As part of this report, Smadex’s CTV Guide breaks down how Connected TV is stepping up as a full-funnel, performance-led channel with real, measurable impact.

1. Coming to a Screen Near You!
CTV
GUIDE
“A must-read for any marketer!”

2. Table of Contents
CTV Explained
What is CTV
CTV Strategies
CTV KPIs
CTV Attribution & Measurement
Audience Targeting in CTV - By Nexxen
CTV Expert Creative Strategies
Repurposing Creatives or Starting from Scratch?
Expert’s Creative Strategies for Engaging CTV Ads
Pre-Campaign Testing - By Nexxen
Behind The Scenes
Smadex: A CTV Pioneer
Nexxen and AppsFlyer
01
02
03

3. Let’s Set
the Scene
Connected TV (CTV) has rapidly become a central
component of digital advertising strategies, and its
importance has only grown since you downloaded
and started reading this guide.
Connected TV is the future (and very much the
present) of advertising - and no one wants to be
left behind. While your competitors are already
engaging viewers in their living rooms, you don’t
want to be the last to catch the wave.
This guide is designed to help you not just keep up,
but lead in the fast-moving world of Connected TV.
Let’s dive in!

4. 01
What is CTV?
Connected TV (CTV) refers to any
television set that can stream video
content. This includes smart TVs
with built-in internet capabilities
and standard TVs connected to the
internet via external devices such as
streaming sticks, gaming consoles,
or set-top boxes (e.g., Xbox,
PlayStation, Roku, Amazon Fire, and
Apple TV). It also encompasses a
wide range of services, such as
Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube.
The CTV Opportunity
According to recent AppsFlyer data,
total CTV-to-mobile installs (app
downloads attributed to a CTV ad)
nearly doubled between August
2024 and January 2025.
The growing global adoption of CTV
presents marketers with a golden
opportunityto reach highlyengaged
audiences through an innovative
strategy. Its inherent qualities make
it an essential advertising channel:
Massive Reach: CTV reaches
viewers at home, offering a superior
entertainment experience. With
users spending an average of one
hour per day on their connected
TV devices, advertisers have a
prime opportunity to reach their
target audience in a more receptive
environment. A larger screen size
and a lean-back viewing experience
create a more immersive setting
right in the comfort of users’ homes.
High Engagement: CTV’s immersive,
non-disruptive nature enhances the
viewing experience, naturally increasing
Connected TV
(CTV) Explained
From Antennas to Algorithms:
How Your TV Evolved - And What
That Means For Your Ad Breaks.

5. engagement. It allows viewers to
actively choose the content they
want to watch, leading to a less
distracted and more engaged
audience than linear TV. The ability
to deliver high-quality, targeted, and
tailored ads based on user data and
segmentation enhances relevance,
making audiences more receptive
to brand messaging.
Performance-Driven: CTV is far
more than an awareness channel.
UnlikelinearTV,whereadvertisersrely
only on demographics and estimated
viewerships, Connected TV allows
precise audience segmentation
basedonbehavioralanddemographic
data. Additionally, measurement is
possible in connected TV campaigns.
Via advanced tracking, such as
impressions, completion rates,
website visits, app installs, and even
conversions, advertisers can gain
insights to optimize their campaigns
using machine learning algorithms.
“Performance marketers
aiming to drive stronger user
retention and long-term
value should strongly consider
leveraging CTV. This highly
immersive channel engages
attentive audiences, acting
as a force multiplier for their
marketing efforts.”
Yair Kahan, Director, Partner
Development, CTV
CTV and OTT -
Two Acronyms, One
Big Question
CTV and OTT are often mixed since
they can be used interchangeably.
However, there’s a key difference
between them:
OTT (Over The Top) refers to how
streaming video content is delivered,
specifically content delivered over the
internet, bypassing traditional cable or
satellite TV. CTV refers to the device
used to watch the content delivered
by OTT.
“All CTV is OTT, but not all OTT is
CTV.”
For example, Netflix is an OTT service
because it delivers streaming content
over the internet, bypassing traditional
TV channels. However, Netflix can be
consumed on a CTV, like a smart TV,
as well as on other devices, such as
laptops, tablets, or mobile phones. So,
while all content watched on a CTV is
delivered via OTT, OTT content can be
accessed from a variety of devices, not
just CTVs.

