Don’t Let OTT Go Over Your Head: Insights from Industry Experts

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  • Performance Media Planning & Buying

Level Agency hosted a webinar with MNI Targeted Media to share insights on marketing on OTT platforms. If you need a refresher on OTT, check out our blog post on Multi-Screen Attribution before reading through this webinar recap.


Where do I start with OTT?

Establish what success means

What do you want to get out of running your ads on an OTT platform? Depending on whether you want to increase awareness or generate traffic to a landing page, the metrics that determine success will be different. 

Focus on the right people

Choose the right DMAs that make sense for your audience on the OTT platforms you’re focusing on. With more data, businesses now have more information on the people and locations they can target, so really think about and determine who you want to receive your message. 

Analyze the results

Compare how your ad performed on OTT platforms and whether the change (if any) was what you expected and how you can learn from the results. Think back to your metrics of success and evaluate performance based on those points. You might not have increased sales, but if your goal was to get more traffic and the data shows you accomplished that, it’s a win! Success will vary across industries and across campaigns.  


5 Tips from OTT Industry Leaders

1. There is no ‘perfect’ platform

Picking between Roku or Hulu isn’t the end-all be-all. There are pros and cons to each platform, but just because you are on one and not another won’t automatically help (or hurt) you. The platform you use is just one way you are getting to the consumer, and that is the most important aspect you want to nail. 

2. Audience > Platform

Your audience is what you should be most focused on. Understanding who they are, what they want, where they are, and what gets through to them is key to your success. Being able to take your customer insights and translate those into an advertising plan will help you more than focusing on the latest and greatest platform.  

3. Be patient

The nature of OTT is different than other marketing mediums, so remember that if you are used to instant results from your other ads. In the 90–120-day range, you will start being able to pull actionable insights from your OTT marketing efforts. Each medium comes with its own differences, so don’t panic if you are used to social media campaigns that convert in 1–2 weeks. This also goes back to metrics for success since top-of-funnel efforts have different results compared to lower-funnel campaigns.  

4. Don’t be afraid to pivot

As humans, we aren’t always a fan of change (especially when it comes to putting it into practice). Know that while there is always a level of risk, there are advantages to being ahead of the curve. You won’t be able to realize those gains without pivoting into the new options that present themselves. Do your research and look at where the people are. 

5. Share value

While ads don’t always seem exciting when you’re watching a comedy special after work, as long as the content is relevant and valuable, it is still well-received. With OTT you’ll likely have to step up your creative since it is going to be seen on an HD 60-inch TV, but this gives you the opportunity to stand out. Provide your audience with valuable content and engage them. This goes back to knowing your audience. If you know what gets them to laugh or know what to avoid, you have a great start to developing an ad that grabs their attention.  

Looking for more? For deeper insights into OTT along with actionable tips to get you started, watch this webinar.

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