Last updated on July 30, 2025 by Kelly Paul
Brands and advertisers are always looking to reach the viewers where they spend most of their time. This is why planning an OTT/CTV advertising campaign is now among marketers’ priorities.
With increasing numbers of viewers watching content on demand, OTT/CTV media planning is necessary for any connected TV ad strategy. This end-to-end guide takes you through each step to plan an OTT ad campaign or a CTV ad campaign to make your efforts yield quantifiable results and actual business growth.
Why OTT & CTV Are Blowing Up
OTT (Over-The-Top) and CTV (Connected TV) platforms revolutionize how audiences consume content. Rather than traditional cable, audiences use streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. This has created new opportunities for advertisers to engage highly involved audiences with targeted messaging.
- OTT/CTV ad campaigns enable brands to target specific:
- Demographics
- Interests
- household-level data
- According to Nielsen’s 2024 report, streaming services now account for more than 38% of all TV viewing in the U.S.
- Brands can measure performance in real-time, simplifying campaign optimization and ROI maximization.
Define Your Campaign Goals
All winning OTT or CTV ad campaigns begin with well-defined, quantifiable objectives. Defining objectives will inform every choice, from creative to platform.
- Determine whether your objective is
brand awareness- lead generation
- direct sales
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) such as
- Impressions
- completed views
- Click-throughs
- Correlate campaign objectives with larger business goals.
Know Your Target Audience
Knowing your audience is the foundation of successful OTT/CTV media planning. Data insights allow you to segment audiences and serve up messages that matter.
- Segregate demographics, interests, and watch habits with first-party and third-party data.
- Create audience personas to inform creative and platform decisions.
- Employ advanced targeting features like location, device, or purchase intent.
Example:
A fitness app seeking to create a CTV ad campaign might target millennials interested in health and wellness who watch workout videos on connected TVs. By segmenting the audience, the brand can ensure its message gets to those most likely to convert.
Select the Right OTT/CTV Platforms
Selecting the appropriate platforms is critical to your connected TV ad strategy. Every streaming platform has distinct audience segments, ad formats, and inventory quality.
- Compare Hulu, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV for audience reach and brand fit.
- Review available ad formats, e.g., pre-roll, mid-roll, interactive, or shoppable ads.
Set Your Budget & Bidding Strategy
Proper budgeting ensures your campaign has sufficient reach and frequency to be effective.
- Set your total spend and divide it among platforms and creative production.
- Choose direct (guaranteed inventory) and programmatic buys (real-time bidding).
- Employ programmatic platforms for flexibility, efficiency, and high-granularity targeting.
Develop Ad Creative
Your ads need to make an immediate impression and have a lasting message.
- Use narrative to form emotional connections and increase engagement.
- Make videos brief (15-30 seconds) and visually engaging, as most audiences like to watch abbreviated content.
- Optimize creative assets for various platforms and devices.
Example:
Netflix frequently airs teaser commercials for future series on linked TV platforms, employing suspenseful narratives and great visuals to build excitement and hype.
Run Your Media Buy
Running your media buy means buying ad inventory and setting up your campaign for the best results. The process can be complicated, but companies such as New Path Digital make it easier.
- Utilize demand-side platforms (DSPs) to gain access to high-quality inventory across various OTT/CTV platforms.
- Schedule ads to appear during prime viewing times for your target viewers.
- Track delivery to ensure ads are served to the correct viewers and at the proper frequency.
Launch, Monitor, and Optimize
Rolling out your OTT/CTV ad campaign is only the first step. To achieve the best possible results, ongoing monitoring and optimization are necessary.
- Monitor real-time KPIs like impressions, completed views, click-through rates, and conversions.
- Utilize analytics to determine top-performing platforms, creatives, and audience segments.
- Adjust targeting, creative, or budget allocation based on performance data.
The Upside of Partnering with New Path Digital
Partnering with specialists such as New Path Digital for OTT/CTV media planning and buying has key benefits:
- Access to the latest analytics, industry knowledge, and proprietary resources that automate the process.
- Experience managing intricate platform choices and maximizing campaigns for the most significant ROI.
- Verified success in producing quantifiable results for retail, healthcare, education, and other brands.
Benefits:
- Professional support from planning through execution.
- Decision-making based on data for enhanced targeting and performance.
Increased time for your staff to concentrate on key business goals.
