Marina Conquest
November 10, 2025
24
minutes read
Marketers don’t just need shows; they need outcomes. We break down the best OTT platforms and AVOD/FAST services, explain why audiences choose them, and show how to turn their ad tools into measurable results.
Streaming wars now have clear winners today, and ad opportunities on these platforms have matured into truly sophisticated, data-driven channels. While consumers argue over which services offer the best entertainment value, advertisers make a different calculation: which OTT platforms deliver the widest reach, the sharpest targeting, and the strongest overall return on investment?
This shift is more than new viewing habits; it’s a wholesale rebuild of how brands connect with audiences. In 2025, the top OTT platforms blend scale with granular targeting that felt impossible ten years ago. They span premium ad-free tiers and robust ad-supported models, creating multiple entry points for advertisers across budgets and objectives. Data, identity, and automation anchor planning, buying, and measurement. Fragmentation becomes leverage when precision and scale align.
Know where to play and how to win. The guide pinpoints audience-magnet platforms, the ad economics behind them, and programmatic levers that compound results.
An OTT platform (over-the-top platform) delivers video content directly to viewers through internet connections, bypassing traditional cable, broadcast, and satellite television distribution. The term "over-the-top" refers to content that goes "over" conventional TV infrastructure, reaching audiences on smart TVs, streaming devices, gaming consoles, smartphones, and tablets.
These platforms have fundamentally altered content consumption patterns. Instead of adhering to broadcast schedules or cable packages, viewers access vast libraries of on-demand content plus live programming whenever and wherever they choose. For advertisers, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity: audiences are more fragmented across platforms, yet targeting capabilities are exponentially more sophisticated.
The OTT ecosystem divides into three primary business models, each offering distinct advertising opportunities:
💡 Learn more about the differences between SVOD and AVOD in our dedicated piece: SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD: a guide to video-on-demand models
OTT platforms operate through content delivery networks (CDNs) that stream video files to viewers' devices using adaptive bitrate streaming. This technology adjusts video quality based on available bandwidth, ensuring smooth playback across varying internet speeds.
From an advertising perspective, the technical infrastructure enables sophisticated ad insertion methods:
The platforms collect extensive viewer data — watch time, content preferences, device usage, geographic location, and viewing patterns. This data powers targeting capabilities that surpass traditional television. Advertisers can reach specific demographics, interest groups, or behavioral segments with precision impossible in linear TV.
The subscription-based OTT market has consolidated around several dominant players. These platforms have achieved scale through content investment, global expansion, and strategic positioning.
Netflix maintains its position as the world's leading streaming service with over 300 million paid subscribers globally. Operating in 190+ countries, the platform's content library spans award-winning originals, licensed programming, international content, and an expanding gaming division.
The platform's strength lies in its sophisticated recommendation algorithm and binge-worthy original series that drive sustained engagement.
Netflix experienced 16% annual subscriber growth in 2024, reaching 301.6 million subscribers, demonstrating continued expansion despite market saturation predictions.
For advertisers, Netflix represents a relatively new but rapidly growing opportunity. After years of maintaining an ad-free stance, the platform launched its Basic with Ads tier at $6.99/month in late 2022. The ad-supported tier provides access to the full content library in HD quality with periodic commercial breaks. Standard ad-free plans cost approximately $15.49/month for HD on two screens, while the Premium plan offers 4K UHD on four screens for $19.99/month.
The advertising proposition centers on Netflix's premium brand environment and highly engaged audience. The platform has begun opening its ad inventory to programmatic buying, partnering with major ad tech platforms to ease access for advertisers. While measurement and targeting capabilities continue maturing, Netflix's massive reach and quality content make it increasingly essential for comprehensive OTT entertainment strategies.
Amazon Prime Video has become an OTT powerhouse with an estimated 220-240 million paying Prime members worldwide. Nearly all Prime members enjoy video streaming as a bundled benefit, creating enormous reach for advertisers.
The platform differentiates itself through strategic investments in exclusive live sports, particularly NFL Thursday Night Football, which draws significant viewership. Prime Video also produces high-budget originals including fantasy epics, acclaimed dramas, and mainstream entertainment that appeals to broad demographics.
