How to Find the Best CTV Ad Platform for Your Brand

The tools and capabilities to consider when choosing your CTV advertising platform partner

According to a 2022 study by Leichtman Research Group, 87% of households in the U.S. have at least one CTV device. This means now is the time to start advertising on Connected TV (CTV). 

Choosing the best CTV ad platform is crucial for marketers looking to reach their target audience effectively and maximize their advertising efforts. With the increasing popularity of streaming services, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices, CTV presents an excellent opportunity to engage with a wide range of viewers. However, with numerous ad platforms available in the market, it can be overwhelming for advertisers to make informed decisions.

Fortunately, selecting the right CTV ad platform doesn't have to be a complicated process. By understanding your advertising goals, target audience, and the type of content that aligns with your brand, you can zero in on the platform that best suits your needs. By focusing on performance metrics such as click-through rates, completion rates, and video engagement, you can evaluate the performance of your advertising campaign and make data-driven decisions.

Following a systematic approach based on your advertising goals and the needs of your ideal customers can help you make an informed choice. With the right platform in place, businesses can tap into the vast potential of CTV advertising and effectively reach their target audience.

Dig deeper with Advertising Platforms: The Ultimate Guide.

What Really Matters in a CTV Ad Platform

Precise Ad Targeting Technology

Precise ad targeting technology is of utmost importance when it comes to choosing the best Connected TV advertising platform. Unlike traditional TV advertising, CTV allows for targeted advertisements based on demographics, behavior, interests, and location. This enhanced targeting capability ensures that ads are delivered to the right audience segments, maximizing the effectiveness of the advertising campaign.

One of the key benefits of precise ad targeting technology is the ability to reach your ideal customers. By leveraging advanced targeting options like behavioral targeting or niche audience segmentation, advertisers can ensure their messages are delivered to the most relevant individuals. This not only increases the chances of capturing the attention of potential customers but also improves the overall return on investment.

In addition to precise targeting, it’s crucial to choose a CTV advertising platform that offers data verification and data agnosticism. Data verification ensures the accuracy and authenticity of the data being used for ad targeting, avoiding wasted advertising efforts on irrelevant audiences. Meanwhile, data agnosticism allows advertisers to integrate seamlessly with a robust ecosystem of data providers, offering a wider range of targeting options and access to premium inventory.

Attribution Data

Attribution data plays a crucial role in evaluating over-the-top (OTT) and CTV ad platforms and helps advertisers make informed decisions about their OTT campaigns. By providing insights into the effectiveness of advertising efforts, attribution data enables advertisers to understand the impact of their ads and optimize their strategies accordingly.

One of the main benefits of attribution data is its ability to measure ad impact against various key performance indicators (KPIs). Advertisers can track metrics like click-through rates, completion rates, and video completion rates to assess the engagement and effectiveness of their CTV ads. This allows them to gauge audience response and make data-driven decisions to improve future campaigns.

Moreover, attribution data connects streaming TV efforts to other devices, providing a holistic view of campaign performance. It enables advertisers to understand how their CTV ads contribute to consumer actions on different platforms, like mobile devices, video game consoles, or even during in-store visits. This cross-device attribution helps connect the dots and allows for an in-depth understanding of the impact of CTV advertising.

When choosing a CTV partner, it’s important to look for features that support the analysis of attribution data. A robust data ecosystem that connects campaign impact across devices is essential for understanding advertising effectiveness. Additionally, the ability to measure digital and in-real-life (IRL) outcomes allows advertisers to assess the true impact of their CTV campaigns. Access to Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) data is also valuable as it provides insights into viewer engagement and helps optimize ad targeting and delivery.

Content and Device Capabilities

When it comes to choosing the best CTV advertising platform, it's crucial to consider its content and device capabilities. A robust platform should support a wide range of content types to cater to diverse audience preferences. This includes not only traditional video ads but also interactive tools like QR codes that can engage viewers and enhance their overall experience.

In terms of device capabilities, a top-tier CTV ad platform should be compatible with various devices. This includes CTV/connected TV devices, which are internet-connected televisions or streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV or gaming consoles. Additionally, the platform should also extend its reach to browser-based devices such as computers and laptops, as well as tablet and mobile devices.

To ensure maximum reach and efficiency, it's important to consider the different ways to buy CTV inventory. Some platforms offer direct publisher partnerships, allowing advertisers to secure prime ad placements directly from content providers. Others provide programmatic options, leveraging advanced targeting capabilities and machine learning algorithms to optimize ad delivery across multiple platforms.

By understanding the content and device capabilities of a CTV ad platform, advertisers can make informed decisions that align with their advertising goals and target audience. This ensures that their ads are delivered through the most effective channels, maximizing engagement and driving results.

Platform Controls

When evaluating a CTV advertising platform, platform controls are a crucial factor to consider. These controls determine how you can manage and optimize your advertising campaigns.

It doesn’t matter how good the platform is if it’s too difficult to use, so look for an intuitive and user-friendly interface. It should allow you to quickly access and manage your campaigns, view performance metrics, and make necessary adjustments in real time. Look for a platform with a clean and organized interface that streamlines your workflow.

Real-time optimization and attribution tools are also important. These features enable you to analyze campaign performance and make data-driven decisions on the fly. With real-time optimization, you can adjust targeting, budget allocation, and creative elements to maximize your campaign's effectiveness. Attribution tools help you measure the impact of your ads, providing insights into which channels or platforms are delivering the best results.

Customizability is another important aspect of platform controls. A customizable platform lets you configure the interface and reporting metrics to suit your specific needs. It also integrates easily with your existing CRM and DMP systems. This integration ensures seamless data flow and enables you to leverage your own data for enhanced targeting and personalization.

Platform targeting is critical for reaching your desired audience effectively. Consider the targeting capabilities provided by major CTV platforms, including audience segmentation based on demographics, behavior, and content preferences. Additionally, some platforms provide specific operating system (OS) targeting capabilities, allowing you to focus your ad campaigns on users using specific devices or platforms.

Security

When choosing the best CTV advertising platform, security should be a top priority. Here are some essential security features a platform should offer:

• Fraud Detection Tools: CTV ad fraud is on the rise. Look for a platform that provides a multi-faceted set of fraud detection tools, which can help identify and prevent fake activities and make sure your ad campaigns are reaching genuine viewers.
• Multiple Layers of Defense: A robust CTV ad platform should have multiple layers of defense in place. This includes utilizing machine learning algorithms to detect suspicious patterns and behaviors and implementing cryptography techniques to secure data transmission and storage.
• Clean Rooms: Clean rooms are secure environments that ensure no personally identifiable information (PII) is used for consumer targeting. This is crucial for maintaining user privacy and complying with regulations such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• Privacy-Conscious Partner: It is important to choose a CTV ad platform that works with a privacy-conscious partner. This ensures that user data is properly handled and that the platform adheres to privacy regulations. A trustworthy partner will prioritize user privacy and provide transparent practices to protect user data.

Make tvScientific Your CTV Partner 

tvScientific was co-founded by senior executives with deep roots in search, programmatic advertising, digital media, and ad verification. We think scientifically, and our results are driven by a belief in one simple formula: Trust = Data x Transparency x Control.

With powerful attribution capabilities, real-time reporting, automated optimization, and built-in, always-on testing, we believe that tvScientific provides the most robust, transparent, tailored CTV advertising platform. Once you see it for yourself, we know you will too. Request a demo today.