Prime time all the time with Connected TV ads: A Must-know Strategy for Marketers in 2023.

Marketers worldwide are drawn to the next big thing to help them optimise the ROI on their ad spend, and they are increasingly betting on data-driven ad targeting. So, naturally, marketing budgets in many countries are shifting to Connected TV or CTV.

With a continued shift to streaming TV and the speed at which things are moving, marketers are increasing CTV budgets, especially in more developed markets like the US and the UK.

78% of US and 90% of UK marketers plan to continue investing more in CTV advertising.

Marketers must stay current with the latest trends to remain competitive and relevant. The shift in TV viewing habits to Connected TV (CTV) has opened up a world of opportunities for marketers to reach their target audience in a more engaging way. CTV advertising is a must-know strategy for any brand looking to stay ahead of the curve and maximise its marketing efforts.

What is CTV?

CTV, or Connected TV, refers to any TV set connected to the Internet, allowing viewers to stream content through various apps and services. Unlike traditional Linear TV, CTV provides audiences with an on-demand, personalised viewing experience.

OTT, or Over-the-Top, is often confused with CTV, which refers to delivering TV and video content through the Internet rather than traditional broadcasting methods. CTV and OTT have become increasingly popular among consumers, with market research indicating a steady rise in cord-cutting and increased streaming services worldwide. For brands, CTV offers a new and highly effective platform for advertising and reaching audiences who are consuming content in a non-traditional way.

How does CTV Differ from Linear TV?

Television advertising has come a long way since its inception in the 1940s. Advertisers have relied on traditional Linear TV for decades to reach their target audience. However, with the introduction of Connected TV, there has been a significant shift in how people consume television content.

So, how does CTV differ from traditional Linear TV?

The most significant difference lies in the delivery method. While Linear TV broadcasts content on a predetermined schedule, CTV streams video content through an internet-connected device, such as a smart TV, streaming box, or gaming console. This allows viewers to access content on-demand and anytime, eliminating the need to adhere to a pre-scheduled TV programming lineup.

CTV advertising marries the power of traditional TV advertising with the preciseness and measurement capabilities of a digital ad medium.

81% of marketers worldwide report planned increases in CTV advertising budgets.

One of the major benefits of CTV advertising is the ability to target specific audiences. With CTV, marketers can leverage market research to deliver targeted ads to the right consumers based on demographic data, interests, and behaviour. In contrast, Linear TV ads are often less targeted, as they rely on broad audience demographics like age and gender.

Another significant difference is the level of audience engagement. While traditional Linear TV often involves passive viewing, CTV viewers are likelier to engage with the content they consume. Viewers can pause, rewind, or fast-forward through ads, making it crucial for brands to create compelling content that captures their attention and keeps them engaged.

The Benefits of CTV Advertising

As marketers seek ways to engage with their audiences effectively in today’s fast-paced digital age, CTV advertising has become very popular.

Let’s look at some important benefits of CTV advertising for brands:

Data-driven insights.

It offers data-driven insights into viewer behaviour, preferences, and engagement. This helps advertisers understand their audience better and create more personalised campaigns.

“80% of what people play on Netflix actually comes from the recommendation algorithm.”

-Aish Fenton, Director — Machine Learning, Netflix

Targeting capabilities.

CTV advertising provides targeting capabilities that allow advertisers to reach specific audiences. Advertisers can use audience data, such as location, age, and interests, to serve relevant ads to viewers.

Non-skippable ads.

CTV ads are non-skippable, which means viewers must watch the entire ad. This results in a higher engagement rate than other digital advertising forms. Advertisers can use this to their advantage by creating high-quality, visually appealing ads that capture the viewer’s attention.

Accurate, measurable results.

CTV advertising provides accurate measurement tools that allow advertisers to track and measure the success of their campaigns. Advertisers can see how many viewers watched their ad, how long they watched it, and whether they took any action, such as clicking a call-to-action button.

The Five Stages of CTV Planning

Define your target audience.

The first step in CTV planning is to understand who your audience is and how they consume TV content. Conducting market research to identify their viewing habits, preferences, and demographics can help you create a targeted CTV advertising campaign.

Netflix clearly understands its target audience, and its CTV ads are designed to speak directly to this demographic, featuring music and humour that resonates with them.

Set objectives.

Define what you want to achieve with your CTV campaign. This could be increased brand awareness, lead generation, or increased sales. Having clear objectives in mind will help guide your strategy and ensure you measure the success of your campaign effectively.

Choose your CTV platform.

Several CTV platforms are available, each offering different features and targeting options. Research which platforms your target audience will use and select one that aligns with your campaign objectives.

Consider working with a partner to access multiple platforms.

For instance, Amazon Prime Video uses Amazon’s extensive customer database to target its CTV ads. They use personalised messaging and relevant product suggestions to engage customers, increasing conversion rates.

Develop a media plan.

After choosing your platform, you must decide where and when your ads will appear. This involves selecting ad formats, determining the frequency and reach of your campaign, and creating a budget. A media plan will help you allocate resources effectively and reach your target audience.

Monitor and optimise your campaign.

CTV campaigns are not set-and-forget; they require ongoing monitoring and optimisation. Monitor your campaign’s performance using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as reach, frequency, engagement, and conversions. Make changes as needed to improve the performance of your campaign.

Your CTV ads should be compelling, creative, and engaging, designed to capture attention and leave a lasting impression. Use video and interactive elements to create an immersive experience.

Coca-Cola’s 45-second TV commercial, ‘2023 March Madness: Best Blocker Ever’ starring “Dave,” Lil Dicky and Taco star alongside Magic Johnson, made quite a sensation across platforms.