Amazon's integration across its ecosystem provides unique advertising advantages. The platform leverages shopping data, browsing behavior, and purchase history for targeting capabilities unmatched by competitors. This first-party data enables advertisers to reach specific audience segments based on actual consumer behavior, not just demographic assumptions.
Prime Video's pricing model bundles video access with Prime membership, which costs $139/year or $14.99/month in the U.S. Alternatively, consumers can subscribe to Prime Video standalone for approximately $8.99/month. As of late 2024, Amazon introduced limited ads in the base service, with an option to pay an extra $2.99/month for completely ad-free viewing.
With over 90 million Prime Video users in the U.S. alone, the platform offers massive scale combined with Amazon's advanced ad tech infrastructure.
The addition of advertising has made Prime Video essential for advertisers seeking to reach audiences migrating from traditional television.
Hulu carved out a distinctive niche as the premier destination for next-day episodes from major broadcast networks. Now majority-owned by Disney, the service maintains approximately 55-56 million subscribers and remains one of the top OTT platforms in the United States.
The platform's content strategy combines current TV episodes, extensive back catalogs, acclaimed Hulu Originals, and a robust film library. Shows appear on Hulu the day after their broadcast premiere, making the service essential for viewers who want current content without cable subscriptions.
Hulu pioneered the dual-tier advertising model that has become standard across the industry.
The Standard (with ads) plan costs $7.99/month, providing competitive pricing for budget-conscious viewers comfortable with commercial breaks. The ad experience on this tier features relatively smooth integration, with breaks similar to traditional television but often personalized to viewer interests.
The Premium (no ads) plan at $14.99/month removes most commercials, though a few programs retain brief ads due to licensing restrictions. For cord-cutters seeking comprehensive content, Hulu offers a Live TV + Streaming bundle starting at $70+ per month, including the on-demand library plus 75+ live channels. Disney Bundle options package Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN+ for significant savings.
From an advertising perspective, Hulu provides sophisticated targeting capabilities built over years of streaming experience. The platform offers advanced ad formats, demographic targeting, and performance measurement that rivals any digital channel. Hulu's audience tends toward younger, tech-savvy viewers who represent valuable demographics for many advertisers.
Disney+ achieved remarkable growth since launching in late 2019, reaching approximately 128 million subscribers worldwide by mid-2025. The platform serves as the exclusive home for Disney's prestigious content catalog, encompassing Pixar films, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars franchise, Disney Animation classics, and National Geographic programming.
The service's primary strength centers on unmatched intellectual property that drives subscriber loyalty.
Fans of Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars consider the platform essential for accessing new releases and the deep vault of content spanning decades. Original series set within these universes, such as Marvel's interconnected shows and Star Wars expansions, create appointment viewing that sustains subscriptions.
Disney+ offers user-friendly features including up to four simultaneous streams, 4K UHD streaming on supported titles at no extra cost, and profile-based recommendations. In international markets, the platform includes more general entertainment content via the Star brand, incorporating Hulu/FX programming and adult-oriented content for comprehensive appeal beyond family fare.
Pricing has increased considerably as Disney invested heavily in content. Disney+ Basic (with ads) costs $7.99/month, while the Premium (ad-free) plan reached $13.99/month in 2023. Disney announced another significant increase effective late October 2025, raising the ad-supported tier to $11.99 and ad-free to $18.99 per month—the fourth consecutive year of price increases.
Despite higher costs, Disney+ remains attractive through bundling options. The Disney Bundle combining Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ offers compelling value for households wanting comprehensive streaming coverage. For advertisers, Disney+ provides a premium, brand-safe environment with family-oriented audiences and passionate franchise fans who engage deeply with content.
Apple TV+ pursues a distinctive quality-over-quantity strategy, offering exclusively original content rather than licensing vast back catalogs. The platform has garnered critical acclaim with Emmy-winning series and even achieved a historic Best Picture Oscar for CODA, the first streaming service to win the industry's top film honor.
Apple's content features high production values and A-list talent, with deals securing exclusive series from prominent creators. Shows like Ted Lasso, Severance, and The Morning Show have achieved cultural relevance despite the platform's smaller library compared to competitors. This curated approach attracts viewers seeking prestige content rather than endless browsing options.
The platform leverages Apple's ecosystem through integration across devices and generous promotional offers.
