Imagine reaching millions of viewers right in their living rooms. Catching the perfect moment while they are watching their favourite shows and then sending a message tailored just for them.
This is the power of OTT (Over-The-Top) marketing strategies, a game-changer when it comes to digital advertising.
It is estimated that in 2029, the number of users may hit 4.9 billion. As streaming services continue to dominate the entertainment sector, there is an unmatched opportunity to connect with highly engaged audiences like never before.
Keep reading to learn how.
OTT monetisation strategies
First, let’s focus on how OTT video platforms deliver content to a targeted audience and how to adapt marketing strategy accordingly.
White label video streaming platforms may come with different approaches. They can benefit from OTT monetisation strategies like:
- Subscription video on demand (SVOD);
- Advertising video on demand (AVOD);
- Transactional video on demand (TVOD).
| Feature | SVOD | TVOD | AVOD |
| Payment model | Recurring subscription fees | Pay-per-view/rental or purchase | Free (ad-supported) |
| Ads | No | No | Yes |
| Revenue source | Subscription fees | Per-transaction fees | Advertising revenue |
| Examples | Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime | Apple TV, Google TV | YouTube, Vimeo |
OTT marketing strategies rely on monetisation ones. The fellow depends on the target viewers, user behavior and point marketing approach. Check the latest article about monetisation strategies and learn more about the topic.
OTT marketing strategies you need to know
1. Understand your target audience
OTT platforms provide a treasure trove of viewer data, but success lies in knowing how you use it. Start by analysing demographics (age, gender, location) and psychographics (interests, values, lifestyle) to create detailed audience personas. In contrast to traditional media, you can learn about user behavior patterns or divide specific audience segments.
For instance, a fitness app might target health-conscious millennials who stream workout videos. A luxury brand could focus on high-income households binge-watching premium and exclusive content. Thanks to this data, you can easily diversify your user offering across your platforms as well.
Why it works
Group viewers by behaviour (e.g., new users, frequent binge-watchers, casual viewers) to tailor content and ads. Moreover, you can utilise viewing history (genre preferences, watch time) to attract viewers to relevant content offers.
As a cherry on top, you can anticipate trends, like seasonal content spikes, to use campaigns for maximum impact.
Nice to do
Leverage A/B testing to adjust your approach. You can test various OTT advertising pieces on segmented audiences to see which ones resonate best. This is the main difference between OTT ads and traditional TV advertising, where there is no distinction in content delivery.
By deeply understanding your audience, your marketing efforts may be perceived less as an ad, more like an honest and personalised recommendation. This way, you can draw the audience’s attention and boost higher engagement and loyalty.
2. Data-driven advertising
Data is the backbone of a successful OTT marketing strategy, allowing brands to move beyond guesswork and deliver hyper-relevant ads. Start by integrating first-party data (e.g., customer behavior, purchase history) with third-party insights (demographics, watching habits) to build comprehensive audience profiles.
Before advanced analytics implementation, start with:
- Taking care of precise targeting. Present content and serve ads based on real-time user engagement and preferences. (e.g., a viewer watching book hauls sees ads for a bookstore).
- Benefit from Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO). This feature automatically adjusts ad elements (images, CTAs) to match individual preferences. In such a highly competitive world of streaming services, even such small details matter.
- Using AI tools to find new users who resemble your best existing customers. This way, you can expand your target audience and boost viewer engagement.
Why it works
Valuable insights help you create data-driven ads and optimise campaigns by focusing on users most likely to convert. For example, a travel brand could target ads to viewers who recently searched for certain accommodations or flight destinations, increasing the odds of audience engagement.
Nice to do
Pair OTT data with CRM insights. Thus, you can retarget website visitors with tailored ads on their connected smart TVs. Such an omnichannel approach keeps your brand top-of-mind throughout the buyer’s journey.
By harnessing data intelligently, you’ll turn passive viewers into active customers while maximising ROI at the same time!
If you want to start analyzing data and gain insights on your user base, check Better Media Suite. All the most important information is gained in one place – an intuitive dashboard.
Give it a try now. Request a demo!
3. Bite-sized and engaging video ads
Traditional TV ads are long, and some may say they are even longer than the proper content, such as a show or sitcom.