6. Feature Linear TV Connected TV (CTV)
Type Awareness Awareness and performance
with measurable
engagement
Budget Allocation/
Costs
High upfront costs More efficient spending with
dynamic budget allocations
Ad Formats Standard commercial-break
ads from 15 to 30 seconds in
length
Interactive, dynamic ads
Targeting Demographic-based
targeting
Precise targeting based on
user data
Creative Flexibility Limited. Ads must fit
traditional TV formats
High. Ads can be customized,
A/B tested, and dynamically
optimized
Frequency Capping Viewers may see the same
ad repeatedly across
channels
Allows advertisers to control
how many times an ad is
shown to the same viewer
Audience Reach Broad reach but declining
viewership
Broad, growing audiences
Measurement Traditional TV ratings with
estimations on audience
reach
Precise measurement
metrics such as impressions,
completion rates, and
conversions
Viewing Behaviour Scheduled programming
and passive viewing.
On-demand, user-controlled
content selection
Interactive Capabilities None QR codes
CTV VS. Linear TV
Nowthatwe’ve clarified the relationship
between CTV and OTT, let’s move
forward to a very important subject. The
following table compares LinearTVand
CTV, highlighting their main differences
to help marketers understand their
unique advantages.
CTV Strategies:
From Awareness
to Performance
As CTV continues to grow, it has evolved
from being a full brand awareness
channel into a full-funnel advertising
solution. Its massive reach, high
engagement, and performance-driven
capabilities make it a powerful tool to
reach audiences at every stage of their
journey.
🎬CTV for Awareness
Making Your Brand the
Star of the Big Screen
CTV’s big screen, immersive environment,
and lean-back approach make it ideal for
advertisers to introduce their brand to new
audiences,enhancebrandrecognition,and
build positive brand associations. Unlike
linearTV,advertiserscanleverageCTV’s
capabilities for audience targeting
to reach the right users with the right
message.
CTV for Mobile
User Acquisition
Turning Viewers Into
Users
Going beyond awareness, CTV is
increasingly being used as a performance
channel to find, attract, and convert high-
quality users. Due to its targeted reach,
measurable results, and creative flexibility,
mobileappmarketerscanleverageCTVto
drive app installs and achieve UAgoals.
“By transforming CTV into a
fully measurable performance
channel, marketers can
not only prove ROAS but
also drive sustained growth,
maximizing exposure, engaging
entire households at once, and
cost-effectively reaching new
audiences.”
Yair Kahan, Director, Partner
Development, CTV
📱

7. 🎯CTV for Retargeting
Keep Them Coming
Back
CTVhasalsoproventobeahighlyeffective
channel for retargeting purposes. It allows
advertisers to extend their capabilities
beyond initial awareness and acquisition
by reconnecting with users who have
previously interacted with their brand
on other platforms. Retargeting on CTV
nurtures users’ interest, supports driving
conversions, and maximizes users’ lifetime
value.
📈Understanding the
Impact of CTV
By implementing a full-funnel strategy,
advertiserscanleverageConnectedTV’s
capabilities to increase brand awareness
while boosting user acquisition efforts
and improving engagement. Combining
CTV campaigns with mobile user
acquisitionstrategiesresultsinapowerful
synergistic effect, creating a seamless
cross-device experience, amplifying
the impact of both channels and driving
significant results.