New Apple device purchasers often receive extended free trials, while certain carriers include Apple TV+ in subscription packages. The service supports up to six simultaneous streams through Family Sharing and offers 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos at no additional charge.
Apple TV+ expanded beyond scripted content into live sports, launching exclusive coverage of Major League Baseball Friday Night games and securing a groundbreaking 10-year deal to stream every Major League Soccer match globally. These sports investments signal Apple's ambitions to compete for live event audiences traditionally dominated by cable and broadcast networks.
Pricing started aggressively low at $4.99/month in 2019 but has increased as the content library expanded. After rising to $6.99/month in 2022, the service reached $9.99/month in 2023. In mid-2025, Apple implemented a 30% increase to $12.99/month. Despite these hikes, the ad-free, all-inclusive pricing remains competitive, particularly when bundled with Apple One subscriptions that include Apple Music, iCloud storage, and other services.
For advertisers, Apple TV+ currently offers limited opportunities since the platform maintains its ad-free model. However, the service's affluent, tech-savvy audience makes it valuable for brand sponsorships, product placements, and integrated marketing opportunities within content.
Max represents the merger of HBO Max and Discovery+ content, combining HBO's prestigious original programming with Discovery's extensive unscripted and lifestyle library.
This consolidation created an enriched platform serving both high-end drama fans and reality/documentary enthusiasts.
By mid-2025, the combined service reached approximately 125-126 million subscribers globally.
The platform's content quality and diversity stand as its defining characteristics. HBO's legacy of award-winning series—from Game of Thrones to Succession to The Last of Us—establishes Max as destination viewing for premium scripted content. The Discovery integration adds enormous volume of comfort television and educational programming from HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, and other popular networks.
Max has expanded into sports and news, streaming live NBA and MLB postseason games through Bleacher Report integrations and launching a 24/7 CNN news stream for subscribers. These additions position Max as a comprehensive service rather than pure entertainment, competing more directly with traditional cable's full offerings.
The platform offers tiered pricing to accommodate different budgets and preferences. The base With Ads plan costs $9.99/month, providing HD streaming and two simultaneous streams with approximately four minutes of ads per hour. The Ad-Free plan at $15.99/month removes commercials from on-demand content and enables offline downloads. For maximum quality, the Ultimate Ad-Free plan at $19.99/month supports up to four simultaneous streams, 4K UHD video for many titles with Dolby Atmos sound, and expanded offline download capabilities.
For advertisers, Max's ad-supported tier provides access to engaged audiences watching premium content in brand-safe environments. The platform's combination of appointment viewing (new HBO releases) and extensive catalog content (Discovery programming) creates diverse advertising opportunities across content types and audience demographics.
Paramount+ leverages content assets from Paramount Global to offer a compelling mix of entertainment and live sports. The service reached approximately 77 million subscribers by mid-2025, reflecting strong growth following its 2021 rebrand and international expansion.
The platform's content variety appeals to multiple demographics simultaneously. Families access Nickelodeon programming including Paw Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants. Drama enthusiasts enjoy revived franchises like Star Trek with hit series such as Strange New Worlds. The service features Paramount's film library, with popular movies appearing on the platform shortly after theatrical release.
Live sports represent Paramount+'s major differentiator and growth driver.
U.S. subscribers stream live NFL games airing on CBS Sunday afternoons, NCAA March Madness basketball tournaments, and UEFA Champions League soccer matches. This sports access essentially replicates what previously required cable subscriptions, making Paramount+ attractive for cord-cutters who refuse to abandon live sports.
In mid-2023, Paramount+ integrated SHOWTIME into its premium tier, incorporating acclaimed Showtime series and films into the platform for those subscribers. This merger created a more comprehensive content offering competing directly with HBO Max and other premium services.
Pricing follows a tiered model with two main options. The Essential Plan at $5.99/month (recently adjusted from $4.99) provides ad-supported on-demand content and includes live sports streams with commercials. This tier excludes local CBS station feeds but maintains NFL and other sports coverage. The Premium Plan with SHOWTIME at $11.99/month offers ad-free on-demand viewing, includes the live CBS station feed, and integrates all Showtime content.
