--- title: "What Is CTV Advertising? Connected TV Ads Explained" description: "CTV advertising is video ads shown in streaming apps on televisions. See why it commands higher rates than mobile and what a publisher needs to sell it." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ctv-advertising" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ctv-advertising.md" category: "Advertising" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is CTV advertising? CTV advertising is video advertising delivered inside streaming apps on connected televisions: smart TVs, streaming sticks, set-top boxes and consoles. It combines the full-screen impact of television with the targeting and measurement of digital advertising. ## Why CTV earns more For these reasons the same ad typically sells at a noticeably higher CPM on a television than on a phone or in a browser. - Full screen, sound on, usually watched from a sofa - Rarely skippable, so nearly every ad is watched to the end - Often seen by more than one person at once - Professionally produced, brand-safe content around the ad - Targetable by household, which broadcast cannot offer ## How it differs technically Televisions have no cookies and limited support for ad SDKs, so ads are usually stitched into the stream on the server. Identification relies on a resettable device advertising ID or on the household's IP address, subject to the viewer's privacy settings. Ads cannot be clicked, so response is measured through QR codes, later website visits or surveys. ## What a publisher needs - Apps on the television platforms advertisers buy - Server-side insertion, or a client SDK each platform accepts - Ad break markers in long-form and live content - Accurate app and content signals in each ad request - Meaningful viewing hours on television devices - Awareness that some TV platforms require a share of ad inventory as a condition of distribution ## CTV advertising on RentAnOTT RentAnOTT TV apps cover Android TV with Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung and LG at $149/month each, and AVOD is included on every plan. Advanced advertising is a $169/month add-on. [See pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing). ## Related terms - [CTV](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ctv) — CTV (connected TV) is a television that can stream video over the internet, either because it is a smart TV or because a streaming stick, set-top box or games console is attached to it. - [SSAI](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ssai) — SSAI (server-side ad insertion) is a way of delivering video advertising in which the ads are stitched into the stream on the server before it reaches the viewer. The player receives one continuous stream containing both program and ads. - [Programmatic advertising](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/programmatic-advertising) — Programmatic advertising is the automated buying and selling of ad impressions through software, in place of orders negotiated by sales teams. Each ad opportunity is offered to buyers and sold, often by auction, in the fraction of a second before the ad plays. - [CPM](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/cpm) — CPM (cost per mille) is the price an advertiser pays for one thousand ad impressions. It is the standard unit for pricing video advertising, and the rate a streaming service earns for each thousand ads it shows. - [FAST channel](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/fast-channel) — A FAST channel (free ad-supported streaming television) is a linear channel delivered over the internet that viewers watch for free, with advertising in scheduled breaks. It looks and behaves like a television channel but needs no subscription or aerial. - [Ad server](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ad-server) — An ad server is the system that decides which ad to show each time a player or stitching service asks for one, delivers the details of that ad and counts the result. For a publisher it is the control center of an advertising business. - [Smart TV app](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/smart-tv-app) — A smart TV app is an application built to run on a television's operating system or on a streaming device attached to it, and installed from that platform's app store. For a streaming service it is the way viewers watch on the big screen. - [AVOD](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/avod) — AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers watch on-demand video for free and the service earns from the ads shown before, during or after it. ## Further reading - [Add-ons](https://www.rentanott.com/features#addons) - [Content monetization platforms compared](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/content-monetization-platforms) - [OTT revenue calculator](https://www.rentanott.com/tools/ott-revenue-calculator) ## Frequently asked questions ### Is CTV advertising the same as OTT advertising? CTV advertising is the part of OTT advertising seen on a television. OTT advertising also includes ads in streaming apps on phones, tablets and computers. ### Can CTV ads be targeted? Yes, at household or device level, by location, content and audience segments, within the limits of privacy law and the viewer's settings. ### How is CTV advertising measured? By impressions and completions reported from the stream or the device, with reach and frequency calculated per household. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt