The world of digital media has changed a lot over the past few decades. Once, television was only the gateway to a select number of channels, giving people very little variety and control over how they spent their free time. Nowadays, digital media couldn't be any more different, with streaming services, thanks to Connected TV (CTV), allowing people to watch on demand.
As CTV has developed and proliferated into the world, its popularity has only increased. By connecting TVs to the internet, they have essentially become mini-computers, allowing people to achieve and access many of the same functions and services they would with their computers. This has opened the door to new forms of media consumption.
In this article, we'll dive into CTV, exploring how it is positively impacting the customer, content creators, and advertisers. CTV isn't just the future, it's already here and actively shaping the world of media as we know it.
What Exactly is CTV?
Connected TV is a descriptor for any television that has the ability to connect directly to the internet. From there, this connection allows the TV to access online streaming services, pushing beyond offering only the traditional satellite or cable options that people once had. Many TVs now have a direct internet plug-in via ethernet cable or WiFi.
Equally, there are a number of TVs that come with streaming services already integrated into the TV, with an app store where they can select from other platforms. These integrations aren't only offered on a TV. For example, other systems that are very popular in the world of CTVs would be Xbox and PlayStations.
Users are able to access their CTV in order to directly watch on-demand television via streaming services.
The Arrival of AVOD and Its Impact on Advertisers
Streaming services have continually been on the rise for the past ten years. Many believe their ascent to the popularity they have today started with Netflix's first original series, House of Cards, which was launched in 2013. Beyond just hosting on-demand TV, this showed that online platforms also could be the perfect place for creators to make and publish high-quality content.
While streaming services have worked off a subscription fee for quite some time, this is now starting to change. For advertisers, streaming services represented an impenetrable audience. Yet, traditional TV media wasn't particularly effective for advertisers either, as there was no guarantee that people were actually watching the content. Equally, with such a small amount of channels, it was impossible to personalize the marketing they launched.
Most recently, streaming services have been offering Ad-Supported Video On Demand. Netflix is one of the most recent additions to this offering, creating quite a stir across the industry. AVOD offers cheaper subscription models for users that watch ads during their program streaming.
The higher amount of interaction that streaming services get allows these platforms to create user profiles. From there, advertisers can launch their content directly to audiences that have a higher chance of being interested in their content. This has allowed personalized digital marketing to expand into streaming services.
Beyond just creating a valuable experience for advertisers, this also benefits the customer. In fact, over 70% of customers want a personalized experience from their advertisements. The higher degree of interaction ensures that advertisers get in contact with the right customers and that customers have a more affordable viewing experience, while also seeing ads that relate to them.
What Are the Benefits for Content Creators?
CTV allows users to access more than just a select handful of channels. As this industry has expanded, the potential avenues that people can use to watch content have also expanded. Take Roku, for example, which has now converted itself into one of the leading platforms alongside names like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO.
With more services like these available, content creators are able to pitch and create their content for new audiences. For example, VFR, an Israeli CTV tech startup, has created over 100 distinct channels on Roku. The flexibility that CTV offers has allowed VFR to create everything from interactive gaming channels (so-named "Bingo TV") and Vegas-themed channels (so-named "Vegas TV") to children's e-book channels ("Little Stories").
In addition to creating their own, unique content, they are also in the market for existing, well-performing CTV content. The upkeep and maintenance of CTV content can be exhausting for solo creators.
For content creators, CTV represents a step into the future of flexibility. No longer do internal networks demand that creator services focus only on one small niche. With his flexibility comes a whole new era of exciting, accessible, and inspired media creation for all.
Beyond this, CTV is always going to be limitless. With traditional TV, there are a finite number of channels that can be used and broadcast at any one time. Yet, streaming media has ushered in a whole new world of possibility.
The possibility to create content for new channels and continually produce is allowing creators to push past the barriers they once encountered in traditional TV media. This availability is turning streaming spaces like Roku into the perfect place for people to pursue new content. For example, instead of launching a YouTube channel, a new creator could use the freedom of streaming to establish their own spot on a service.
This field is still evolving right before our eyes, yet it is creating change in the industry like nothing that's come before it. Across the board, it seems like everyone can benefit from the power of CTV and AVOD content production and consumption.
Final Thoughts
Across the board, CTV is a beneficial service that's pushing the bounds of what was once possible inside the world of digital media consumption. For users that have more access, content creators that have more freedom, and advertisers that have better response uptakes, this is a wonderful step forward.
As CTV continues to ingrain itself in our society, we're likely to see this field grow and develop even further. We cannot wait to see just how far CTV changes the face of media consumption.