For advertisers, Paramount+ combines broad entertainment appeal with high-value sports audiences. The platform's sports coverage delivers engaged viewers in real-time environments, while the entertainment library provides extensive opportunities for targeted campaigns across content categories.
👉 What’s the best OTT content platform? There isn’t a single “best”—it depends on your audience and goal. For raw reach, YouTube is hard to beat; for premium ad-supported environments, Netflix/Disney+/Hulu/Max ad tiers are strong; for efficient scale, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV and Tubi are proven options.
These are the services most households consider first. Use the table to compare features, pricing, and ad availability so you can match each OTT platform to your audience, content needs, and budget.
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Before exploring free streaming options, remember: strong OTT plans span paid and ad-supported. Smart campaigns split budgets to boost reach and frequency. Upfronts confirmed sports as the growth engine — ESPN’s standalone push and Amazon’s NBA rights open fresh inventory in an already splintered market. For the full impact on media plans, see our upfront trends analysis.
The free, ad-supported streaming segment has exploded in popularity, with some services now rivaling paid platforms in total viewing time. These AVOD and FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) platforms prove that advertising-driven models can achieve massive scale while delivering value to both viewers and advertisers.
YouTube stands as the world's largest video platform and a cornerstone of OTT viewing, with more than 2.7 billion monthly active users globally. This reach dwarfs every other platform, establishing YouTube as essential for any comprehensive video advertising strategy.
The platform's predominantly free, ad-supported model relies on user-generated and creator-produced content spanning every conceivable category. From entertainment and music to gaming, education, news, and professional content, YouTube offers virtually unlimited variety. On connected TVs specifically, YouTube commands substantial viewing share, with many households watching the platform on smart TVs exactly as they would traditional television channels.
YouTube's content volume staggers the imagination — over 500 hours of video upload every minute.
The platform's recommendation algorithm surfaces content tailored to individual interests, driving high engagement and extended viewing sessions. For younger audiences, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, YouTube often serves as the primary entertainment source, eclipsing traditional television entirely.
From an advertising perspective, YouTube provides unmatched scale combined with Google's sophisticated targeting infrastructure. Advertisers access over 2.5 billion potential ad viewers with advanced options for demographic targeting, interest-based audiences, remarketing, and custom intent targeting. The platform supports various ad formats including skippable and non-skippable video ads, bumper ads, and banner overlays.
The core YouTube service remains completely free, supported by advertising revenue. For viewers wanting an upgraded experience, YouTube Premium costs approximately $11.99/month in the U.S., providing ad-free viewing, background playback on mobile, offline downloads, and YouTube Music Premium access. Despite over 80 million YouTube Premium and Music subscriptions, the vast majority of billions of users utilize the free, ad-supported tier.
YouTube has increasingly courted connected TV advertisers, recognizing that significant watch time now occurs on television screens rather than mobile devices. This shift makes YouTube's inventory more valuable for brand advertisers seeking the impact of big-screen viewing combined with digital targeting precision. For performance marketers, YouTube's measurable outcomes — from website visits to app installs to purchase conversions — make it attractive for direct-response campaigns traditionally excluded from television advertising.
Tubi achieved breakthrough growth in 2025, exceeding 100 million monthly active users and surpassing one billion hours of total viewing time in a single month. Owned by Fox Corporation, this free, ad-supported streaming service has become one of the largest platforms in the U.S. by usage.
The platform's content library contains nearly 300,000 TV episodes and movies—approximately 40,000 distinct titles including over 400 Tubi Originals. Rather than chasing the latest blockbusters, Tubi's content strategy emphasizes breadth and nostalgia, licensing vast arrays of older movies, B-movies, classic TV series, reality shows, anime, and international content from various studios.
Tubi's appeal derives from being truly free and remarkably easy to use.
Viewers can start watching immediately without creating accounts, though optional registration enables watchlist saving and cross-device resumption. The interface categorizes content into intuitive genres and themed collections, facilitating the "channel-surfing" experience many viewers miss from cable television.
The platform reported that 95% of viewing consists of on-demand movies and TV shows, with users actively selecting titles rather than passively watching curated channels. This behavior demonstrates genuine engagement rather than background viewing. Remarkably, Tubi accounted for 2.2% of total TV viewing minutes in the U.S. in May 2025 according to Nielsen — an impressive share that exceeded many established cable networks.
