CTV Targeting: 8 Strategies for Connected TV Audience Targeting

by The MNTN Team

5 Min Read

In the U.S., 88% of households have at least one Connected TV (CTV) device. The great CTV migration has created a robust advertising channel that you can use to mobilize your audience, reach new customers, and grow your brand. But if you want to make the most of CTV advertising, you’ll need to master the art of CTV targeting.

When it comes to CTV audience targeting, there are lots of ways to aim your ads. Some of the most impactful approaches include:

1. Demographic Targeting

Think of demographic CTV targeting as the first layer of your audience targeting strategy. By focusing on audience traits like age, gender, income, marital status, education, and household size, you can create audience profiles. From there, you can ensure your streaming TV ads are seen by the individuals most likely to be interested in your product or service based on broad life characteristics.

You can use demographic-based CTV audience targeting as a standalone strategy, or you can combine it with other targeting techniques to obtain more granular insights into your ideal customer.

2. Geographic Targeting

Do you have a local event or a regional product launch that you want to promote? Geographic targeting lets you shine the spotlight on specific areas, from a single ZIP code to the whole country. Geographic CTV targeting allows you to enhance local engagement and drive regional sales.

Like demographic targeting, the geographic approach is often combined with other audience segmentation strategies. For instance, you could target a specific geographic region and then pinpoint specific households based on factors like age and marital status.

3. Behavioral Targeting

Behavioral targeting digs into past online activities to predict which TV ads might resonate with viewers. By analyzing web visits, search history, and past purchases, you create a bespoke ad experience that speaks to each viewer’s habits and preferences.

Using behavioral data as your guide can increase your ad’s relevance and impact. More importantly, you can avoid targeting consumers who have no interest in your products or services, thereby minimizing waste.

4. Interest-Based Targeting

Interest-based targeting gets to the heart of what excites your audience. Whether they’re into cooking, hiking, or streaming sci-fi shows, this strategy aligns your ad content with viewer passions. It’s about making that perfect connection between what they love and what you offer.

When you can zero in on what your audience is interested in, you can make ads feel like they were made just for them. The better you get at this, the greater the impact of your ads.

5. Retargeting (Remarketing)

Ever had a customer browse your site but leave without buying? Of course you have — nearly 70% of online shoppers ditch their carts. The good news is that you still have a chance to turn things around through CTV retargeting. Retargeting reels customers back in by reminding them of what they’re missing, giving you an opportunity to bring them into your sales funnel.

Think of CTV retargeting as a second chance to leave a great first impression. They were so close to making a purchase but, for some reason or another, bailed before finalizing their order. Through CTV retargeting, you can recapture lost sales and strengthen revenue.

6. First Party Data Targeting

First party data targeting involves using the information you collect — such as email lists or CRM data — to reach out to people who’ve already shown interest in your brand. First party data targeting is great for nurturing high-quality leads and drawing them deeper into the sales funnel.

First party data is also useful for reconnecting with past customers who haven’t interacted with your brand in a while. You can combine first party data with a CTV targeting platform to deliver curated content to niche groups. This method reinforces relationships and ensures your ads are hyper-relevant to a receptive audience.

7. Cross-Device Targeting

The modern consumer’s life is multi-screen. Cross-device targeting ensures your message follows them wherever they go, whether they’re on a phone, tablet, or lounging in front of a CTV. You can deliver curated advertising content that strengthens their impression of your brand. This seamless advertising flow strengthens message retention and keeps your products top of mind.

Cross-device targeting is more important than ever, as customers rarely make a purchase after a single interaction. Generally, you’ll need to interact with a customer seven or eight times to earn a sale. Mixing up your performance marketing campaign and connecting with customers along multiple devices is a great way to rack up those interactions.

8. Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)

Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) tailors your ads on the fly, adapting creative elements to the viewer’s profile. It’s a real-time remix of your ad to suit the individual watching, making every viewing more personal and powerful.

DCO leverages several different types of data, including behavioral, geographic, and demographic insights. The more information you have about a consumer, the better you can tailor your content based on their unique preferences.

Reach Your Audience With MNTN Performance TV

At this point, you’re probably thinking that you’ll need a half-dozen or more CTV targeting tools to put all of these strategies to use. Fortunately, that’s not the case.

MNTN Performance TV has an intuitive audience builder tool that allows you to use multiple CTV targeting strategies. You can leverage demographic data, behavioral insights, or even DCO methodologies to create an engaging, relevant ad experience for your audience.

More importantly, MNTN Performance TV has premium CTV inventory and robust campaign tracking tools. You can target the right audiences, choose the ideal ad placement, and measure everything to ensure your ads push you closer to your brand goals.

Book a demo and experience the power of MNTN Performance TV.

CTV Targeting: Final Thoughts

Connected TV offers exceptional targeting precision compared to traditional advertising channels. With the ability to zero in on audiences by demographic, geographic, behavioral, interest-based profiles, and more, you can craft campaigns with laser focus. Take the guesswork out of CTV advertising. Leverage these CTV targeting strategies and design campaigns that resonate with your viewers, maximize return on ad spend (ROAS), and deliver impactful results.