your results, Digital Remedy can help your brand unlock powerful, measurable results. Learn more or schedule a demo to see our platform in action today!