Streaming is in. Linear is out. After all, linear TV viewership dropped below 50% during the summer of 2023—an all-time low.  So, to maintain connections with watchers around the world, brands are shifting their strategy, taking their advertising efforts over-the-top—literally.  

OTT Is Over-The-Top

Over-the-top (OTT) is a term the marketing world uses to describe technology that delivers streamed content to consumers via internet-connected devices, like smartphones or smart TVs. If you’ve ever used the internet to watch, listen, or chat, you’re no stranger to OTT. 

With more than 3.7 billion viewers to date—and usership projected to rise by 54% over the next four years—the OTT pot continues to boil over.  

What prompted such unprecedented growth?  

Over the last decade, more and more Americans have opted to ‘cut the cord,’ ditching their cable, satellite, and broadcast TV providers. To fill the void, access higher-quality or more exclusive content, and experience the instant gratification that comes with on-demand options, Americans got in on the streaming fad.  

Now, with 98% of Americans subscribed to at least one OTT service, it’s safe to say streaming has become a mainstay. 

The Rise of OTT Advertising 

The way today’s generations consume media has drastically changed—and, thus, so has the way brands advertise. In fact, a report from Nielsen recently identified that streaming now accounts for nearly 40% of all U.S. television consumption.  

Where the consumers go, brands follow—prompting marketers the world over to shift the strategies that once had traditional media advertising at its core. 

The OTT Difference

The thing is: OTT advertising isn’t that much different from traditional advertising, which often takes place between breaks in songs, episodes, and the like. OTT advertising does the same but on streaming platforms.   

The biggest (and best) difference: OTT thrives on its ability to reach the right consumers at the right time through the use of contextual advertising, which offers never-before-seen hyper-targeted segmentation and audience reach opportunities that traditional media lacks!  

The introduction of hybrid OTT—which utilizes subscription-based monetization models—allows viewers to choose their adventure and opt into ad-supported and ad-free experiences. While ad-free seems like a no-brainer for consumers, more than half (57%) of Americans are content with low-cost or free services that serve advertisements—a true win for brands who value OTT advertising’s more effective, highly-targeted ad placement opportunities! 

Why Brands Go Over-The-Top

Unique units. Targeted segmentation. Improved retention. The benefits OTT advertisers can reap are seemingly endless—and the data speaks for itself! 

With OTT platforms, brands can measure their impact in a variety of ways, including tracking average click-through rates (CTR) and impressions resulting from view-through attribution (VTA) data. Our response: Challenge accepted. 

Recently, we put OTT to the test, helping our friends at AprilAire target and educate homeowners in DMAs affected by wildfire smoke about the importance and effectiveness of whole-house Indoor Air Quality solutions. Not only did this venture ignite the need and promote the importance of taking action, it yielded unparalleled results, with 216K hyper-targeted impressions (104% of testing goal) and a 17% lift in direct site traffic versus YTD campaign flight averages! 

Learn, Earn, & Grow: Let’s Go Over-The-Top

OTT streaming is the future of content consumption and can boast so many benefits for your brand! With OTT video advertising’s average revenue per user expected to reach $52.25 by 2025, it’s high time your brand follows in consumer’s footsteps and cuts the traditional media cord.  

Let us take your advertising over-the-top! Drop us a line at info@againinteractive.com to see what OTT can do.