Mastering the Art: CTV Creative Best Practices

Connected TV is taking the advertising world by storm — and for good reason. This channel is full of new and exciting opportunities. According to Innovid and Digiday, 41% of marketers agree that connected TV allows for engaging creative formats.

From QR codes to dynamic overlay and more, connected TV offers many opportunities for crafting high-impact creative. To take full advantage of connected TV's creative options, though, advertisers must understand the nuances of CTV and the creative process.

Whether you're an advertiser looking to unlock the potential of CTV, a marketer seeking to enhance your creative strategies, or simply an enthusiast intrigued by the evolving landscape of CTV advertising, we'll equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to make the most of CTV's unique creative capabilities.

Make it personal

Thanks to connected TV's robust targeting capabilities, advertisers can reach viewers at a granular level. Whether you're reaching moms in the northeast or gardening enthusiasts, your creative should be just as targeted. Personalize your creative to each audience to make the most of your targeting strategy and stand out.

Not sure how to start? Here are some ways to personalize your creative according to your targeting efforts:

• Geotargeting: Tailor creative to your audience's location. For instance, show the address of your store's location closest to the viewer, or include familiar landmarks from their city or state.
• Retargeting: Craft creative that encourages conversions. If a viewer has an abandoned shopping cart, remind them of any exclusive deals your brand offers.
• Behavioral targeting: Make sure your creative aligns with your viewers’ interests. For example, if you know a user is searching for gardening equipment, showcase relevant products they may be interested in.
• Contextual targeting: Personalize ad creative to the context of the content the user watches. If a user is watching a show during the afternoon, serve an ad for a food-delivery service that highlights a lunch special.

Personalization done right engages your audience and encourages conversions. Personalization done wrong, though, can turn off your audience and come across as creepy. Be mindful of the data you choose to use, how you use it, and how often you target users with personalized ads.

Leverage the latest trends

By staying up-to-date with the latest trends and incorporating them into your creative, you can create a more relevant and timely experience for viewers.

Take user-generated content, for instance. A staggering 79% of consumers say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. By incorporating this growing trend into your CTV creative, you can create a more authentic experience for viewers at a fraction of the price of traditional CTV creative.

What makes user-generated content so cost-effective? There are a few reasons.

• UGC creators charge flat fee rates. Influencers and UGC Creators typically charge brands a reasonable flat fee rate, though some may charge based on factors like the influencer’s social media audience, the number of posts required, and more.
• It’s scalable. Asking your in-house marketing team to produce ad creative after ad creative can quickly drain your team’s bandwidth. Work with UGC creators instead to take the heat off of your team. Better still, you can work with as many creators as you want, giving your team a diverse portfolio of content to work with.
• It’s a no-frills alternative to traditional ad creative. Traditional ad creative requires cutting-edge equipment, fancy software, and a big budget. User-generated content relies on the exact opposite. With the tap of a button, users can start filming straight from their phone — giving their content an authentic feeling consumers crave.

QR codes are another increasingly popular trend. During this year's big game, a notable number of advertisers featured scannable codes — from InstaCart to Michelob Ultra.

Including a QR code in your CTV ad can make it easier for viewers to engage with your brand beyond the 15-second ad. For instance, include a QR code directing viewers to a product page where they can purchase or learn more about your brand.

Be careful when repurposing existing creative

It can be tempting to repurpose existing digital creative to cut costs. What most advertisers don't realize, though, is that creative specs for CTV are unique, meaning creative optimized for mobile devices or desktops won't translate well to the big screen.

Take screen size, for instance. CTV ads are designed to be viewed on larger screens, while digital video ads are designed for smaller screens, such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. With this in mind, certain formats, such as vertical videos, should be avoided for CTV ads.

User-generated content is a great example here. As we mentioned before, this is an increasingly popular trend. Because testimonials are usually self-recorded, advertisers must be mindful to frame them horizontally.

The context in which viewers consume CTV and display ads is also different. Users typically watch CTV ads in a more passive setting. On the other hand, users see display ads in a more active environment, such as browsing the web or using an app.

Advertisers, then, must design CTV creative with a more passive viewing experience in mind. How can you encourage viewers to engage with your ad beyond the TV screen? A compelling story is critical, as is a strong call to action.

Mastering CTV Creative: Your Turn

In connected TV's rapidly evolving landscape, mastering CTV creative is essential for staying ahead of the curve. Use these tips and tricks to craft creative that leaves a lasting impression and stands out.

Investing time and energy into your ad creative is crucial to a successful campaign, but don't stop there. Serving your campaign to the wrong audience can nullify your hard work. Advertisers need to use the right technology to get their creative in front of the right audience — like Simulmedia's TV+ platform. Powered by data science, our TV+ full-funnel advertising solution lets you plan and buy audiences on CTV as cost-effectively as possible.

Ready to start? Schedule a demo to speak with one of our experts.