What is Connected TV (CTV) advertising?
Connected TV advertising is the buying and selling of ads on internet-connected televisions and streaming devices, including smart TVs, set-top boxes and game consoles.
Why does Connected TV (CTV) advertising matter for marketers?
CTV combines TV-like reach with addressable targeting and digital measurement, and budgets are moving to it. Measurement claims vary widely, and the figures below show how.
Where does Connected TV (CTV) advertising stand today?
Wikipedia defines a smart or connected TV as "a traditional television set with integrated internet and interactive Web 2.0 features" and notes ad formats can be interactive, addressable and measured; its market figures are old and flagged for updating. Comscore's first Score Report (October 2026) put streaming at 22.3% of US TV ad exposure time in August, up from 16.1% a year earlier. Netflix cut its 2026 ad revenue expectation to about $2.7 billion from $3 billion, citing slower rollout of ad product capabilities.
Common use cases
- Reaching streaming audiences with video ads
- Using first-party or third-party data for targeting
- Measuring outcomes such as sales or installs
Wikipedia notes that smart TV technology also appears in set-top boxes, game consoles, digital media players and other devices, and that a 2019 Princeton and University of Chicago study found most streaming devices covertly collect and send personal data, including captured screen images, to advertising and analytics companies.
Recent developments in this site’s coverage
- LG Ad Solutions and Magnite extended their partnership for three years and opened Home Screen inventory to agentic buying (October 14, 2026).
- The Trade Desk buyers gain third-party data targeting on Netflix ads from November, and Netflix expands its Conversion API to over 20 events.
- VAB and Kochava have promoted CTV comparisons whose methods and thresholds were not fully disclosed.