Leverage these four insights to boost your advertising strategy in the new year

The landscape of connected TV (CTV) advertising is in a state of rapid transformation, presenting brands with an expanding array of platforms and devices to reach viewers streaming content over-the-top (OTT) of the internet. In this blog, we’ll unpack four key insights derived from the “Supercharge Your CTV Advertising with Outcomes-based Measurement” webinar, hosted by Kochava and featuring experts from Samsung Ads and Sling TV. Dive in as we explore these takeaways so you can leverage them to enhance your CTV advertising strategy in 2024.

#1 Understanding the Inventory and Device Ecosystem

The key to mastering CTV advertising lies in navigating its fragmented nature. As inventories expand and category lines blur, it becomes crucial to understand where and how ads can be served. This knowledge allows for strategic placements and enhanced visibility, ensuring that campaigns reach their intended audiences effectively. Here’s a brief overview:

Streaming Services: Ads can now be served on various streaming services (OTT platforms) such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, where viewers consume on-demand content. While certain services offer an ad-free experience at a premium subscription rate, most have introduced discounted tiers in exchange for ads.

FAST Channels: Free ad-supported streaming TV channels offer linear and on-demand viewing experiences that is 100% free with commercial breaks where ads can be inserted.

Network Apps: Many traditional TV networks have their own streaming apps or digital platforms where viewers can stream live or on-demand content, providing ad slots within these streams.

Connected Devices: Ads can be served through a variety of devices used to stream content. These devices can include smart TVs, CTV set top boxes and sticks (Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, etc.), mobile phones and tablets, and even gaming consoles.

Programmatic Exchanges: Automated buying and selling of CTV ad inventory through programmatic exchanges enable advertisers to target specific audiences across multiple CTV apps and services.

Direct Deals/Purchases: Advertisers can directly purchase ad slots from CTV publishers or platforms, often guaranteeing premium placement and specific audience targeting.

Cross-Device Targeting: Serving ads on CTV, then retargeting those viewers on other devices like smartphones or tablets can create a cohesive multi-device advertising strategy.

#2 The Emergence of FAST Channels

FAST channel revenue is projected to reach $12bn in 2027. This forecast highlights a major shift in viewing habits to audiences increasingly favoring free, ad-supported content. This trend affords marketers a prime opportunity to connect with diverse demographics, particularly cord-cutters and millennials. To effectively engage these viewers, advertisers might target their campaigns within popular content genres on FAST channels, such as classic TV shows and movies.

Ad format selection is key, with pre-roll ads showing strong completion rates and mid-roll ads keeping viewers engaged. Interactive ads, though rarer, can significantly enhance engagement. Marketers must also consider user behavior, including viewing times and multi-screen interactions, to optimize ad impact.

#3 Advancing Measurement for Tangible Outcomes

The paradigm of CTV advertising measurement is shifting from traditional metrics such as impressions and reach to outcomes-based approaches. Advertisers now seek to connect ad views with consumer actions, aiming to quantify the impact of their campaigns in terms of tangible results such as website visits, purchases, or app installations. As a result, CTV is no longer just a brand marketing play, but also a performance marketing medium where marketers can connect spend to direct response performance.

Learn more about outcomes-based measurement in this related post.

#4 Revitalize Your Strategy

When it comes to CTV campaigns, a clear objective-oriented strategy is paramount. Advertisers should consider the full spectrum of inventory options, including unguaranteed spaces, to reach their target audiences effectively without overspending on data fees. The focus should be on delivering high-quality, engaging content, while also being mindful of frequency capping and the importance of testing different approaches.

The Role of Creative in Streaming Ads
The transformation in viewer behavior has given rise to interactive ad formats like shoppable ads. Utilizing QR codes and cross-device targeting strategies, these ads offer a bridge between CTV and mobile, enhancing the potential for audience engagement. Creatives should be high-resolution and crafted to align with the campaign’s KPIs, ensuring they captivate viewers and drive the desired action.

The Intersection of Brands and Custom Content
As brands explore the FAST space, the opportunity to create custom content tailored to campaign objectives and target audiences presents a novel way to engage with viewers. Sponsorships and partnerships in this space enable brands to craft unique experiences that resonate with their audience.

