Connected TV (CTV) is emerging as a bridge between branding and performance, blending big-screen storytelling with the targeting and measurement rigor of digital. Under the hood, it runs on the same app-based foundations as mobile, but at the household level. With the right measurement and programmatic setup, user acquisition (UA) teams can apply the same performance discipline—installs, engagement, and value—to the big screen.
1. Make CTV part of your UA strategy.
Performance budgets have covered in-app, web, search, and social. Now, CTV belongs on that list. With CTVs in nearly 90% of US households and streaming accounting for nearly half of total viewing, reach isn’t an issue. CTV needs to sit within your UA plan—not your brand budget—and be measured by installs, sign-ups, or purchases to prove app growth. Once positioned this way, targeting, creative, and measurement align toward performance outcomes.
2. Set up attribution through your MMP.
CTV ads reach shared screens, but installs happen on personal devices. To connect the dots, configure your mobile measurement partner (MMP) for CTV cross-device attribution. Link it to your DSP or media partner, ensuring campaign IDs and metadata flow through tracking URLs and postbacks. Validate impact with geo-splits or holdout tests comparing exposed versus non-exposed households. This setup lets you prove CTV drives installs and delivers engaged, high-value users.
3. Navigate fragmented supply.
CTV inventory spans free ad-supported streaming (FAST) channels, ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) inventory, each with different scale, intent, and pricing. A practical route is a programmatic DSP that connects you to efficient supply paths, curates inventory by vertical, and provides transparent performance data. Test multiple sources, track cost per install, and double down where you see scalable efficiency—not just low CPMs.
4. Target with context.
CTV targeting relies on contextual signals—genre, publisher, channel, daypart, ad break, or geography. With no mobile device IDs and IPs too imprecise, automatic content recognition (ACR) and publisher data can unlock show-level targeting. Think finance apps on CNBC streams or fitness apps during live sports. The goal is to align household viewing mindset with app intent, using context as the bridge.
5. Design for the living room, bridge to mobile.
CTV creative should fit a lean-back, shared environment. It should be polished storytelling, clear pacing, and a strong call-to-action that connects to mobile. Repurposed mobile assets can work with framing tweaks and added cues like QR codes, companion banners, or shoppable overlays. When interactivity isn’t available, the creative must make the value clear and memorable enough to drive action once the viewer picks up their phone.
Bringing CTV into the UA playbook.
Today, 80% of marketers call CTV the most effective channel for brand goals, according to a Comscore report, but only 20% see it as fit for performance—due to fragmented supply and attribution challenges. The opportunity lies in treating CTV with the same data discipline, optimization, and transparency standard in mobile. CTV earns its place in the UA stack only when it behaves like app marketing: measurable, optimizable, and growth-driven.