Tubi operates as completely free to watch with no paid tier. The service monetizes through advertisements playing during content, typically featuring 4-8 minutes of ads per hour — lighter commercial loads than traditional television. Fox has integrated its content resources and sells national ad campaigns on Tubi, making it a significant component of the evolving TV advertising ecosystem. The platform reportedly generated nearly $1 billion in ad revenue in 2024.
For advertisers, Tubi offers massive scale, younger and more diverse audiences than linear television, and the targeting capabilities inherent in streaming platforms. The combination of free access, extensive content, and zero entry barriers attracts viewers who might not pay for multiple subscriptions, providing advertisers reach into demographics underrepresented on paid services.
Peacock represents NBCUniversal's streaming service, launched in 2020 with a hybrid free/premium model. By 2025, the platform reached around 41 million paying subscribers in the U.S., with additional users on limited free tiers. The service mixes NBCUniversal's extensive TV library, Universal Pictures films, Peacock originals, and major emphasis on live sports and events.
The platform's unique strength lies in straddling traditional streaming libraries and event-centric broadcasting.
Viewers binge classic sitcoms like The Office (exclusive to Peacock) or Parks and Recreation, watch next-day episodes of NBC shows, and tune into live sports or special events. Peacock streams Sunday Night Football games, English Premier League soccer, WWE wrestling content, and in 2024 exclusively streamed an NFL Playoff game — a streaming first.
Looking ahead, Peacock will carry major events including the 2026 NFL Super Bowl and Olympics coverage, making it essential for sports advertisers. The platform's original programming has gained traction with series like Bel-Air, Poker Face, and franchise extensions. It serves as the streaming home for popular reality content including Real Housewives spin-offs and next-day access to shows like Yellowstone.
Peacock's pricing evolved as the platform focused on converting free users to paid subscribers. The original Free tier (limited library with ads) closed to new users but existing free accounts maintain access. The Premium plan at $5.99/month (increased from $4.99 in 2023) provides the full on-demand library and all live sports and events with ads. The Premium Plus plan at $11.99/month removes ads from on-demand content and enables offline downloads, though live streams still contain commercials inherent in live broadcasts.
Comcast Xfinity cable subscribers often receive Peacock Premium included at no extra charge, while promotional partnerships with other services have offered extended free trials. The platform's $5.99 entry point with extensive content — particularly sports — provides strong value for cost-conscious viewers.
For advertisers, Peacock's significance shows in the numbers. The platform reportedly comprised almost one-third of NBCUniversal's upfront ad commitments in 2025, indicating substantial advertiser investment drawn by sports content and younger streaming audiences. Peacock's ad inventory spans both on-demand ads and dynamic insertion in live streams, providing diverse opportunities for brand messages and direct-response campaigns.
Pluto TV pioneered the FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) concept and remains one of the top free streaming platforms globally. Owned by Paramount Global, Pluto TV offered approximately 80 million monthly active users as of 2023, with continued growth as it expanded internationally and across devices.
The platform takes a different approach from on-demand libraries, offering linear streaming "channels" that users browse like cable TV but delivered over the internet for free.
Pluto curates hundreds of channels streaming content 24/7 on programmed schedules with ad breaks, covering genres from news and sports to movies, classic TV, reality, and even singular franchise channels dedicated to specific shows.
Pluto TV's experience appeals to viewers missing the spontaneity of channel surfing or preferring passive viewing over active content selection. You simply tune to a channel — action movies, comedy films, live news, sports highlights, themed content—without signing in or making decisions. The content mixes older popular TV series, films, news streams (CBS News, NBC News Now), sports highlights, and special event channels.
The platform's ease of use and familiarity drive adoption. It replicates cable television for free, offering passive viewing experiences that cord-cutters miss. Paramount leverages Pluto to distribute content widely, with certain Paramount+ originals or CBS shows receiving sampling windows on Pluto. By 2025, Pluto operates in over 30 countries, offering region-specific channels alongside global content.
The interface resembles a traditional cable program guide, immediately understandable to any viewer. Pluto comes built into many smart TVs, sometimes appearing as the first option when users access free TV channels. For advertisers, Pluto offers linear ads in a streaming environment — a comfortable format for television advertisers — while reaching incremental audiences of cord-cutters and younger viewers.