Navigate Your CTV Campaigns with Kochava

Accurate outcome measurement is the linchpin of campaign success. With tools that facilitate attribution and optimization, Kochava’s analytics and attribution solutions are at the forefront of enabling this precision. Brands seeking to explore custom content or channel bundling will benefit from partnerships that offer access to proprietary data, enhancing their ability to measure and understand their impact across CTV platforms.

The future of CTV advertising demands a blend of informed decision-making, adaptability, and strategic flexibility. By embracing a variety of strategies, including outcomes-based measurement and innovative creative approaches, brands can shape their success in the dynamic world of CTV advertising. For those eager to dive deeper into the intricacies of CTV advertising and hear directly from industry experts, the on-demand webinar featuring insights from Samsung Ads, SlingTV, and Kochava is available now.

Want to talk with an expert about your CTV campaign measurement? Contact us.

How Outcomes-Based Measurement for CTV is Changing the Game

At the 2023 Big TV conference, Jason Howell, VP of Sales, Media and Entertainment at Kochava, discussed the seismic shift occurring in the TV advertising landscape. In this blog, we delve into the key takeaways from his fireside chat with Tony Marlow, CMO of LG Ad Solutions.

The evolution from traditional linear TV to connected TV (CTV) has been significantly accelerated by global events, such as the pandemic. This transition has catalyzed an upsurge in streaming content consumption, marking the dawn of a new era in TV advertising. CTV offers marketers a platform to create immersive, interactive experiences that far exceed the capabilities of linear TV. With CTV, advertisers have the opportunity to deliver content tailor-made for specific audiences, enhancing viewer engagement and boosting the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Performance Storytelling: A New Approach

In this new era of TV advertising, the concept of ‘Performance Storytelling’ has emerged, born out of the rise of CTV. This approach blends the emotional resonance of traditional TV advertising with the tangible, quantifiable outcomes of digital marketing. It allows marketers to create compelling narratives that not only engage audiences on an emotional level but also drive results that can be tracked, measured, and optimized in real-time. The significance of this approach is underscored by recent industry trends:

According to a report by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, ad-supported apps accounted for 48% of CTV in the second half of 2022, up 55% from the end of 2020, while subscription video on demand (SVOD) apps accounted for only 26% (a 30% decrease).

How does ‘performance storytelling’ manifest in advertising to captivate such a large audience? Let’s consider an example. Imagine a streaming service that produces a series of ads, each one weaving a compelling narrative of a family bonding over their favorite shows. To gauge the effectiveness of these ads, the streaming service employs data and analytics to measure viewer responses. They track metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), view completion rates (VCR), and social engagement, using these indicators to determine the success of the campaign. That’s performance storytelling in a nutshell.

The Importance of Independent, Omni-Channel Measurement

As this evolution unfolds, the demand for precise, data-driven attribution models has increased. Independent, omni-channel measurement solutions are becoming more critical than ever. These technologies, developed in response to the shift towards performance storytelling, empower marketers to assess the effectiveness of their campaigns across various channels and fine-tune them in real-time. This is accomplished by gathering and scrutinizing data from multiple touchpoints, offering a comprehensive view of the customer journey and facilitating data-driven decision-making.

The Impact of Real-Time Outcomes-Based Measurement

The implementation of real-time, outcomes-based measurement technology is revolutionizing the way we evaluate the success of CTV campaigns. For instance, one major player in the CTV space reported a 37% increase in credited conversions after adopting this technology. This significant boost underscores the potential of this approach and highlights the limitations of traditional measurement methods. Real-time, outcomes-based measurement technology addresses these limitations by providing accurate, real-time data on campaign performance, enabling marketers to optimize their campaigns based on actual outcomes.

Looking Ahead: The Future of CTV Advertising

The shift from linear to streaming is not just a current trend, but a future reality. This shift, coupled with the capability to measure outcomes in real-time, presents exciting opportunities for marketers. Don’t be left behind—embrace the future of TV advertising and unlock the power of CTV today.

Catch the full fireside chat with LG Ads and Kochava here.

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Are you an advertiser looking for help with your CTV advertising strategy? Get in touch with our experts here.

For CTV publishers or platforms interested in outcomes-based measurement technology, please request a consultation.