Connected TV (CTV) is rapidly gaining traction. The digital industry has seen this coming for a while; in fact, after years of growing adoption, CTV has accelerated into the forefront of media consumption as consumers’ preferred streaming device. 

What’s more, ad-supported CTV has captured audiences, with IAS research finding that 91% of CTV users watch some form of ad supported streaming video content. So, as CTV swiftly surpasses linear as the most popular way to view television, advertisers want a piece of the pie — understandably so. As a powerful medium when it comes to connecting with consumers, it remains crucial for advertisers to ensure their ads have the opportunity to be seen and heard, which, unfortunately, can be a shortcoming of first-party CTV metrics.

When it comes to capitalizing on the valuable CTV inventory you have available, cutting-edge measurement matters. Here’s why.

Advertisers want premium inventory — but they also want transparency.

CTV is compelling. Not only does this format offer a dynamic sight, sound, and motion experience for consumers, but it also consists of premium content that allows consumers to choose what to view and when to view it. With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder why advertisers want to get their hands on CTV placements.

However, despite the benefits and popularity of CTV, there’s a roadblock preventing advertisers from buying this inventory: the first-party data that publishers often provide to advertisers simply isn’t enough. 

So why does measurement matter so much in CTV? For publishers, working with third-party verification providers can be the key to maximizing the amount of advertisers who want your premium, valuable inventory. Why is that? Because advertisers want to see where their ad spend is going — and that includes the comprehensive, granular metrics that go along with it. Advertisers are more inclined to purchase inventory if they’re able to determine who saw their ads, how long the consumer viewed the ads, and at what scale the ad was viewed.

Data provides transparency, and transparency is key to enticing advertisers who have money to spend. But it’s not the only advancement that advertisers are looking for in CTV.

How are advertisers using incremental reach?

Advertisers are seeing greater value in the incremental reach CTV can offer. This placement strategy gives marketers the ability to target unique consumers that they simply cannot reach through other screens and mediums. But what does this mean for publishers?

As advertisers sharpen their focus on incremental reach, they want to know exactly who is watching their ads. If an advertiser knows they’ve already reached a certain consumer, they want the ability to choose to target them again on premium, and pricier, CTV inventory. 

On the other hand, if an advertiser knows they can reach a certain consumer or demographic via less expensive placements on traditional TV, they may want to explore that option. Ultimately, marketers are looking for transparency and control to determine what frequency and budget allocation is best for their digital strategies.

And how can advertisers know who exactly they’ve targeted? It’s all in the data. 

With today’s CTV technology, publishers need to provide a delivery system that’s able to feed back into audience management to let the advertiser know who they’ve reached, at what cost, and how many ads they’ve delivered to them.

Publishers — measurement matters for you too.

You may have heard this tagline thrown around the industry: “Data is the new oil.” And it’s true. Data, especially in CTV, tells advertisers exactly where their ad spend is going, and it’s crucial to provide exhaustive, meticulously measured data in order to provide transparency and increase trust among advertisers.

Simply put, publishers need to properly leverage their first-party data for advertisers to confidently invest in premium CTV placements. Publishers who focus on data-driven CTV monetization in partnership with third-party measurement have the greatest opportunity to increase revenue — and actually report on the uplift.