How to drive performance across the full funnel on CTV

This year, ad spend on connected TV is expected to increase by 18.8%. At the same time, viewer adoption is exploding thanks to factors like the rise of FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV), giving advertisers a massive opportunity to meaningfully engage with audiences at scale. As CTV grows, so too does the need to better understand how to thrive in this unique environment, and a key part of that is implementing the right strategies to boost campaign performance throughout the entire buyer journey. Traditionally, CTV has been thought of as a brand awareness channel. It’s often the largest screen in a home with a non-skippable ad environment, so advertisers have approached it as a medium to drive top-of-funnel goals and metrics, be it brand favorability or intent to purchase. While CTV deserves recognition for its unique brand-building strengths, it shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to driving outcomes at every touchpoint, including conversion. After all, CTV is inherently a digital channel, thus benefiting from advanced targeting capabilities enabled by technologies that drive lower-funnel performance metrics. As advertisers continue to move budgets and refine their marketing strategies, unlocking CTV’s full potential will require considering how to engage viewers and maximize performance throughout the full funnel. Let’s look at how CTV can benefit both brand and performance marketers at each stage, from awareness and consideration to decision making. Building positive brand association on CTV The early days of ad buying on CTV looked and felt similar to what the process was like on traditional TV. Thanks to new data-driven approaches and targeting capabilities, however, how brands engage with viewers to drive attention—specifically, positive attention—has improved drastically. Today, access to vast amounts of viewer insights and technologies like generative AI are making it possible to enhance targeting and personalization like never before. One such example is how gen AI is being used in contextual advertising on CTV, specifically to look at the role emotions play in driving brand engagement. With gen AI, brands are able to align the emotion of their ad creative to the emotion of the scene on-screen, ultimately creating a more seamless viewer experience, and thus garnering positive attention. In the awareness stage, driving positive versus negative attention is crucial. When timed right and in the right context, ads can be the lever that steers viewers into having a positive association with your brand over the long term. On the other hand, disruptive and irrelevant ads can be jarring for the viewer and ultimately lead to brand aversion. From consideration to conversion Moving down the marketing funnel from awareness and consideration is the decision stage—the final step of the buyer journey where viewers are influenced to take a definitive action, whether it’s making a purchase, downloading an app or signing up for a subscription. The decision stage is defined by performance marketing capabilities, where advertisers can precisely target viewers and place ads strategically. Meeting the right user with the right message at the right time—as is so often referenced in our industry—is a big part of the equation. This is where newer approaches to contextual advertising (like the emotions-based targeting capabilities mentioned before) are helping advertisers drive down-funnel conversions. PMG serves as a great example here—the company leveraged emotion targeting for a quick-service restaurant brand to align ads with content that portrayed emotions related to hunger and cravings, ultimately leading to a 40% increase in incremental in-store visits and a 48% lift in sales. There’s another part of the equation, however: getting viewers to take action requires simplifying the conversion process. Strategies like single-click purchasing directly from a QR code within a CTV ad or offering instant access to special promotions on-screen can be effective ways to reduce friction and encourage quick viewer action. Unlocking CTV’s full potential at every stage Thanks to innovative technologies and advanced data capabilities, CTV has matured into a full-funnel powerhouse with the ability to drive outcomes at every stage of the buyer journey. To take advantage and realize CTV’s full potential, advertisers must consider challenging the status quo and testing new strategies that will help them maximize their campaigns’ effectiveness, whether that is to drive positive brand awareness or boost in-store sales. In the end, well-placed ads lead to better outcomes for everyone—advertisers see better performance, content owners achieve stronger monetization and viewers ultimately enjoy a more positive and engaging experience. The entire ecosystem benefits. About Wurl Wurl is a leader in the CTV industry, helping connect viewers to the content they want to see with technologies for distribution, monetization and advertising. The company supports publishers, streamers and advertisers in growing viewership, maximizing revenue and strengthening brand value. Wurl is owned by AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ: APP). For more information, visit www.wurl.com. Pete Crofut Pete Crofut is VP, business development, agencies and brands, at Wurl, a leader in the connected TV industry, helping publishers, streamers and advertisers reach millions of viewers worldwide. In his role, Pete oversees Wurl’s agency and brand advertiser partnerships, helping clients grow brand loyalty and reach new audiences on CTV. As former chief business strategist at Google Marketing Platforms, he partnered with Google’s largest customers to enable their digital transformations. Prior to Wurl, he served as director of partnerships for such as InfoTrust and Adswerve. Pete currently resides in Portland, Oregon. In his free time he likes to spend time traveling, skiing and golfing with his family.

How to drive performance across the full funnel on CTV

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