Research indicates that one in three Americans regularly watches FAST channels in 2025.
Pluto TV remains completely free with no subscription option. Revenue derives entirely from advertising, with ad loads similar to traditional TV at roughly 5-6 minutes per 30 minutes of content. Since channels stream content, ads are dynamically inserted with some targeting capabilities by device or region. Paramount reported that Pluto contributes significantly to advertising revenues and operates profitably, demonstrating the sustainable FAST model.
The Roku Channel serves as the free streaming service from Roku, the company known for streaming players and smart TV platforms. Launched in 2017, The Roku Channel aggregates content from studios and features Roku's original programming. By 2024, the platform reached approximately 82 million users, ranking among the top five FAST platforms in the U.S.
The service combines live linear channels (like Pluto's concept) and on-demand movies and shows. It has licensed considerable older content from studios — classic TV series, rotating Hollywood movies, kids' shows, and more. When Quibi shut down, Roku acquired the library of original short-form shows, rebranded them as "Roku Originals," and released them free (notable series include Die Hart with Kevin Hart). Roku continues producing or acquiring originals to bolster exclusive content.
The Roku Channel benefits from massive platform distribution. By 2025, Roku reported over 90 million active accounts globally on its devices, and The Roku Channel appears prominently for those users. This built-in distribution generates huge audiences without heavy marketing. The content strategy provides a bit of everything free: news (live streams from ABC News, Reuters), sports highlights, movies across genres, and even some live events.
Roku Channel functions as a hub pulling in not just its own content but also free content from other providers within the Roku app environment, making it a super-aggregator of free TV.
Users appreciate the convenience — on a Roku TV, switching from Netflix to The Roku Channel requires no app change since it's built-in. The interface offers a channel guide for live content and Netflix-style browsing for on-demand content.
Advertisers value The Roku Channel because Roku leverages platform data for relatively sophisticated ad targeting. Roku has become a major player in the CTV ad space through its advertising platform OneView. The service consistently ranks among the top channels on the Roku platform and has expanded internationally with region-appropriate content.
The Roku Channel operates as completely free with no paid upgrade. Advertising supports the service, with commercial breaks in movies/shows and pre-roll ads. Roku's revenue comes from those ads and other business segments like device sales and revenue sharing from paid app subscriptions. Users don't need Roku devices to watch — anyone can download The Roku Channel app or visit its website — though Roku heavily promotes it on its own hardware.
Free and ad-supported apps carry real weight in weekly viewing. The table highlights what each service offers, how viewers access it, and why advertisers use these channels for efficient reach.
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Several factors explain why certain platforms dominate while hundreds of competitors struggle for relevance. The leaders share common characteristics that have proven essential for success in the streaming era.
The leading platforms have achieved unprecedented scale. Globally, 96% of U.S. households now stream video over OTT platforms, with 88% subscribing to at least one paid streaming service. Streaming usage has surpassed traditional TV decisively.
Services like YouTube and Netflix each reach billions of users. YouTube commands 2.7 billion monthly users worldwide, while Netflix leads subscription services with over 300 million members. These astronomical numbers provide advertisers the mass reach that television once uniquely offered.
The top OTT players also established global footprints. Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+ operate in 100+ countries, creating enormous user bases to amortize content costs and invest in more programming. This virtuous cycle of scale funding content, which attracts more subscribers, which enables more content investment, has separated leaders from followers.
Geographic reach matters for both local and global advertisers. Local businesses can target specific metro areas on platforms with granular geographic capabilities, while multinational brands can execute coordinated campaigns across dozens of markets simultaneously. The platforms that achieved early international expansion have built infrastructure and audience relationships that newcomers struggle to replicate.
For advertisers, this scale means OTT has become essential. You cannot reach 90%+ of young adults without including streaming platforms in media plans. The audience has moved, and budgets must follow.
OTT platforms offer precision targeting and data-driven advertising that traditional television never could. Unlike broadcast TV that sends identical ads to millions, OTT services target ads to specific households or demographic segments while providing detailed performance metrics.
Platforms use viewer data to show different ads to a sports fan versus a sitcom watcher, improving relevance dramatically. According to industry research, OTT advertising offers precision targeting and detailed performance tracking, leading to higher ROI for brands compared to linear TV.
