Build An Effective Connected TV Strategy

Using CTV to cut through the noise

There’s a new way to reach your target audiences on the tried and true TV. With Connected TV (CTV), you can now target, measure, and retarget TV-viewing households.

CTV is a rapidly growing media channel reaching households while they are viewing streaming TV. These pre- and mid-roll placements mirror traditional television ads and are delivered in an unskippable environment, primarily across connected TV devices—such as Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV Stick—and Smart TVs. But unlike traditional television, CTV offers the awareness-building benefits of conventional TV advertising as well as the audience-targeting benefits of digital advertising.

Since approximately 80% of U.S. households now own a CTV device, it’s more important than ever to incorporate the right TV strategy into your media plan.

As consumers shift their viewing habits from traditional TV to streaming, CTV will be an increasingly essential element of any integrated advertising strategy.

Recommendations for an effective CTV strategy

Establish goals and an attribution strategy

The core of a successful media plan begins with establishing goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, brand awareness goals for CTV may focus on achieving reach and frequency, while consideration goals—for audiences in the decision-making phase—may focus on-site visits. Marketing attribution is assuring that you have a way to measure how marketing tactics—and subsequent customer interactions—contribute to sales, conversions, or other goals. Marketing attribution is easier to achieve with CTV than with traditional TV.

Identify high-quality inventory

Connected TV ad inventory refers to the available advertising space on a connected TV platform, usually in the form of 15 or 30-second ad breaks. The quality of the inventory can definitely impact the success of the campaign—you want your ads to be associated with programs and platforms that are well-regarded and popular with your audience. At EPIC, we only work with leading publishers to ensure your brand is positioned alongside premium content.

Consider your targeting approach

CTV has all the targeting options available in the digital landscape, such as geolocation, education and income levels, and personal interests or consumer behaviors. And, since the ads are targeted by the household’s IP address, they aren’t affected by Google’s plan to eliminate third-party cookies. While granular targeting is possible, advertisers should keep in mind that scaling on a very niche audience may be challenging because the available commercial inventory just isn’t as vast as on traditional television. To properly reach your target audience, we recommend layering essential targeting parameters, combined with placement alongside the correct content.

Review frequency capping considerations

Frequency capping is the ability to manage the number of times ads can be viewed by a particular user hourly, daily, or weekly. CTV ads should always be frequency-capped to prevent ad fatigue and overexposure.

Increase results with sequential messaging

Sequential messaging is the ability to retarget a user based on prior exposure to your ad. You can retarget viewers of your CTV ad with lower-funnel, clickable advertising formats such as native or display to encourage engagement.

CTV advertising is definitely here to stay and will only continue to grow. It’s an affordable way to capitalize on the power and prestige of television with the targeting and measurement benefits of digital advertising. Because let’s be real—the viewer doesn’t care if they access the content by traditional means or through their Smart TV, they just watch what they want and when they want.

Want to learn more about EPIC’s media planning + buying services? Reach out here.

Source: Division D