Connected TV Ads Important for Future—but Few Know How to Buy Them

Connected TV viewing continues to rise, but many media buyers are still struggling to take advantage of the ad opportunities the channel offers. In an April 2014 study by Mixpo, just less than half of US digital media buyers considered buying connected TV video ad inventory when planning an online video campaign.

Lack of knowledge about the space appeared to be preventing connected TV advertising, with 57.0% of respondents saying they didn’t know how to go about purchasing inventory.

While challenges exist, digital advertisers recognize that they need to conquer them. Among those who were not buying video ad inventory on connected TVs, nearly 100% said they believed it was something to consider for the future—and the near future, at that.

Around one-quarter of respondents who said they would consider making connected TV video ad purchases planned to do so “now,” and more than half intended to take action sometime within the next year.

By entering the connected TV space, marketers can keep up with viewers’ rapid uptake of the channel. According to data released in April 2014 by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and GfK, nearly half (48%) of US digital video viewers used connected TVs to watch original digital video. This had nearly doubled since last year. Similarly, November 2013 polling by Yahoo found that 49% of US internet users watched digital videos on connected TVs at least daily, and 31% reported doing so several times per day.

Courtesy of eMarketer