CTV Advertising: What It Is and How To Seize This Opportunity

Do you still have cable?
If you answered no, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re now in the majority.

With fewer than 50% of American households subscribing to cable, advertisers are rapidly shifting their spend. But they’re not just funneling those dollars into social media or search—they’re leaning into CTV (Connected TV), one of the fastest-growing and most promising video advertising channels in the market today.

At DolFinContent, we’re already helping brands embrace this transition with smarter creative, integrated campaigns, and scalable CTV ad production built for performance.

What Is Connected TV (CTV) Advertising?

CTV advertising refers to ads streamed on internet-connected televisions—smart TVs, streaming devices, or gaming consoles. That includes platforms like Hulu, Roku, YouTubeTV, Fire TV, and even network apps from CBS or Fox.

To viewers, CTV ads feel like traditional TV spots.
To marketers, they unlock data-rich targeting, real-time optimization, and cross-device tracking—game-changers that traditional TV never could offer.

What’s the difference between OTT and CTV?

• OTT (Over-The-Top): Any content delivered via the internet—on any device (TV, phone, laptop, tablet).
• CTV: A subset of OTT, focused on content delivered specifically to smart TVs or connected streaming devices.

If you're building CTV campaigns, you're creating with a TV viewer in mind, not a TikTok scroller.

5 Key Benefits of CTV Advertising

1. You’re Early

If you missed the early gold rush on platforms like TikTok or Instagram Ads, CTV is your next frontier. Platforms like Amazon Prime Video are adding ad-supported content, while others continue building inventory.

Get in now—while competition is still low and performance is high.

2. Smarter Targeting

Unlike traditional TV buys, CTV lets you target by demographics, behavior, geography, and device—similar to digital channels. You can also retarget across platforms using tools like Amazon Ads or Roku’s DSP.

3. Cross-Device Reach

CTV isn’t confined to the living room anymore.
From Xbox and PlayStation to mobile apps and smart TVs, your ad follows users across screens, maintaining a consistent experience—and gathering useful insights along the way.

4. Creative Optimization in Real Time

Traditional TV ads are static—you air them once, and that’s it.
CTV lets you test, iterate, and optimize campaigns mid-flight. Track view-through rates, completion metrics, even conversions—and tweak your messaging on the go.

5. A Path Toward Shoppable TV

Though still emerging, interactive and shoppable CTV is coming. Some platforms already allow CTA overlays, interactive prompts, or mobile-linked QR codes.
Soon, viewers might buy your product directly from the ad.

How CTV Advertising Works

3 Ways to Buy CTV Ad Space:

1. Programmatic
   • Bid in real-time via demand-side platforms (DSPs) like The Trade Desk, Simulmedia, or Eskimi.
   • High efficiency. Broader reach.
2. Platform Direct
   • Buy from Roku, Xbox, Fire TV, LG, and others.
   • Target niche audiences with platform-level customization.
3. Publisher Direct
   • Purchase directly from Hulu, Peacock, YouTubeTV, etc.
   • Ideal for premium inventory and broader streaming network access.

Popular CTV Ad Platforms Include:

• Amazon Prime Video
• Roku
• Fire TV
• YouTubeTV
• LG and Samsung
• The CW
• GoogleTV
• Xbox and Android TV

4 Pro Tips for Winning on CTV (from DolFinContent)

1. Prioritize Precision Targeting

CTV isn’t mass media—it’s micro-targeted television.
Use first-party data, viewing behavior, and lookalike audiences to target with surgical precision.

Quote from Eliott Wahba, CEO of DolFinContent:

“CTV ads aren’t just another format—they’re an opportunity to get your message in front of the right viewer, on the right screen, at the right time.”

2. Design With the TV Experience in Mind

Large screens. Sound on. Lean-back viewing.
Your creative needs to land quickly and clearly, with bold visuals, audio cues, and a CTA that makes sense in the living room.

3. Track and Optimize Relentlessly

Use metrics like:

• View completion rate
• Ad recall
• Conversion lift
• Cost-per-completed-view

Don’t set it and forget it. Test, refine, and scale.

4. Integrate CTV With the Rest of Your Funnel

CTV isn’t a standalone solution.
Make sure it fits into your larger video and marketing strategy—align it with your paid social, retargeting, and landing page design to increase its long-term ROI.

Let DolFinContent Launch Your Next High-Performance CTV Campaign

Our team brings together motion design, performance strategy, and cross-channel video production to help brands craft CTV campaigns that work. Whether you need ads for Hulu, Fire TV, YouTubeTV, or programmatic CTV, we’re ready to build and scale creative that delivers.

Ready to step into the next evolution of video advertising?

Let’s Chat