CTV advertising is becoming more accessible through advertising platforms you may already be using, such as Google and Microsoft Ads.
With CTV, you no longer need to navigate complex TV negotiations or commit large budgets to test the channel. Start small and scale.
YouTube via Google Ads
For search marketers already running Google Ads, YouTube represents the easiest entry point into CTV advertising.
YouTube is the dominant CTV app, available on virtually every connected TV device and smart TV.
More importantly, it integrates seamlessly with your existing Google Ads account, where you can:
Run Video Action or Video Reach campaigns optimized for TV screens.
Opt in to target only smart TVs if you want full control over placement.
Use the same remarketing lists, customer match data, and in-market audiences you already leverage in your search campaigns.
Track CTV performance alongside search metrics in the same reporting interface to better understand cross-channel impact.
YouTube offers extremely cost-effective targeting, with CPVs as low as $0.03 – making it easy to test with low-budget investments.
Dig deeper: Google TV: What you need to know about CTV buying in Google Ads
Premium CTV inventory via Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads has a significant advantage in CTV inventory through partnerships with leading streaming platforms such as:
Netflix.
Roku.
Paramount+.
Directly through the Microsoft Ads interface, you can gain access to this premium, ad-supported inventory.
When you run ads through these streaming services, they appear pre- or mid-roll alongside professionally produced content such as films and TV shows, rather than the user-generated content you find in other digital video spaces like YouTube and social media.
Microsoft’s CTV solution offers strong audience options for B2B marketers and brands targeting professional audiences through its integration with LinkedIn.
The platform also offers solid measurement capabilities, including:
Brand lift studies.
Standard conversion tracking.
Standard view rates expected from digital video ads.
Dig deeper: Microsoft brings video and CTV ads (including Netflix inventory) to Advertising Editor
Other CTV platforms
Aside from Google and Microsoft Ads, several other options exist for accessing CTV ad placements.
There are programmatic platforms like Amazon DSP and others that offer CTV inventory.
This programmatic targeting, similar to what’s available when using YouTube and Microsoft, aligns with the choices we typically see as search marketers when running audience network campaigns.
There is also the option to negotiate direct partnerships with streaming services like Sky AdSmart, which offers a blend of traditional and CTV, though this can typically require larger budgets.
Sky AdSmart’s great benefit is access to enhanced targeting options, such as Experian Mosaic audience data, business owners and decision-makers, and FMCG purchase behavior.
Sky’s proprietary first-party data includes Experian, Mastercard, and Nectar.
For most search marketers testing CTV for the first time, starting with YouTube through Google Ads or exploring Microsoft’s premium inventory provides the most straightforward entry point.
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