Join the Waitlist for Skybeam: Be First to Access Our Self-Service CTV Tool!

Win big this holiday season: Cutting edge TV ad strategies, AI power, and pro tipsPreview Skybeam's features and sign up to be among the first to use it when it launches.

Take Your Ads to New Heights with Skybeam

Launch TV campaigns that drive results with Skybeam's intuitive, self-serve platform.

Streaming Advertising: Understanding the Basics

As streaming services become increasingly popular, streaming TV advertising has become a crucial part of any business's marketing strategy. Streaming advertising is the process of delivering ads to consumers through streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu and YouTube. In this post, we'll take a look at the basics of streaming advertising and how it can benefit your business.

The Basics of Streaming

Streaming advertising is a form of digital advertising that allows businesses to reach consumers through streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. Streaming platforms have become increasingly popular in recent years, making them an ideal place for businesses to advertise their products and services.

Benefits of Streaming Advertising

Targeted Advertising: Streaming advertising allows businesses to target specific demographics, such as age, gender, and location. This means that businesses can reach their ideal audience more effectively.

Cost-Effective: Streaming advertising is often cheaper than traditional forms of advertising, such as television and print ads. This makes it an ideal choice for small businesses with limited budgets.

Measurable Results: Streaming advertising allows businesses to track the performance of their ads in real-time. This allows businesses to make adjustments to their campaigns to improve results.

Increased Engagement: Streaming advertising allows businesses to create interactive ads that increase engagement with their audience. This can lead to higher conversion rates and more sales.

Brand Awareness: Streaming advertising can help increase brand awareness by reaching a large audience through streaming platforms.

Types of Streaming Advertising

Pre-Roll Ads: Pre-roll ads are short ads that play before the main video content. These ads can be skippable or unskippable.

Mid-Roll Ads: Mid-roll ads are ads that play during the main video content. These ads are often used to break up long videos and can be skippable or unskippable.

Post-Roll Ads: Post-roll ads are short ads that play after the main video content. These ads can be skippable or unskippable.

Bumper Ads: Bumper ads are short, non-skippable ads that play before, during or after the main video content.

Sponsored Content: Sponsored content is a type of streaming advertising where businesses pay to have their content featured on streaming platforms.

OTT vs. CTV

OTT, or "over-the-top," refers to streaming services that are delivered via the internet, such as Paramount+ or Pluto TV. These services are accessed by the viewer directly, without the need for a cable or satellite subscription. CTV, or "connected TV," refers to streaming services that are delivered through a connected device, such as a smart TV or streaming device. These services are accessed through a device that is connected to a viewer's television, and typically require a high-speed internet connection. The main difference between OTT and CTV is the way the content is delivered to the viewer. OTT is delivered over the internet, while CTV is delivered through a connected device.

AVOD vs. SVOD

AVOD, or "ad-supported video on demand," refers to streaming platforms that are free to use but include advertisements. Examples of AVOD platforms include YouTube and Tubi. These platforms make money by displaying ads to viewers while they watch content. SVOD, or "subscription-based video on demand," refers to streaming platforms that require a monthly or annual subscription fee and do not include advertisements. Examples of SVOD platforms include Netflix and Hulu. These platforms make money by charging viewers a monthly or annual fee for access to their content.

Ad-Supported Streaming TV Services and Platforms

Some popular ad-supported streaming TV services and platforms include:

How to Get Started with Streaming Advertising

Choose the Right Platform: It's important to choose the right streaming platform for your business. Consider the audience you're trying to reach and the type of content that's most relevant to them.

Create Compelling Ads: Creating compelling ads is key to the success of your streaming advertising campaign. Make sure your ads are relevant, interesting, and engaging.

Target Your Audience: Use the targeting options available on streaming platforms to reach your ideal audience.

Measure Your Results: Track the performance of your ads in real-time and make adjustments as needed.

Optimize Your Campaign: Optimize your campaign by testing different ad formats and targeting options to see what works best for your business.

Cost of Streaming TV Advertising

The cost of streaming TV advertising varies depending on the platform and the type of ad. Generally, the cost is based on a CPM (cost per thousand) model, where businesses pay a certain amount for every thousand views of their ad. The cost can also vary depending on the targeting options selected, such as demographic or geographic targeting. Streaming TV advertising can be more cost-effective than traditional forms of advertising, such as television and print ads, making it an ideal choice for small businesses with limited budgets.

Benefits of Streaming TV Advertising for Performance Advertisers

Performance advertising on streaming TV is an ideal way to maximize your return on investment (ROI) by only paying for the results that you want. This type of advertising allows you to pay for a specific action, such as a sale or lead, rather than paying for impressions. This means that you are only paying for the conversions that matter to your business.

Other advantages of streaming TV for performance-minded advertisers include:

  • Targeted advertising allows for reaching the desired audience more effectively.
  • Cost-effective compared to traditional forms of advertising.
  • Measurable results in real-time.
  • Increased engagement through interactive ads can lead to higher conversion rates.
  • Can help increase brand awareness by reaching a large audience through streaming platforms.

In conclusion, streaming advertising is a cost-effective way for businesses to reach their target audience through streaming platforms. By understanding the basics of streaming advertising, businesses can create effective campaigns that drive results. With streaming advertising, businesses can reach their ideal audience, increase engagement, and drive sales.


Find out how Simulmedia’s unique TV+® platform for TV and streaming advertising provides unified access to premium linear and CTV inventory across all networks and publishers. Request a demo or email us at advertise@simulmedia.com.