What are Connected TV (CTV) Ads?

Connected TV (CTV) advertising is video ads on internet-connected TVs: Smart TV apps (Roku, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels), streaming (Hulu, Pluto TV, local AVOD), consoles, Fire TV sticks. Users watch long-form content on a large screen — premium video, not mobile scroll.

Buying: direct publisher IOs, programmatic via DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP, platform self-serve (Roku Ads Manager, Hulu Ads). Models: CPM, CPV (completed view), CPA on app install with QR/deep link. In arbitrage CTV is growing for app UA, OTT subs, licensed gambling — high CPM, brand-safe inventory.

Formats

In-stream video 15–30s (non-skippable or limited skip).
Interactive overlays, pause ads, device home screen billboards.
QR to mobile landing — bridge TV view → phone conversion.

Targeting and measurement

Household IP, device IDs where available, content genre, GEO. Cross-device attribution is harder — often modeled. View-through windows wider than search.

Tracking

VAST tags, click-through to mobile web/app, MMP for app campaigns. External tracker on click path; TV views alone use DSP post-view pixels. Sub id on landing for QR campaigns.