OTT, short for over-the-top, is a reference to media served directly to consumers through the web. The beauty of OTT is that it sidesteps costly traditional entertainment mediums such as cable TV, satellite TV, and broadcast TV in favor of content streamed on the web. Though many OTT streaming services are available through paid subscriptions, most such streams are affordable thanks to the placement of ads for revenue generation.
OTT attribution consists of varied modeling strategies. Conduct a thorough assessment of the many different OTT attribution models for attribution and you’ll settle on one or several that legitimately boost performance. The different approaches including attribution models open the medium to all businesses for marketing success.
OTT Attribution Explained
OTT attribution methodologies assign credit for consumer actions. Instead of incorrectly assigning credit for customer conversions based on assumption, the OTT attribution approach pinpoints the specific material responsible for driving the desired result. Desirable viewer actions range from website visits to completing forms, downloading information, and most importantly, purchases.
OTT attribution is distinct from linear TV in that it empowers advertisers to zero in on certain audience members for targeting and subsequent retargeting. Such narrowed attention heightens the financial efficiency of advertising efforts. In contrast, conventional commercials on regular TV plant a seed that has the potential to sprout with repeated airings.
OTT attribution delivers new ads to customers at specific airing frequencies instead of repeating the same ads over and over again until a specific quota is met. OTT retargeting is especially effective when compared to commercials on linear TV as it allows for incremental progression based on testing with specific audiences.
Advertisers willing to test out new ads, gauge the response then react accordingly ultimately succeed in the long run. In the end, all that matters is that effective ads are presented to viewing audiences.
The Right Metrics for Ongoing Analysis
When business owners/managers consider the positives and negatives of OTT advertising, most quickly highlight the ominous obstacle of perceived metric inadequacy. Inadequate metrics including inaccurate campaign measurement tools are now a thing of the past. Technology has advanced to the point that it is now possible to transparently quantify the impact of OTT ads, attributing success accordingly.
Though OTT advertisers cannot be blamed for desiring more from the metrics used for OTT programs, these relatively new platforms are easily accessible. The truth is precious few metrics are hidden from clients.
Statistics now reveal the number of impressions per ad, video completion rates, and more. Advertisers who make full use of comprehensive reports inclusive of impressions, views, and other details have a clear understanding of ad performance.
OTT Attribution Tracking Challenges of Notes
OTT attribution is not an exact science as of the time of this publication. Industry veterans readily acknowledge obstacles exist that prevent accurate OTT attribution tracking.
As an example, some OTT advertisements are not clickable. Some OTT ads do not function with flash support for viewing on smartphones or desktop computers. Moreover, certain OTT ads do not use cookies.
As a result, some advertising formats and even some tags are not compatible with devices used to stream OTT content. The result is a hindrance to the movement of user information between specific touchpoints.
Though OTT ads certainly have their flaws, the only thing that matters is that ads are presented in an artful manner that allows for responses to be quantified. OTT ads include overlays, banners, pre-rolls, mid-rolls, and post-rolls, each of which can be tracked for analysis and ongoing improvement.
OTT Attribution Technology is Advancing
The technology that underlies OTT attribution has quickly advanced to the point that it reports on conversions in accordance with a wide array of factors. The following factors are quantified with precision:
- Exposure figures
- Devices used for viewing
- The date/time of ads
- Specific publisher and more
OTT attribution technology ultimately empowers marketers to glean invaluable insights into members of the viewing audience. Those who take full advantage of the resulting treasure trove of information successfully optimize campaigns under key performance indicators.
Ensuing decisions based on actual data instead of intuition or superficial market research ultimately yields the desired results.
Comprehensive OTT attribution tracking centers on proof that ads drive conversions. Attribution tracking links the viewing of ads with the completion of ensuing actions such as surfing the web over to a specific page, downloading an app, or downloading a free PDF or e-book. The data is detailed to the point that specific OTT ads can be credited for spurring leads and driving sales.