8. While these awareness KPIs are
essential for understanding brand
impact, CTV advertising has evolved
to offer much more.
Smadex enables advertisers to go
beyond traditional awareness metrics
by accurately measuring performance
indicators such as ROAS, CPA, and
CPI for CTV campaigns. This enables
advertisers to leverage CTV as a
performance channel, measuring its
effectivenessindrivinghigh-valueuser
actionsandoptimizingcampaignswith
data-driven insights.
Solidify your measurement
strategy: Ensure you have a solid
foundation to measure installs,
signups, revenue, and in-app
engagement using accurate,
trusted data. Apply the same
KPIs used across other digital
channels to enable true apples-
to-apples comparisons with
mobile to assess CTV’s full
impact across the funnel.
CTV KPIs:
Measuring
Success
As with any marketing effort,
understanding CTV KPIs is crucial
to measuring the success of
your campaign. Initially, CTV was
primarily seen as an awareness
channel, but it has now evolved into
a powerful performance channel
as well. Let’s break down the key
metrics:
👀Impressions:
The total number of times the CTV
ad was served, whether watched
or not.
Why it matters: Even though this is
a very basic metric, it can provide
valuable insights for advertisers to
know exactly how many times their
ad is displayed.
📊Completion Rate:
Refers to the percentage of the
CTV ad that was watched to
completion.
Why it matters: It offers a key insight
into engagement for skippable ads.
🏁Conversions:
Refers to the specific actions a user
took after being exposed to a CTV
ad. Depending on the campaign,
this can refer to a registration,
install, or other action previously
determined by the advertiser.
Why it matters: Shows if the CTV ad
is driving the desired results of the
campaign.

9. Multi-touch Attribution
(MTA)
Multi-touch attribution assigns credit to
multiple touchpoints that contributed
to a conversion, providing a holisticview
of the user’s journey. This attribution
model recognizes that users very rarely
convert after being exposed to just one
ad.
Picture this:
A user sees a CTV ad for a fitness app.
A few days later, that same user sees
an ad for the same app while scrolling
throughsocialmedia,clicksthead,goes
to the app store, but doesn’t proceed
to the download. One week later, they
saw a banner for the fitness app on a
website. After this, the user goes to the
app store and downloads the app.
If using last-click attribution model, the
credit for the install would go 100% to
the banner on the website the user
clicked on. However, MTA recognizes
the influence of all the previous
touchpoints.
By using a multi-touch attribution model,
advertisers can gain insights into the
combined impact of their marketing
campaigns.
Adopt a cross-platform approach:
Consumers move fluidly across
devices and channels, often
engaging with multiple screens
at once. Acquisition, engagement,
and monetization can all
happen on different platforms,
making it essential to measure
performance holistically. CTV is
quickly becoming a key source of
engagement in this cross-platform
reality, and understanding its
impact is essential for marketers to
have a complete picture.
CTV Attribution & Measurement
Attribution enables advertisers to measure the impact of their CTV ads by
tracking the user journey from ad exposure to conversion. This insight helps
them assess campaign effectiveness, identify the most successful strategies,
and optimize for better results.
Probabilistic Attribution
Probabilistic attribution, as its name
suggests, uses data and statistical
analysis to calculate the likelihood that
oneviewerwhosawaCTVadisthesame
person who later took an action, such as
an install, on another device.
Picture this:
A user sees an ad for a food delivery
app on their CTV device. Later in the
day, that same user remembers the ad
and proceeds to install the app on their
mobile device.
ByanalyzingIPaddresses,theprobabilistic
attribution model estimates the likelihood
thatthesameuserwhosawaCTVadlater
installed the app.

