OTT vs CTV Advertising – A Complete Guide

This article discusses the basics of OTT and CTV advertising, the relationship between the two, and their benefits.

Ever since COVID hit the world, people have become more inclined toward OTTs for their entertainment needs. Streaming services have disrupted the landscape of traditional TV broadcasting and brands have observed this massive shift of interest. As a result, these brands now resort to OTTs to advertise and target their audience. Today, brands have the options of CTV and OTT video ads which are more affordable and focused than traditional linear television advertising.

The post covers all important details regarding OTT and CTV advertising. Let's take a glance at them.

What is OTT?

The full form of OTT is over-the-top. It refers to TV programming that is streamed over the internet without requiring a traditional cable box subscription. OTT content generally consists of long-form, high-quality videos. OTT content can be viewed on a broad range of devices, including desktops, tablets, mobile, and CTV.

Over-the-top or OTT advertising is advertising that is delivered directly to customers' computers, smartphones, tablets, and other internet-connected devices. OTT advertisements bypass TV providers and are delivered through streaming. As it enables businesses to actively reach their audiences across a variety of devices, OTT online advertising is impactful.

What is CTV advertising?

CTV stands for "Connected TV," which is a component of OTT. Essentially, we are discussing the type of device used to view OTT content. In addition to connected devices, CTV also includes game consoles. Besides, smart TVs are connected televisions that have built-in internet connections and media platforms.

To put it simply, a type of OTT advertising that streams directly to your TV or other CTV devices is known as connected TV advertising or CTV advertising.

What is the relationship between CTV and OTT?

Over-the-top, or OTT, media is content that is viewed via an internet connection. CTV, or connected TV, refers to the practice of watching OTT content on a large screen. You can effectively reach the right audience on any platform at the right time with OTT advertising. Audiences can be targeted based on their actions, interests, location, and demographics. Ads can also be influenced based on the context.

Benefits of CTV and OTT advertising

By shifting your traditional TV marketing budget to cutting-edge TV solutions like CTV and OTT, you can target and segment your audience more effectively for essential business results like visits and sales.

Advertisers can plan their video advertising campaigns the same way they plan their mobile and desktop projects because OTT and CTV are digital platforms. You can reach customers who have switched from traditional TV to streaming platforms by using OTT and CTV advertising.