By Erica Chludzinski

What is OTT: Over-The-Top

OTT, or “over-the-top,” refers to the online services that stream television and film. Countless devices exist that are OTT-compatible, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, smart set-up boxes (think Apple TV or Google Chromecast), desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. If I asked you to think of someone you know who didn’t own at least one of those devices, you probably would have a difficult time answering me. So we know OTT is accessible, but is it being embraced?

Studies say yes! Last year, the amount of people who cancelled their traditional cable television service reached 27.1 million. This year, that number is expected to climb to 33 million. These people, dubbed “cord cutters,” are replacing cable with OTT streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. Cord cutters are attracted to OTT not only for the convenience of streaming but also the original content offered by OTT providers.

Why Advertise on OTT

OTT advertising comes in the form of a video advertisement that is non-skippable by the viewer. In other words, the viewer must watch the video advertisement in its entirety to access the desired OTT content. This video can be 15, 30 or 60 seconds long. To summarize, OTT advertising is done by streaming a commercial before streaming a desired television program or movie.

Due to the fact that there are so many consumers who are switching from cable to OTT, advertising on OTT means access to consumers that are not available through advertising on traditional cable TV. OTT provides you the opportunity to choose where you air your non-skippable, must-watch video advertisements, so you can better reach your target market and increase ROI.

By settling for only airing traditional television commercials, advertisers are missing out on the increasing consumer base that is available through OTT advertising. Contact Connoisseur Digital today to learn more about how OTT advertising can benefit your business!

Sources:

https://strategus.com/2016/05/ott-can-innovate-advertising-strategies/
https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/25/u-s-cord-cutters-to-reach-33-million-this-year-faster-than-expected/