What the heck is OTT, and why is it outperforming cable?

Over-the-top (OTT) refers to any video or streaming service that provides viewers access to movies or TV shows by sending the media directly through the internet. OTT goes beyond traditional cable boxes and beats the hassle of traditional linear TV advertising, where ad placements must conform to broadcasting schedules. Instead, SPEAR, with its partners, delivers premium, unskippable OTT advertisements to cord-cutters on mobile devices, tablets, laptops/desktops, and TVs without geographic or broadcast schedule limitations. 

OTT is more appealing to viewers than traditional TV for more personalization, a diverse content selection, and the ability to watch content whenever and wherever. In addition, OTT is a huge advantage for advertisers, considering more than half of people watch content on devices other than an actual TV. This allows you to reach a wide range of viewers easily. 

Where and when are OTT advertisements displayed?

OTT advertisements can be displayed on streaming devices that do not use cable such as Roku and streaming services such as Pluto. SPEAR offers hundreds of diverse publishers for clients to distribute OTT inventory wih: BBC America, ESPN, Discovery+, Pluto, TNT, USAToday, and many more. There are three formats in which your OTT ads can be displayed: Pre-roll plays your ads before the streaming content, mid-roll plays your ads between the content, and end-roll plays your ads at the end of the content. SPEAR’s most common context is pre-roll, as users regard them as less intrusive, more informative, and more engaging than other formats. 

What’s the difference between CTV, OLV, and OTT?

Connected TV (CTV):

• Available on devices such as SmartTVs, streaming devices such as the Amazon Fire Stick, and game consoles such as Xbox and Playstation.
• UnskippableIt canan be combined with OTT or used solely to targ; howeverer, CTV targeting alone is typically more costly than OTT. 
• Distributed on a device that connects to—or is embedded in—a television to support video content streaming.

OLV, Online Video Advertising:

• Available on browsers and apps on devices such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones.
• Skippable and targets broad audiencesThey are distributeded on the side of a webpage, not through cable, streaming services, or streaming devices.
• Viewers do not need to be subscribed to view ads.

Over-the-top (OTT):

• Available os TVs, desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones.
• Streaming services include Hulu, Tubi, FuboTV, CNN, ESPN, and more.
• Unskippable and targets niche audiences. 
• Distributed on a device that is connected to the internet. 
• Viewers do not need to be subscribed to view ads.

Why should I incorporate OTT?

There are three main benefits when running OTT inventory with SPEAR:

1. Target with precision - With SPEAR’s bullseye IP Targeting technology, you can reach customers exactly where and when they are streaming every time.
2. High completion rates - With SPEAR, the number of times an ad is viewed to completion is 90% higher, which increases brand awareness and retention in viewers. 
3. More efficient TV buy - With SPEAR’s rich data and analytics, you can eliminate ad fraud.

Spring cleaning our OTT inventory.

SPEAR went through the process of refining our OTT inventory by brand recognition and content quality. Only the highest-performing deals are included, so you get more bang for your buck. This allows for content inventory that focuses on specific content categories such as Politics, News, Sports, Family, Spanish-speaking, and Variety of Media. SPEAR is constantly working to expand the availability of our high-end publisher selection for OTT inventory. 

To learn more about the endless possibilities of utilizing OTT inventory with Spear by Tridence, reach out to our team today.