Since 2012, 25 million people have cut the cord on cable subscriptions, and nearly five million have canceled cable packages in 2022. So, what does this mean for businesses who want to advertise on TV?
Enter, Over the top (OTT) advertising: a way for short, often unskippable ads to reach targeted audiences via streaming platforms. Not only does OTT surpass the limitations of traditional TV commercials, but it allows for pinpoint targeting, superior analytics, and a better user experience.
4 Major Benefits of OTT Advertising
Although the benefits of OTT advertising are plenty, let’s discuss four main reasons brands should consider adding OTT to their marketing mix.
1. Powerful Analytics
McClatchy's proprietary analytics technology and automated workflows allow you to see real-time results. This means you can track consumer behavior and make adjustments on the fly without waiting for a report or data. In the end, this will help increase ROI exponentially.
Regarding OTT ad performance, analytics show higher completion rates than traditional TV ads. Video completion rates (VCR) are often higher because ads on smart TVs or CTV devices are often unskippable. Another KPI is attribution tracking, which follows a user through the buyer’s journey. Attribution tracking shows you how people are interacting with your brand.
When you partner with McClatchy, you also get exclusive subscriber data, industry-leading inventory transparency, and competitive ad separation – leading to even better campaigns.
2. Audience Reach
One of the most significant OTT advantages is reaching a large audience across all devices. Over-the-top advertising has the potential to reach more people than advertising through cable TV. With over 10 billion devices connected to the internet, OTT viewership is up. People spend more time-consuming media on their terms across several screens - from laptops, tablets, and smartphones. It's expected that by 2023, half of US homes won't have subscriptions to traditional cable TV services.
With cable cutting becoming increasingly common amongst Americans, services such as Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV are on the rise. Unlike conventional television ads, which only reach people within a certain broadcast radius with limited scheduling, OTT advertising happens whenever the viewer tunes in and on whichever device.
With McClatchy OTT campaigns, you reach the right audience with relevant placement and dynamic optimization, making reaching your audience even more effortless.
3. Superior Targeting Abilities
OTT targeting capabilities include the ability to target by household income, interests, gender, and more. With these targeting capabilities, advertisers can reach their desired customer base while maximizing their return on investment.
With a more targeted approach, audiences receive only ads they are interested in seeing, therefore, more likely to click through on ads—and are more likely to take action. With McClatchy, you get the opportunity to target the right audience with our local marketing knowledge and national buying power, further optimizing targeting abilities. McClatchy offers superior accuracy with unique in-market audiences, search-based targeting, and the ability to maximize cross-channel reach.
4. Unique User Experience
OTT is beneficial for brands, and viewers have a better watching experience.
The OTT user experience allows for higher engagement and drives customer retention. OTT ads can be watched anywhere on multiple devices. For instance, many people now watch shows in the background while working or using a tablet. OTT features some elements that consumers appreciate and are likely to interact with. Consumers can receive notifications (through text, login screens, or even email) about new content they may like, and accurate content recommendations are made based on user preferences. Many times, an interactive call to action can be placed in ads.
When an OTT ad comes up, users can often choose the ad they’d prefer to see, further tailoring their experience. Lastly, ads are shorter than traditional commercials. Shorter ad breaks are better for viewers who might get up and do something else during a break. With OTT, these ads are often between 15 to 30 seconds, allowing a captive audience to keep watching without losing attention.
But a better user experience doesn’t stop there with McClatchy. A partner like McClatchy offers more, including direct publisher relationships, recency capping every time, diverse channel delivery, and tailored and proven inventory mixes by vertical.
McClatchy OTT Campaigns are Different – Balanced Audience & Content CTV Solution
McClatchy delivers the most effective OTT ad placements, reaching the right audience at the right time backed up by their sophisticated proprietary analytics to consistently build upon results. Convergent OTT by McClatchy offers a fresh take on digital video. We're proud to be home to the industry's first dynamically optimized CTV engine focused on data-driven audience alignment across industry-leading data providers. With over 100 premium and contextually relevant publisher ad placements, McClatchy optimizes targeted marketing while maximizing scale and impact to media partners with full-service digital offerings.
McClatchy’s CTV is rooted in our local community foundation, giving our clients cutting-edge, advanced targeting to reach their ideal audience with renowned OTT ad placement. Partnering with McClatchy puts your business in front of the people who matter most to your sustained success. Call us today to learn more about how we can help!