10. Contextual vs. Location Targeting
Targeting Type Advantages Disadvantages
Deterministic
Targeting
• High accuracy using
authenticated data.
• Strong privacy compliance
and reliable measurement.
• Data fragmentation across
multiple devices and
profiles..
Probabilistic
Targeting
• Broader reach by inferring
identities from behavioral
signals.
• Scalable and cost-effective
for large-scale campaigns.
• Lower precision.
• Complex measurement
nuances.
Targeting Type Advantages Disadvantages
Contextual
Targeting
•Aligns ads with the content
environment without requiring
PII.
•Dynamic Adaptation: Enables ad
placement based on real-time
content context and trends.
•No personalization, so
viewers’ interests may
be missed as it solely
focuses on content
context and doesn’t
provide insight into user
intent or behavior.
•Contextual targeting in
these environments relies
on metadata for content
tagging and contextual
analysis, with varying
degrees of quality.
Location
Targeting
•Granular audience segmentation
based on geographic data (ideal
for highly targeted local or
regional campaigns).
•Can serve timely/relevant info or
ads tied to local events, weather
conditions, etc, to provide a more
personalized user experience.
•The reliance on IP
addresses opens
location targeting up to
inaccuracies when trying
to map user location.
•Location targeting can
impact scale if the
targeting is too restrictive.
Deterministic vs. Probabilistic Targeting
Audience
Targeting in CTV
With so many diverse targeting methods available, advertisers
must select the appropriate approach that aligns best with the objectives
of their CTV campaigns in order to maximize impact.
This section breaks down key targeting strategies for CTV campaigns,
highlighting their advantages and potential limitations. By understanding
what each method entails, advertisers can refine and optimize campaign
performance.
Behavioural vs. Demographic Targeting
Targeting Type Advantages Disadvantages
Behavioural Targeting • High relevance through
insights. on viewing
habits and interests
• Enables dynamic,
personalized ad
experiences.
• Challenging data
collection across CTV
environments.
• Incomplete data
signals.
Demographic
Targeting
• Effective for reaching
broad, well-defined
audience segments.
• Less granular,
leading to generic ad
experiences
• Risk of
overgeneralization

11. Repurpose
or Remake?
Crafting Creatives
for CTV
Creatives used on the large screen must
meet some basic minimum requirements
– such as resolution and file type. CTV is
considered a premium environment, and
so the quality of creative should reflect
that.
BrandscaneasilytakelinearTVassetsand
adapt them for CTV. However, adapting
socialorwebvideosforCTVrequiresmore
consideration; the environment, context,
and format should all be accounted for.
Expert’s Creative
Strategies for
Engaging CTV
Ads
📱Dual Screen, Double
Impact
Many viewers [78%*] use dual screens
when using their smartphones while
watchingTV.Thisprovidesanopportunity
to consider tactics such as sequential
messaging, omnichannel campaigns, or
direct response TV ads.
*Nexxen Dual Screen Research 2024.
💬 Actionable Messaging
Rather than a CTA in the form of a
button,useactionablemessagingsuch
as “Play Now.” Since TV creative isn’t
inherently clickable, this messaging
should avoid looking like a button.
Viewers should immediately recognize
that they’re seeing an ad for an app.
To reinforce this, incorporate app
store logos into the creative in a clear
yet unobtrusive way, guiding users
toward the intended action.
02
CTV Expert Creative
Strategies
The ‘Binge-Worthy’ Saga:
Turning Ad Breaks into Must-See
Moments

