CTV attribution gauges the efficacy of ad campaigns spanning the many platforms used for Connected TV, or CTV for short. It empowers advertisers to better understand how advertising shapes viewer decisions.
The attribution of such actions, such as visiting a website or installing an app, allows for the evaluation of the CTV campaign’s success — or lack thereof.
The overarching purpose of CTV attribution is to help businesses and advertisers determine which advertisements on CTV platforms catalyze viewer action.
This seemingly futuristic approach to advertising is considered revolutionary.
CTV Attribution is a Game-Changer for Streaming
The streaming industry is quickly changing with the pace of technology. The rise of attribution helps piece together the puzzle of TV ad performance, setting the stage for better ads in the ensuing weeks, months and financial quarters.
However, the attribution process is not uniform across the board. Several models are available for measuring CTV ad success.
As an example, some advertisers and businesses are choosing view-through attribution, in which companies attribute new online visitors to specific CTV ads clicked after the display of that ad.
Advertisers are empowered to choose a time period to quantify those ensuing clicks after the airing of the ad.
The CTV attribution model best for your business might not be ideal for the next and so on.
The proper use of CTV attribution culminates in a refined approach to CTV advertising in which businesses are better capable of repeating successful campaigns through the analysis of both successful and unsuccessful advertisements.
Why CTV Attribution is Considered Revolutionary
Business owners, managers and marketers considering CTV attribution and conventional TV attribution should be aware that the overarching trend is in favor of CTV for good reason.
The fault with conventional TV attribution models is that they are myopic, strictly focusing on brief increases in online traffic along with short-term conversions.
This approach is short-sighted as it doesn’t account for delays.
The bottom line is plenty of people delay decisions to visit a company website or make a purchase, sometimes for several days, weeks or even months.
The beauty of these models is that they recognize the fact that viewers will remember that ad potentially for several weeks after viewing it.
CTV attribution models help determine whether the ad in question served as a brand magnet outside of the conventional measuring period.
Recognition of the Customer Journey
CTV attribution is also considered revolutionary in that it is not overly reliant upon key performance indicators, often referred to by the acronym of KPI.
Impressions, clicks, and open rates certainly matter, yet they do not tell the entirety of the attribution story. CTV gauges success across the full customer journey.
This way, if someone sees the ad and becomes aware of the brand right away, the models will still measure the ensuing response even if a purchase is not immediately made.
Let’s take a look at CTV attribution models to get a better sense of how CTV attribution analyzes the customer journey instead of zeroing in on the immediate period of time after airing an ad that occurs with conventional TV advertising.
For example, consider the first-touch and last-touch CTV attribution models frequently employed by businesses.
First-touch credits conversions and click-throughs to the initial marketing touchpoint. Alternatively, last touch attribution gives credit to the final touchpoint the customer has with the brand prior to converting.
Neither of the models described above is functional in a silo.
Rather, the most successful marketers and businesses alternate models and sometimes use a combination of models to tell the entirety of the story.
CTV Attribution Will Continue to Grow in Popularity
The CTV era is still relatively new, meaning it is a work in progress.
The industry is still perfecting its tracking and analysis of the myriad ConnectedTV devices, user accounts and other factors in the CTV space that impede the path to conversion.
CTV attribution will only improve as time progresses, potentially leaving conventional attribution models behind.
The continued implementation of CTV attribution combined with advances in the underlying technology will transform the industry, ultimately helping ConnectedTV streaming services to pluck even more market share from conventional TV.
The most successful advertisers and business owners are those who trace the buyer journey from the point of initial CTV ad exposure all the way to the finish line of prospect conversion.
Stay tuned. CTV technology, including that for attribution, will continue to improve in the months and years ahead.
It won’t be long until more businesses and advertisers justify ad spending on CTV, which proves post-ad return on investment.