Connected TV (CTV) refers to any television screen that streams video content over an internet connection, through a built-in smart TV operating system (Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Roku TV), an external streaming device (Roku stick, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast), or a gaming console. For advertisers, CTV means the ad-supported streaming inventory that appears on those screens: the non-skippable 15 or 30-second video ads running before or during content on platforms like Hulu, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Paramount+, and others.
CTV is often used interchangeably with OTT (Over-the-Top), though strictly speaking OTT refers to any streaming video delivered over the internet regardless of screen, while CTV specifically means TV screens. In practice, most ad buyers treat them as one category.
CTV advertising is bought and sold programmatically through DSPs that access streaming inventory via SSPs or direct publisher relationships. The auction mechanics, real-time bidding, private marketplace deals, or programmatic guaranteed, are similar to display programmatic, but the targeting and measurement infrastructure is different.
Because CTV operates without browser cookies, targeting relies on IP-based household matching, publisher first-party login data, device graphs, and ACR data (automatic content recognition) from smart TV manufacturers that tracks what content a device has displayed. This enables targeting based on demographics, purchase behaviour, geography, and viewing patterns, without any cookies involved.
Ad serving on CTV uses SSAI (Server-Side Ad Insertion), where ads are stitched directly into the video stream rather than loaded by a client-side tag. This eliminates ad buffering, makes ad blocking impossible, and produces completion rates that typically run at 95%+ compared to 40–60% for desktop video formats.
Attribution models include household-level lift studies, IP-based conversion matching (identifying households that saw a CTV ad and later converted on a website), and foot traffic analysis for retail advertisers.
US programmatic CTV spend is projected to reach $38 billion in 2026, growing at a 14% compound annual rate as streaming displaces linear television. Every major DSP, The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP, has made CTV a primary growth category, and streaming platforms with ad-supported tiers (Netflix, Disney+, Max) have rapidly expanded their programmatic inventory.
CTV combines the reach and emotional impact of television with the targeting precision and measurement of digital. For publishers and content owners with streaming properties, CTV inventory commands some of the highest CPMs in programmatic, typically $25–$60 CPM reflecting both the scarcity of quality inventory and the proven effectiveness of the format. Understanding CTV is now foundational for anyone operating in programmatic advertising.