Several years ago, TV viewers were introduced with more possibilities thanks to the popularity of streaming content. These platforms have now changed the way that the world enjoys their favorite movies and TV shows for good. Currently, it is estimated that we spend at least half of our TV time watching content we chose ourselves and not something over broadcast television.
While streaming is a great benefit for TV enthusiasts, it has taken a toll on companies who solely depended on broadcast TV and commercials as their main form of advertising. With fewer people watching Linear TV programming with commercial interruptions these days, these companies are now turning to alternative options, such as CTV advertising.
What is CTV Advertising?
CTV stands for Connected TV and if you aren’t sure what that is yet, you’re not alone. It is still a very new concept, especially for marketing teams. For consumers, CTV offers the advantage of watching various types of content across many types of screens. Along with their TV, they can now catch up on their favorite shows or watch movies on their computer, tablet, or smartphone device. All without a cable or satellite TV subscription needed.
For advertisers, connected TV advertising offers a new and innovative way to reach out to their target audience. With so many people tuning in on devices that aren’t their home TV set, such as watching YouTube videos using their gaming console, CTV opens up new possibilities to reach out to a broader range of people who enjoy a wider selection of content.
Linear TV vs. CTV
If you are still unsure about the differences between linear TV and CTV, here are some more details.
With linear TV (or traditional TV) the programming is delivered to viewers live. There’s no fast forwarding through commercials, pausing, or rewinding to catch something you missed. It is the standard way people have watched television since 1948 with the four main networks NBC, CBS, ABC and at that time, DuMont. As more stations were added, viewers had access to a full prime-time schedule to watch 7 days a week. That also included plenty of commercial breaks.
CTV or connected TV is any type of screen used to stream video over the internet using a variety of platforms. These platforms include Netflix, YouTube, Sling, and Hulu. The devices often classified as CTV devices include Smart TVs, connected devices such as streaming sticks or boxes, and gaming consoles like PlayStation or Xbox.
Consider CTV Advertising for Your Business
Although some advertisers feared the launch of CTV and what it would mean for their industry, today there are more marketing teams embracing this new concept. Many have already experienced the positive side of this new form of advertising and have changed their marketing strategies to adjust to the new platforms. CTV may be a big change for the advertising industry, but it doesn’t have to be a negative change.