More than two-thirds of U.S. advertisers now consider Connected TV/OTT a "must-buy" channel in their media plans, precisely because of these capabilities. The leading platforms have invested heavily in ad tech. Hulu and Peacock offer advanced ad formats; Amazon uses shopping data for targeting on Prime Video; YouTube leverages Google's sophisticated behavioral targeting.
These platforms also enable programmatic advertising and partner with measurement firms to ease buying and verification. Netflix, historically ad-free, now makes inventory available programmatically, partnering with Google and Amazon's ad platforms. This interoperability allows advertisers to buy OTT inventory through familiar platforms rather than navigating dozens of proprietary systems.
Platforms increasingly use AI tools to deliver personalized, context-aware ads matching content and user profiles, improving engagement. The targeting extends beyond demographics to actual behaviors, interests, and purchase intent. An automotive advertiser can target households that have researched specific vehicle types, while a CPG brand can reach people who previously bought competing products.
Beyond advertising, subscription leaders use data to drive retention through personalized recommendations, optimizing the content each viewer sees to maximize engagement. This data sophistication at both the content and advertising levels separates leaders from platforms still operating with traditional media mindsets.
Content investments separate winners from losers in streaming. The leading platforms spend billions annually on a wide variety of programming plus exclusives unavailable elsewhere.
Variety means serving multiple audience tastes simultaneously. The leaders host everything from big-budget dramas and blockbuster films to reality shows, kids' cartoons, international content, and niche programming:
This content breadth attracts and retains diverse subscriber bases. A household with varied tastes finds something for everyone rather than needing separate services for different family members.
Equally important are exclusive "must-see" titles or deals that drive subscriptions. Each top platform has marquee exclusives: Netflix's hit originals, Disney+ with Marvel and Star Wars franchises, Max with HBO's award-winning series and Warner Bros. films, Apple TV+ with Oscar and Emmy-winning originals. On the free side, exclusivity might mean unique channel offerings or original programs.
Many services have locked in exclusive rights to live events or sports—a huge differentiator in 2025:
These exclusive live events bring influxes of viewers unreachable on traditional TV.
The result: leading platforms become one-stop destinations for content you love and content you can't miss. Some platforms leverage bundling and special offers to add value:
These bundles create perceptions that subscribers get more unique value than elsewhere.
The top OTT players combine breadth (something for everyone) with depth (exclusive premium content or live events). They spend enormous budgets on content — the global OTT video market expects to reach $416 billion in revenue by 2030, with much concentrated among these leaders. Viewers follow the content, and advertisers follow the viewers.
Advertisers in 2025 have fully embraced OTT platforms as core components of media strategies. Connected TV advertising represents one of the fastest-growing advertising channels, with budgets rapidly shifting from linear television to streaming.
A recent Nielsen survey found 66% of marketers plan to increase their ad spending on CTV/OTT in the next 12 months, up sharply from 44% a year prior. Even with flat or declining overall budgets, CTV shows clear growth as advertisers reallocate funds from traditional TV.
Industry forecasts estimate total U.S. CTV advertising will reach approximately $33-34 billion in 2025. One report notes that 42.4% of all ad-supported viewing time now occurs on streaming platforms, driving an estimated 25% increase in streaming ad spend to over $20 billion.
Advertisers use CTV/OTT to reach cord-cutters and tighter audience segments. In the U.S., 79% of adults 50+ use streaming services, and 44% of 50–64s still keep cable/satellite — compared with just 23% of 30–49s and 16% of 18–29s — showing younger adults lean even more heavily into streaming.
To achieve comprehensive reach, advertisers must include OTT in addition to or instead of linear TV. OTT also enables niche targeting. An outdoor gear advertiser can target adventure content rather than broadcasting across broad networks. Platforms offer targeting by content, region, time of day, device, and user interests.
Successfully executing OTT campaigns requires sophisticated tools and approaches. AI Digital's programmatic methodology addresses the complexity and fragmentation challenges that make OTT buying difficult for many advertisers.
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Inventory quality and efficiency remain core OTT challenges — low-value, non-viewable or fraudulent traffic and inefficient supply paths can waste budget, while extra hops add fees. Smart Supply tackles this with AI-driven curation and SPO to reduce ad-tech costs and increase working media.
