Advertisers

A Guide To Evaluating CTV Advertising Platform

April 20, 2023 4 min read

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A Guide To Evaluating CTV Advertising Platform

Reading Time: 4 minutes

As an advertiser, you want to make sure that your message is delivered effectively. To achieve this, you need to leverage the right set of tools and emerging advertising solutions like CTV. However, with CTV evolving as a new frontier of advertising, deciding and selecting the best platform for your business can be overwhelming. Read this guide to learn how to evaluate CTV advertising platforms for maximum reach and ROAS.

Connected TV (CTV) advertising spend is projected to grow by 44% in 2023. The reason for this surge in popularity is that CTV offers brands the best of both worlds: the performance-based approach of digital advertising coupled with the unparalleled impact of television. That said, selecting the right CTV advertising platform is crucial for maximizing your return on investment.

To make an informed decision, it’s essential to carefully evaluate your needs and consider some crucial factors when selecting a CTV advertising platform.

First Things First, What Is A CTV Advertising Platform?

In essence, a CTV advertising platform serves as a bridge between brands and audiences consuming TV content through streaming services. Quality CTV platforms offer all the necessary tools for successful advertising, for instance:

  • Forecasting
  • Planning
  • Audience Targeting
  • Activation
  • Real-time optimization
  • Measurement and attribution

These capabilities enable advertisers to make rational decisions, reach the right people with the right message, and maximize the return on their advertising. Also, with the help of a reliable CTV advertising platform, brands can unlock the full potential of connected TV advertising and achieve their marketing goals with greater precision and efficiency.

From Planning To Attribution: 4 Things To Know

Here’s our guide on what you should look for in a CTV advertising platform to reap the maximum benefits of CTV advertising.

A guide to choosing the right CTV advertising platform

1. Extensive audience targeting 

The first thing to consider when evaluating CTV advertising platforms is their audience targeting capabilities. CTV advertising offers the ability to target audiences based on a variety of factors, such as demographics, interests, and behaviors. Make sure the platform you choose offers the targeting options you need to reach your ideal customer.

Key points to consider:

  • Extensive ecosystem of data management platforms, i.e. first-party and third-party data.
  • Data verification process to ensure the most current and accurate data is being utilized for targeting.
  • Data agnostic to allow you to integrate your own data sets seamlessly.

2. Reporting and Analytics

Measuring the effectiveness of your CTV advertising campaigns is critical for optimizing your strategy and achieving your business goals. An ideal platform is one that offers robust reporting and analytics tools, such as impression tracking, click-through rates, and conversion tracking.

In addition, some platforms offer advanced analytics features, such as audience insights and cross-device tracking. These features can provide valuable insights into your audience’s behavior and help you to refine your targeting and messaging.

Key points to consider:

  • Cross-device campaign management
  • A holistic view of the campaign’s effectiveness

3. Content and device capabilities

When it comes to CTV advertising, the most commonly accepted content types are 15 and 30-second spots, along with quick 6-second spots. However, it’s vital to inquire about your potential CTV partner’s support for interactive, direct response tools like QR codes that link the ad back to the viewer’s mobile device by enabling the screen2screen feature. 

Furthermore, it’s important to know the different ways to buy CTV inventory, such as direct publisher partnerships or programmatic to ensure your ads are seen by the right audience. Knowing which providers support your inventory and the type of access they have is crucial to ensure your ads are shown to your desired audience. Therefore, don’t overlook these critical components of CTV advertising, as they can significantly impact the success of your campaign.

Key points to consider:

  • Frequency control tools to control ad exposure across devices
  • Actionable in-flight recommendations to optimize campaigns
  • Seamless ad insertion
  • Customizable platform with the latest interactive features

4. Fraud-free environments 

With the proliferation of privacy regulations such as CCPA and GDPR, it’s crucial to partner with a company that is privacy-conscious and can ensure that all targeting efforts are compliant. By selecting a CTV partner that prioritizes both security and privacy, you can rest assured that your ad campaigns will not only be effective and seen by real people but will also be ethical and legal.

Key points to consider:

  • A multi-faceted set of fraud detection tools
  • Technologies like machine learning and ACR

The Right CTV Advertising Platform Can Be A Game-Changer For Your Business

Undoubtedly, choosing the right CTV advertising platform is a game-changer for your advertising strategy, especially when the industry continues to shift from traditional TV to digital streaming. Not to mention, this year, advertisers are expected to spend an estimated $509 billion with an increasing portion of this budget being allocated to CTV due to its granular targeting and measurement capabilities. 

You can harness the power of impactful CTV advertising with VDO.AI. Click here to learn how we can optimize your CTV advertising strategy and help generate higher ROI.

Harshita Mittal is a Content Writer, having experience in closely working with B2C and B2B businesses. She has a background in marketing and is keen to learn new things.