Nowadays, people’s focus is getting shorter and shorter. Moreover, many of the viewers are often on the go or multitasking. And this makes attention spans the norm. So if you want people to concentrate, bite-sized, engaging video content – typically 15 to 30 seconds is a must-have in your OTT strategy.
Why it works
Short ads deliver your message before viewers lose interest or reach for the skip button. They engage viewers and bring higher revenue than traditional advertising. For example, studies showed that 15-second ads brought $5 billion while longer (>60 sec.) gave around 500 million.
Concise videos are more likely to be watched in full, increasing the chances of customer acquisition. People like OTT content because it’s different from cable TV, and this is one of the distinctions.
Short videos are ideal for mobile users, who make up a large portion of OTT viewers. They use OTT services on multiple devices, so ads should align with various formats.
Nice to do
Brand early and often – include your logo or brand elements early in the ad. This way, even a new audience who haven’t seen you before or those who don’t finish watching remember your brand.
Many viewers watch video content with the sound off, especially on mobile devices. So, captions ensure your message still gets across.
4. AI tools – personalisation and automation
It’s no secret that AI has been a big deal recently. It enables hyper-personalised viewer experiences and automates time-consuming tasks at the same time. AI gives you data-driven insights about your target audience. You can learn about their viewing habits, device usage, and even emotional responses – AI algorithms predict what video content or ads will resonate most with individual users.
So, artificial intelligence in OTT advertising goes beyond basic demographics. You can tailor your marketing efforts and focus on even more targeted advertising.
Why it works
AI identifies subscribers likely to cancel subscriptions. This way, OTT platforms may prevent churn and take care of the sales funnel. With a subscription model, there are plenty of personalised retention incentives to offer.
Moreover, thanks to machine learning, you can take care of your return on investment (ROI). It allows you to optimize campaigns efficiently and allocate ad spend to high-performing channels or time slots.
People don’t want to just watch TV. What a user finds attractive in the OTT space is personalisation. With AI, you can analyse consumer behavior and adapt recommendations in your streaming services. This way, you can reach your target audience’s sweet spot and build a strong relationship with them.
Nice to do
Combine AI with first-party data from your CRM or loyalty programs. Benefit from the data you already have. As a streaming service, you could use AI to cross-reference viewing habits with purchase history. So you can adjust the marketing approach and serve ads for products related to a user’s favourite show genres.
Focus on gen-AI and contextual AI. These are constantly evolving, but in a minute, they may become a must-have. Both of them build a direct line to the consumer’s mind and heart. By utilising generative and contextual AI, you can adjust product placements based on viewer preferences or even tailor the narrative to their mood.
5. Multi-platform advertising
Modern viewers switch between smart TVs, mobile phones, tablets, and desktops. Sometimes, it happens mid-show. Cross-device advertising ensures your OTT advertising stays visible and consistent across multiple platforms. No matter which screen the user chooses, you create a seamless brand experience that boosts recall and conversions.
Why it works
Have you ever wondered why traditional TV advertising is so unsuccessful nowadays? First, there is no personalisation, second, the viewer is likely to scroll through their phone while the content is playing.
People switch media, but they want to receive a consistent message. And this is where OTT platforms have all the cards. Viewers can not only watch video streaming across various screens, but also receive personalised ads.
Nice to do
Tailor the ad length and format to each device. Shorter, vertical videos for mobile; cinematic 30-second spots for TV. Adapt your OTT advertising to various screens.
6. Social media integration
Nowadays, life takes place on social media. It makes a perfect place to amplify your OTT content. This way you can create communities, build engagement and even create some buzz.
Why it works
Social platforms provide access to billions of users, helping OTT content reach beyond existing subscribers. This way, your brand recognition expands. You can also use interactive posts (polls, Q&As) and behind-the-scenes content to encourage viewers to connect with your brand, fostering a sense of belonging.
Social media is all about going viral. Recycle your OTT ad into shareable clips or memes, and watch it spread organically, reducing reliance on paid promotions.
Nice to do
Use Facebook or Instagram ads to retarget OTT viewers with tailored messages, like “Continue watching on our app.