Market research is crucial to CTV planning as it helps you make informed decisions at every stage. It provides insights into your target audience, identifies opportunities and challenges, and enables you to understand the effectiveness of your campaign. By conducting thorough research and following these five stages, you can create a successful CTV advertising campaign that delivers results and keeps your brand relevant in the digital age.

Peloton’s successful CTV advertising strategy

Peloton is a famous fitness brand that took the world by storm with its home exercise equipment and digital classes. In 2020, the company launched a new CTV advertising campaign to promote its digital app and attract new users. The campaign featured a series of dynamic, visually appealing ads that showcased the benefits of Peloton’s app, including convenience, variety, and community. The ads were tailored to different demographics, with messages and imagery designed to appeal to busy professionals, parents, and fitness enthusiasts.

Measuring Success with CTV

As with any marketing strategy, measuring success is critical for ensuring that your CTV advertising efforts are making an impact. Fortunately, as discussed before, CTV advertising offers a range of metrics that can help you gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Here are a few key metrics to consider:

Viewability.

Viewability measures the percentage of an ad that is actually visible to the viewer. On CTV, viewability tends to be higher than on other digital platforms since viewers are typically focused on the screen and not multitasking.

Completion rate.

The completion rate measures the percentage of viewers who watch an entire ad from start to finish. On CTV, completion rates are higher than on other digital platforms since viewers can’t skip or fast-forward through ads.

Click-through rate.

Click-through rate measures the percentage of viewers who click on an ad to visit the advertiser’s website. While CTRs tend to be lower on CTV than on other digital platforms, they can still be a valuable metric for tracking engagement.

Conversions.

Ultimately, CTV advertising aims to drive conversions – whether that’s sales, sign-ups, or another type of action. Measuring conversions requires tracking viewers who saw your ad and took a specific action.

While conversion tracking on CTV can be more complex than on other digital platforms, it’s still possible through attribution modelling and retargeting techniques.

To get the most out of your CTV advertising campaigns, it’s essential to use a range of metrics to measure success. By tracking metrics like viewability, completion rate, click-through rate, and conversions, you can gain valuable insights into your campaigns’ performance and optimise them for even greater success.

How will Contextual Targeting on CTV and OTT Platforms take your brand to the next level?

Contextual targeting is an advertising strategy that delivers ads to specific viewers based on the content they are watching. It’s an essential tactic in CTV advertising because it can help increase relevancy and reduce ad fatigue.

Contextual targeting uses machine learning algorithms to analyse the content that a viewer is consuming and delivers ads that are relevant to that content. For example, if a viewer watches a cooking show, the ads could be for kitchen gadgets or cooking ingredients.

According to a study by Adweek, contextual targeting in CTV advertising has resulted in a 41% higher brand recall and a 25% higher purchase intent than standard targeting methods.

This is because viewers are likelier to pay attention to an ad relevant to the content they are consuming.

Contextual targeting on CTV and OTT platforms is crucial for engaging viewers with relevant ads. Ads that are contextually relevant to the environment in which they are viewed are more likely to be seen and responded to. This increases the possibility of converting viewers into consumers. On the other hand, irrelevant ads may be viewed as unpleasant and negatively impact the connection with the brand and product offering. Advertisers who align their content with the context of digital advertising can boost the long-term impact of their TV ads and promote consumer loyalty. Overall, context is essential in all types of media, including CTV.

Subway, the sandwich giant, leveraged the star power of celebrity icons like Tom Brady and Serena Williams to unveil new menu options and a huge giveaway to boost brand awareness and excite their target audience. This campaign proved highly effective on Connected TV platforms, resulting in a 33% increase in sales.

Kitchen appliance brand Breville partnered with the cooking show “America’s Test Kitchen” to deliver contextual ads to viewers of the show. The ads featured Breville products relevant to the cooking techniques demonstrated on the show, such as a blender for making smoothies or a toaster oven for baking. As a result, Breville saw a 42% lift in brand awareness and a 20% lift in purchase intent.

In addition to improving ad performance, contextual targeting ensures that brands deliver ads in a brand-safe environment. By analysing the content viewers watch, advertisers can ensure their ads are not shown next to inappropriate or controversial content.

To implement contextual targeting in your CTV advertising strategy, you can work with CTV advertising platforms that offer this feature, such as Amazon Advertising or Roku’s OneView Ad Platform. You can also use third-party tools like Grapeshot or Integral Ad Science to analyse the content that your ads will be shown next to.

Future Trends in CTV Advertising

As the world continues to shift towards a more digital-first landscape, it’s no surprise that the future of CTV advertising is bright. It is predicted that by 2023, over 200 million people in the US alone will be streaming CTV content. That means advertisers who want to stay ahead of the curve must be ready to pivot their strategies to take advantage of this new medium.

One of the biggest trends in CTV advertising is a move towards more programmatic buying. Advertisers increasingly use automated systems to buy and place ads rather than relying on manual processes. This allows for greater efficiency, faster decision-making, and better targeting.

Another trend that’s emerging is the use of data-driven targeting. Advertisers can create more tailored campaigns designed to resonate with specific demographics as they gain access to more data on their target audience. This not only increases the chances of engagement and conversion but also helps to build stronger brand affinity.

We also see a growing trend toward using interactive and immersive ad formats. With CTV, brands can create rich, interactive experiences that engage users in new and exciting ways. Whether through interactive overlays, immersive ad experiences, or even full-blown gaming experiences, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the possibilities of CTV advertising.

CTV advertising provides several benefits that can help brands stay relevant in the ever-changing digital landscape. Its data-driven, targeted, engaging, and measurable features make it a must-know strategy for marketers who want to create successful campaigns that resonate with their audience.

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