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CTV and OTTs: The Basics and What You Should Know

Remote control held in hand with tv blurry in background

These days, we’re always streaming things. If you’re a business professional and someone who watches videos on your smart TV, whether they be from Hulu or another platform, the advertising terms OTT and CTV are certainly relevant to you. However, even so, many are unfamiliar with the specifics of these important terms. Let’s delve into both in more detail, here.

What is CTV?

CTV, also known as connected TV, refers to any kind of television that can stream videos from an online streaming service. Many contemporary televisions can connect to the internet and stream (think Roku, Amazon Fire Sticks, Samsung TVs, and more). Connected TVs are simply devices—thephysical television or television attachment itself—that provides us with the content we watch.

What is OTT?

OTT, also known as over-the-top, is meant to refer to any digital material that can be watched on electronic devices, whether those be CTVs, mobile phones, tablets, or computers. OTT could reference movies that come from Hulu, television shows streamed from PlutoTV, and more. Hulu and Pluto TV are great examples of OTT providers. Remember, OTTs are not programs watched on cable, but programs that are streamed. (It’s called over-the-top content in part because these programs exceed the boundaries of traditional cable!)

Why Implement CTV and OTT into Your Marketing Strategies?

You won’t reach as many people when you’re only advertising with cable providers. Although there are many reasons why you’d want to invest in cable advertisements (you can still reach important audiences on these platforms) you need to think about how popular streaming is when you’re thinking about your marketing techniques. Implementing OTT and CTV advertising into your company’s marketing plan is a great way to reach more people.

If you’re interested in enhancing your advertising strategies, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Sparklight Advertising. We want to help business professionals create customized strategies so that they can grow moving forward—contact us for more information.

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