Television didn't disappear — it moved. People still watch hours of TV a day, but increasingly through internet-connected apps rather than cable boxes. Connected TV advertising — CTV — is the business of showing video ads to those streaming viewers, on the big screen in the living room.
If you've ever seen an ad on Hulu, Tubi, Roku's home screen, or a Samsung TV app, that's CTV. Here's what it is, why it behaves more like digital than like broadcast, and how a small advertiser can buy it without an agency or a Super Bowl budget.
CTV, OTT, streaming — what's the difference?
The terms get muddled, so quickly:
- CTV refers to the device — a smart TV or a streaming stick (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV) — and the ads shown on it.
- OTT ("over-the-top") refers to delivering video over the internet instead of cable.
- Streaming is the everyday word for the same thing.
For an advertiser, what matters is this: your ad runs as a video spot inside or alongside streaming content, on the main TV, targeted and measured with digital precision.
Why CTV isn't just "TV ads online"
Old broadcast TV sold ads by program and time slot to a broad audience. CTV sells them with the targeting and measurement of digital:
- Audience targeting — by location, household type, interests, and viewing behavior, not just "everyone watching at 8pm"
- Premium, device-authenticated supply — real apps on real TVs, which makes it harder to fake than open-web video (though no channel is fully fraud-free — CTV fraud runs around 4%)
- Non-skippable, full-screen attention — most CTV spots can't be clicked away from, and they own the whole screen
- Measurement — completion rates, reach and frequency, and increasingly, lift in store visits or sales
The opportunity hiding in the numbers
Here's the gap that makes CTV interesting. Nielsen and eMarketer estimate that streaming now accounts for roughly 44% of all TV viewing time — but only around 8% of TV ad dollars have followed. Attention has moved to streaming faster than budgets have.
Meanwhile, eMarketer puts US CTV ad spend at about $38 billion in 2026, rising toward $51 billion by 2029. The money is catching up to the eyeballs — which usually means it's a good moment to be early.
Can small advertisers really buy CTV?
Historically, no — CTV was sold in big, agency-brokered packages. That's changed. Self-serve platforms now let you run a CTV campaign on premium apps with a modest budget, the same way you'd boost a post on social.
That's exactly where Glo fits. You upload one video, set your geography and budget, and your spot can run across connected TV apps like Hulu, Roku, Samsung TV, Tubi, and Pluto — alongside the out-of-home screens in your campaign. No insertion orders, no minimums you can't meet.
Where CTV fits in your plan
CTV is powerful, but it's rarely the whole story. In Glo's model the order is deliberate — DOOH first, CTV also. Out-of-home screens build presence where your customers actually are; CTV extends that same message into the living room for reach and credibility. Together they're a cross-screen campaign, not two disconnected buys.
Curious how CTV stacks up against the alternatives for your budget? Read DOOH vs. CTV vs. social. Or see what a real CTV-led plan costs in how much DOOH and CTV advertising costs.