over the top AND connected tv

 

The advertising industry is full of 3 letter acronyms and sometimes it gets confusing, especially so when you’re being introduced to the rapidly emerging Connected TV.

 

Everyone is talking about over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV) right now, but they’re often confused for one another or used interchangeably by many marketers and brands.

 

If it’s a little confusing, you’re not alone.  OTT and CTV are new experiences for everyone.  For consumers, it’s a different way to watch TV across multiple types of screens with no cable or satellite subscription required.

 

For us, it’s an innovative way to reach a new and unique audience.   Today’s viewers are increasingly turning to diverse viewing options that don’t necessarily involve traditional television.   They’re watching on Smart TV’s, laptops, tablets, smart phones, game consoles, and other connected devices such as Amazon Fire, Roku and Apple TV.

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WHAT IS OTT?

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So, what exactly does OTT mean?  OTT stands for “over the top”, which is video content that is served to viewers over the traditional closed television system.  With OTT, users don’t need to subscribe or pay a cable or satellite company to watch video content since the majority of content is served via the internet.

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BENEFITS OF OTT ADVERTISING

 

• Priority targeting with ads delivered during live TV or On-Demand, viewers are reached across top tier networks and popular content.

 

• 100% View-Ability all ads run full screen so 100% of pixels are in view, eliminating below the fold ads of other media vehicles.

 

• Near Perfect Ad Completion as viewers are watching the ads through until the end, with an average completion rate of 98%.

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WHAT IS CONNECTED TV?

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CTV stands for “connected TV” and is any television set used to stream video over the internet.   These are most often videos that are streamed via apps that are downloaded.   Devices that are classified as CTV devices are:

 

• Smart TV – a TV with a built-in internet connection and media platform.   This means no additional equipment is needed to stream videos on the TV.

 

• Connected Device – referred to as an OTT device, these are devices that plug directly into your TV and are connected to the internet, which enables apps and video streaming to be used on the television regardless if the TV itself is a smart TV.   Examples include Amazon Fire Stick,  Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast.

 

• Gaming Consoles – Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Playstation are essentially acting as the connected device  with their built-in app stores for streaming video content to your television.

 

 BENEFITS OF CTV ADVERTISING

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With connected TV advertising, you can reach TV viewers that advertisers can’t reach without traditional TV commercials and track them online throughout their buying journey. 

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• Superior Targeting Capabilities: With Connected TV audience targeting, you can be sure your marketing dollars are going towards your most valuable and targeted viewers.

 

• Measurable Results:  Programmatic platforms let you measure the results of your Connected TV campaigns with both digital and traditional metrics, including video completion rates.

 

• Growing Audience: Targets millennials and the growing % of the population who do not have cable TV, also known as Cord Cutters

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OTT & CTV CAMPAIGN REPORTING

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Measure the impact of your campaigns with both digital and traditional metrics. In addition, we are able to track each user's behavior and browsing habits once they reach your website. These are the metrics we can report on to see the impact of your campaigns:

 

• Impressions Ordered vs Aired

• Video Completion Rate

• Impressions by Network

• Impressions by Daypart

• Impressions by Device

• Impressions by Day of Week

• Impressions by Date

• Click Rate

• Online Conversion Rate: Form Submissions, Phone Calls, and more.