MediaPost Article 

6 Must-Know Takeaways for Advertisers in a CTV-First Future

Author: Annmarie Gatti, VP of Marketing at Premion

Streaming has become the dominant force in TV consumption, with consumers embracing its convenience, choice, and control. In the recent VAB webinar, “Mastering CTV in 2025: Strategies for Success in a Fragmented Streaming Landscape,” Lindsay Aiello, Director of Sales Training and Enablement at Premion, unpacked what today’s brands and agencies need to know to win in a CTV-first future.

Among the key takeaways:

1. Local Advertising Is Having a Big Moment—and CTV is Leveling the Playing Field

CTV has opened the door for local advertisers in powerful new ways. Local buyers are asking for the same capabilities that national brands use—and with advancements in CTV, these tools are becoming more accessible, creating new opportunities for brands with local footprints or regionally tailored messaging.

“Local matters more than ever for advertisers—but it's also complicated and nuanced, and it really requires local expertise. Today, local advertisers are looking for the same tools and the same quality inventory as national advertisers. And these are becoming more available locally, which is really helping to even the playing field.”

2. Navigating CTV Fragmentation: Managed Service, Programmatic, or a Hybrid?

Fragmentation in the CTV ecosystem remains a key theme, presenting both opportunities and confusion around the best buying path. The smartest strategy depends on the specific goals of each business.

Managed service offers simplicity, hands-on expertise, and strategic support—ideal for brands that want a guided approach. Programmatic buying offers greater control and potential efficiencies. Increasingly, advertisers are turning to hybrid strategies that blend both approaches, offering agility and performance as needs evolve.

“The smartest path forward may be choosing one over the other based on the needs of the business and how those align with those value props. But more and more we're seeing that advertisers are finding value in integrating both, utilizing a hybrid approach to create an agile strategy that adapts to evolving needs and maximizes performance.”

3. Striking the Right Balance Between Precision and Scale in CTV Targeting

As CTV targeting becomes more sophisticated, advertisers must balance reaching the right viewers with maintaining scale. Granular targeting—powered by behavioral insights, contextual signals, and first-party data—delivers relevance but can sometimes come at the cost of broader reach.

For example, while first-party data is powerful, it often lacks the volume to serve as a standalone strategy. Used in tandem with broader targeting, it becomes a valuable tool for loyalty or exclusion campaigns. One standout example involved a mattress brand that targeted both mattress intenders and health and fitness enthusiasts. Surprisingly, the broader audience outperformed the core intenders—likely because health-conscious consumers also prioritize quality sleep. The key: combine data-driven precision with broader reach and tailor creative to fit each segment's place in the customer journey.

“Advertisers should focus on striking the right balance between precision and scale. The smartest strategies combine data-driven precision with broad reach, then optimize to deliver both relevance and results. Equally important is aligning creative messaging with your targeting—your message for a narrowly defined, in-market audience should differ from that for a broader audience where you’re creating demand and preference.”

4. In a CTV-First Future, Integration with the Full Media Mix Is Essential

CTV is no longer a side channel—it’s a central pillar of today’s media strategies. While standalone CTV campaigns are still viable (especially with smaller budgets), advertisers see the most value when CTV is integrated into an omnichannel plan.

A CTV-first approach drives cohesive storytelling across platforms, enables smarter message sequencing, and unlocks measurement across the full customer journey. CTV isn’t just an addition to the plan—it’s a performance engine when connected with digital and traditional media.

“CTV is best utilized not as a standalone tactic but as a powerful component of an omni-channel strategy. By integrating CTV into the broader media mix, advertisers can drive more cohesive storytelling, smarter sequencing, and certainly that ability to measure across the full customer journey brings a lot of value.”

5. Measuring True Business Impact: Beyond Reach and Impressions

CTV measurement has matured from basic reach and impressions to outcome-based KPIs like brand lift, sales (in-store and online), and visitation. And it's not one-size-fits-all—automotive brands track dealership visits and sales, while travel marketers connect ad exposure to metrics like distance traveled or stay duration.

“It's not just about the outcome; it's about informing that smarter strategy. When used effectively, it becomes a feedback loop that helps advertisers optimize creative, targeting, and spend to drive continuous improvement and greater ROI over time.”

6. Prioritizing True Brand Safety in CTV

Brand safety remains crucial—but it's more than avoiding unsafe content. It starts with partnering with trusted providers that vet publishers and offer transparency. The TAG brand safety seal is a gold standard, but advertisers should also consider whether the content drives real engagement.

"Brand safety is one very important aspect of premium content, but it’s not the only thing to consider. For example, the fireplace channel is technically brand safe—it’s just a fireplace in the background, passively consumed at best. It checks the brand safety box, but it won’t drive the same engagement or results as other types of content."

Bringing it all together, as the CTV landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear: success requires a strategic, integrated approach.

 “The smartest CTV strategies are flexible, data-driven, balance precision and scale, and are deeply integrated with a broader media plan. Advertisers should focus on building connected experiences—and, of course, work with a partner that enables you to adapt, optimize, and drive measurable results.”

Watch the full webinar replay here.

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