Over-the-top (OTT) devices have raced ahead leaving desktop behind as the leading digital platform for premium video ad views in Q1 of 2017 in the US as per online ad technology firm FreeWheel.
As per “The Power of OTT: Audiences & Engagement report, OTT lets marketers to target viewers that are harder to find on traditional TV which includes millenials and cord-cutters.
As per the report, the median OTT viewer is 23 years younger than TV viewers and their median household income is almost $10,000 higher yearly than traditional TV homes.
Some more findings include:
- More than 1/3rd of OTT visits which are over an hour long
- More than one-third of OTT visits are over an hour long, and viewers complete 98% of all premium video ads.
To conclude, the study found that misconceptions around the platform resulted in OTT being under-utilized in relation to its true value.
OTT is an IP based platform which causes concerns among marketers about desktop viewability and fraudulent traffic. However in reality OTT is actually less vulnerable since it has high authentication rates, the devices have closed environments and the nature of the viewing experience as per FreeWheel.
Another myth is that OTT audiences merge with people they are targeting via linear buys, however this is not true becuase OTT has replaced traditional TV for many viewers and is responsible for the decline of primetime TV ratings.
Even though OTT has elements of linear and digital, it cannot be compartmentalized into the measurement frameworks used by either.