12. strong with a powerful statement in
the last five seconds. First and last
impressions are crucial.
🎥 Starting With 3
Different Sets/Themes
Choose three themes that highlight
different aspects of your app, such as
key features or benefits, and test them
to see which resonates most with
your target audience. Identify the best
performer and then create variations
to optimize.
📅 Biweekly Rotation
Rotating creatives every two weeks
helps prevent ad fatigue while
allowing advertisers to gather valuable
performance data. This continuous
stream of insights enables them to
analyze results, refine strategies, and
optimize their CTV campaigns
🚫Non-skippable
Non-skippable ads guarantee users
will watch the entire ad. However,
advertisers must ensure that they
deliver a pleasant experience with
an engaging message that builds a
positive connection with the brand.
🔬Ongoing Testing
It would be a missed opportunity and
a significant waste of insightful data
not to leverage all the measurable
metrics CTV offers for testing and
optimization. This is the ongoing
process that unlocks the true power
of connected TV campaigns.
Performing A/B testing and creative
iteration helps advertisers compare
engagement and conversion metrics,
allowing them to identify the most
effective creative elements and
maximize campaign performance.
🎨 Tailored Creatives
CTV media buying can be segmented
into different audiences. This offers
the opportunity to speak uniquely to
specific audience personas through
creative that is tailored to people’s
characteristics and interests.
Leverage CTV’s advanced targeting
capabilities, including household
profiles, behavioral patterns, and
contextual data, to reach the right
viewers with maximum relevance and
impact.
🔳 QR Codes
By placing a QR code that links to the
brand’s website, the user can use their
mobile device’s camera to capture the
QR code and redirect it to their mobile
device to explore more or shop. 50% of
TV viewers use QR codes, and 29% do
so every month.* Nexxen Dual Screen
Research 2024.
⏱️️
Long HQ Creatives
(>15s, Desirably 30s)
Longer ad formats with a competing
narrative allow deeper engagement,
which is important for non-skippable
ads. 30-second ads are great, but don’t
stretch the content unnecessarily if
you can make your point in less time
without harming the quality.
CTV demands a different creative
approach than mobile. To maximize
results, avoid repurposing mobile ads.
Instead, invest in high-quality, platform-
native creatives that align with content
standards and provide an optimal
experienceforthe lean-backaudience.
High-resolution visuals are a must. CTV
adsaredisplayedonbigscreens,which
you should use to your advantage,
providing viewers with a seamless
viewing experience. 1920x1080 is the
standard high-definition resolution
for CTV, ensuring a flawless image.
🚀Strong Beginning &
End
Try to capture the audience’s
attention in the first five seconds of
the ad with attractive visuals, sounds,
and an intriguing hook, and close

13. Pre-Campaign
Testing
Testing your video creative before
launch allows you to check whether
your messaging is clear and
whether brand/product uplift is in
place. Testing can help inform your
CTV optimizations with data
towards a KPI or specific audience
persona.
Services and partners such as
Nexxen Studio can pre-test ads
before launch using an emotional
response framework. For example,
if brand recall is low, an always-on
logo can be embedded to improve
recall, or if the product benefits
aren’t clear enough, improved
messaging can be added.
A 2024 research study by MAGNA and
Nexxen survey showed CTV
optimizations drive brand favorability
and action intent. [source: https://
nexxen.com/intersection-of- audience-
data-and-creative-optimization/ ]

14. 03
Smadex is a Mobile Growth Platform
that drives performance, direct
response, and brand advertising
across in-app, CTV, and mobile web.
Built on transparency and contextual
targeting, Smadex enables privacy-
centric campaigns with optimized
creative strategies to maximize
results. Leveraging customizable
machine-learning algorithms and
first-party data, Smadex finds high-
value audiences to drive conversions
and scale sustainably.
Smadex has been pioneering
CTV since early 2022. Both for
performance and awareness. Our
CTV solution makes it much simpler
for brands to reach and connect
with their target audiences across a
variety of Connected TV channels,
offering complete control over their
campaign budget, goals, times of day,
and geos.
Nexxen empowers advertisers,
agencies, publishers, and
broadcasters worldwide to utilize data
and advanced TV in the ways that
are most meaningful to them. Our
flexible and unified technology stack
comprises a demand-side platform
(“DSP”) and supply-side platform
(“SSP”), with the Nexxen Data Platform
at its core.
AppsFlyer helps brands make
good choices for their business and
their customers with its advanced
measurement, data analytics,
deep linking, engagement, fraud
protection, data clean room, and
privacy-preserving technologies.
Built on the idea that brands can
increase customer privacy while
providing exceptional experiences,
AppsFlyer empowers thousands of
creators and technology partners
to create better, more meaningful
customer relationships. To learn
more, visit:
www.appsflyer.com
Behind The
Scenes
Great Things Happen
When Experts Team Up!