“Cutting the cord.” Most likely you’ve heard, and used, this phrase many times. With streaming TV growing in popularity, cable TV is becoming a thing of the past. So, move over cable, while streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube TV continue to take over. The rise of streaming TV presents an opportunity for marketers to reach the right audience at the right time with Over-The-Top (OTT) advertising.

What is OTT?

OTT is defined as any media service that offers media over the internet, like Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Spotify, etc. The term refers to audio streaming, messaging services, and most commonly applies to video streaming platforms. OTT content is delivered through mobile devices, computers and smart TVs.

OTT advertising allows brands to reach their consumers directly through streaming video services. These video ads are non-skippable, 15 or 30 second spots that appear across various channels and TV shows.

OTT Targeting

While traditional TV advertising reaches the masses, OTT advertising offers richer targeting capabilities. Every dollar spent on impressions is directed to relevant target audiences. Instead of advertising to everyone who watches a certain cable channel, consumers are served ads based on their geography, demographic, income and consumer behavior. By enhancing ad relevance, brands are eliminating wasted ad spend.

Tracking & Measurement

Brands have more control over OTT campaigns by measuring performance and adjusting as needed. Advertisers can measure video completion rates, total impressions, cost per completed view (CPCV) and analyze performance by device. These metrics allow advertisers to understand where the strengths and weaknesses of the video are to adjust accordingly.

In an ever-evolving industry, it’s vital to know where your consumers are going and how they are consuming. The surge in enjoying content via streaming has made OTT advertising a prime channel for marketers to consider. Your customers are streaming. Your ads should be too.