The news: Connected TV (CTV) is entering a critical stage of growth, and 2026 will be defined by the forces reshaping how viewers watch and how advertisers invest. As CTV matures, these are the three trends that will guide how the format makes gains in the year ahead—and how advertisers must adapt.

Viewing behavior will continue shifting: CTV and streaming services will continue making strides in time spent in 2026 as viewers increasingly embrace digital over traditional.

• Average time spent per day with CTV will increase to nearly three hours in 2026, per our forecast. Meanwhile, time spent with traditional TV by US adults will continue falling, approaching just two hours in 2026.
• The gap is widening after 2025 marked the first time adults spent more time with CTV than traditional TV.
• The shift is driven by modern consumer preferences, which heavily favor digital and on-demand content that offers a greater level of flexibility and a wider range of content.

Measurement and standardization will become the norm: CTV has been historically challenging to measure because of data siloes and fragmentation across platforms with distinct data and measurement standards. Over 32% of advertisers cite measurement as the biggest addressability challenge in CTV, per ID5, and 70% state that a lack of standardization in CTV metadata is a key challenge, according to Gracenote.

But the tide is shifting as measurement solutions gradually become more widespread in CTV—a trend brands can expect to see more of in 2026.

• Companies like DoubleVerify are moving toward accountability by bringing standards like Open Measurement (OM SDK) to streaming environments, offering consistent and granular viewability insights.
• Providers like Disney and Paramount are also pushing for CTV measurability by partnering with Walmart after the latter completed its acquisition of smart TV measurement supplier Vizio.

Interactive ads will drive action: The CTV advertising ecosystem is increasingly saturated. As CTV becomes more crowded, advertisers will continue looking to interactive ad formats to stand out from competitors.

• Advertisers are already looking at interactive ads as a key differentiator: 41.8% are incorporating interactive and shoppable formats into their CTV strategies, while 52% expected to use interactive features in at least 26% of their ads in 2025.
• These ads will continue gaining traction in 2026 for their ability to drive measurable outcomes: Interactive ads increase unaided recall by 36%, foot traffic by 13%, and brand affinity by 33%, according to BrightLine.
• Viewers respond positively to interactive ads, contributing to increased advertiser interest: 71% of viewers feel that these ads are attention grabbing, while 75% find them unique, per MediaScience and FreeWheel.

The implications for marketers:

• Continuing to gradually increase investment in CTV will be a necessity in 2026 and beyond. Advertisers can anticipate viewer attention to continue migrating to digital platforms—and while traditional TV advertising still has value, those who continue to excel will follow audiences where they’re headed.
• Keeping track of how measurement evolves in 2026 will ensure advertisers make the most of their CTV investments. Changing measurement standards will enable more effective CTV campaign planning and execution.
• Investing in interactive ads is paramount for driving action. Consumers are growing less interested in standard mid-roll formats; creating ads that naturally suit interactive formats like QR codes, gamified experiences, polls, and shoppable opportunities will ensure brands remain relevant to consumers.