On top of that, you can also release short clips, trailers, or countdowns on social media to generate anticipation for new OTT content. Do a Reel with a cliffhanger linking to your platform with a form to submit.
How to choose the best OTT marketing strategies for your brand
Marketing strategy should fit your audience like a glove. But remember that even within one OTT platform, users’ needs may vary.
Before you start promoting your OTT content, take a step back and prepare.
Set KPIs
Every marketing strategy starts with a list of key performance indicators. They designate the whole plan.
First of all what do you want to achieve with your OTT marketing efforts? Your OTT strategy may include increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, acquiring new customers, or boosting sales.
KPIs aim to measure your success. You can monitor subscriber growth, retention rates, engagement levels, or conversion rates from ads. Having clear marketing goals will guide your OTT advertising plan and help you track progress.
Segment your audience
Once you learn about your target, embrace and adopt the knowledge. There are many video streaming platforms on the market, so why should they choose you? Show them the reasons. Reasons that meet their needs.
Segment them and learn their marketing characteristics. Some may prefer to receive push notifications about their favourite show’s new season, some would rather stay with email marketing, and others would love to see a trailer in the middle of another show. Gain this information and, based on it, create a proper OTT marketing strategy.
Research OTT platforms and choose your top one
Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, YouTube or white label solutions – the choice is yours. Analyse the pros and cons of each.
The video streaming services market is huge. So, knowing yours and your target audience’s needs, consider the platform’s ad formats, targeting capabilities, and reach. Some OTT platforms may offer more granular targeting or analytical options, so dig deep. And choose wisely after careful consideration.
If you are interested in a solution that helps you stream your OTT content freely and under your own logo, check Better Media Solutions. The platform gives you freedom of branding and in-depth data features. There is constant support if any questions arise.
Deliver valuable content
You know where and to whom, now it’s time to master what, i.e. your OTT content. No matter what you stream, live events, cooking shows, vlogs – be present on various channels, social media, search engines, and your own OTT platforms. Omnichannel marketing is your way to go.
But before you show it, master the quality and tailor the message to the platforms and recipients. Social media posts should vary from mid-video ad on your OTT – keep this in mind.
OTT marketing is also a great space for storytelling. Build a history and present it to your users in many different ways. Remember, though, each piece should create a coherent whole (a story).
Follow the numbers
OTT platforms offer analytical features so you can monitor your advertising efforts. Stay in the loop and turn on push notifications about new subscribers or lower user sentiment.
Check which OTT video pieces keep the audience focused, so it’s worth placing some ads there.
What is more, remember that crafting your OTT strategy is kind of a never-ending story. Plan, execute, adapt. And so on. Trends, preferences and audiences shift.
To sum up
Crafting the best OTT marketing strategies for your brand needs a comprehensive understanding of your objectives, target audience, and the evolving OTT service market.
By carefully selecting platforms, developing engaging and data-driven content, and employing multi-channel integration, you can effectively reach cord-cutters and engaged viewers.
The future of OTT marketing hinges on hyper-personalized AI-driven content, innovative ad formats, and seamless cross-device experiences. With a well-executed OTT content strategy prioritising relevance and accessibility, brands can boost visibility, drive conversions, and build lasting relationships with an ever-growing, engaged audience
However, continuous tracking, measurement, and adaptation are crucial for sustained success in this dynamic environment.
Learn more aboutour video platform
FAQ
An OTT strategy is your plan to deliver video or audio directly to viewers online, skipping broadcast television. The strategy refers to the way you reach people watching OTT video on their phones, tablets, and smart TVs through streaming apps.
OTT marketing is promoting brands on internet-based streaming services to reach audiences who’ve moved beyond traditional TV. It is all about promoting content via various formats on the OTT platforms.
Netflix is primarily considered an OTT platform. It delivers content via the internet, and you can watch it on internet-connected devices. However, you can use it on a CTV – Connected TV.
Think about Netflix as an OTT platform you can use via CTV, like a smart TV.
The OTT stands for Over-the-Top.
In simple terms, it refers to delivering audio and content directly to viewers over the internet, omitting traditional methods like cable, broadcast, and satellite television.