Smart Supply is AI Digital’s outcome-focused curation service. It operates across Display, Streaming Video, CTV and Streaming Audio, building custom deal IDs by inventory type and desired outcomes, then continuously optimizing them to client KPIs.
It addresses key buyer needs: brand safety, scalability, optimization readiness by 2025, ease of execution, and agnostic buying that avoids platform favoritism (e.g., DV360/YouTube, Yahoo O&O, The Trade Desk partnerships).
The selection funnel removes low-performing publishers using historical data and AI, filters indirect traffic, applies IVT protection, and prefers direct paths—mitigating bid-stream recycling (e.g., $25 CPM inflating to $34+ via multiple SSPs).
For OTT, Smart Supply supports video objectives including completed view KPIs and works DSP-agnostically to avoid lock-in. It functions as a tool rather than a media vendor: no direct billing or contracts (agreements sit with SSPs via revenue-share), no fees to advertisers, deal IDs in ~24 hours, and no minimum spend.
Elevate is AI Digital’s optimization platform combining AI automation with human oversight. It adapts in real time, adjusting campaign parameters every 15 minutes and providing a cross-platform view beyond siloed DSP data.
For planning, the AI assistant (trained on 100+ campaign datasets) produces plans in about 30 seconds, while the predictive engine forecasts performance and suggests budget allocation before launch.
Once live, Elevate reallocates budget toward higher-performing segments, placements and creatives, optimizes to custom business KPIs, and prioritizes the biggest wins via an Impact Score that analyzes 15+ variables with 15-minute refreshes.
For insight, Elevate offers forecasting, an “Ask Elevate” chat for instant answers, and multi-touch attribution.
Advertisers using Elevate see an 11–16% improvement in cost efficiency alongside higher conversion rates, lower CPA and stronger engagement.
The OTT ecosystem in 2025 offers unprecedented opportunities for advertisers willing to approach it strategically. With streaming now capturing nearly half of all TV viewing time and continuing to grow, platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Tubi, and Peacock have become essential channels rather than experimental add-ons.
Choosing the right platforms requires clarity about campaign objectives:
Performance campaigns requiring measurable outcomes and attribution benefit from platforms offering robust conversion tracking and optimization tools.
Here are five practical recommendations for advertisers considering OTT campaigns:
The streaming revolution has created a new advertising ecosystem that combines television's impact with digital's precision. Advertisers who master this ecosystem—selecting the right platforms, leveraging advanced targeting, optimizing continuously—will capture audience attention while competitors struggle with outdated linear TV approaches. The platforms have reached scale. The technology has matured. The opportunity is now.
Ready to act on these shifts? We’ll build a clear OTT media plan for you. Let’s talk.
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Inefficiency
Description
Use case
Description of use case
Examples of companies using AI
Ease of implementation
Impact
Audience segmentation and insights
Identify and categorize audience groups based on behaviors, preferences, and characteristics
Automated ad campaigns
Automate ad creation, placement, and optimization across various platforms
Brand sentiment tracking
Monitor and analyze public opinion about a brand across multiple channels in real time
Campaign strategy optimization
Analyze data to predict optimal campaign approaches, channels, and timing
Content strategy
Generate content ideas, predict performance, and optimize distribution strategies
Personalization strategy development
Create tailored messaging and experiences for consumers at scale
No single platform dominates every use case. For global subscriber reach, Netflix leads with over 300 million paid subscribers. For advertising scale, YouTube's 2.7 billion monthly users makes it unmatched. For sports content, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and Paramount+ offer extensive live programming. The "best" platform depends on campaign objectives, target audiences, and budget. Most successful advertisers use combinations of platforms rather than relying on any single service.
Yes, the majority of major OTT platforms now offer advertising opportunities. Ad-supported tiers exist on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Peacock, Paramount+, and Amazon Prime Video. Free platforms like YouTube, Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel rely entirely on advertising revenue. Each platform offers different targeting capabilities, measurement options, and pricing models. Advertisers can access inventory through direct platform relationships or programmatic channels depending on the service.
OTT (over-the-top) refers specifically to content delivered over the internet, bypassing traditional cable, broadcast, or satellite distribution. Streaming describes the technical delivery method of transmitting video in real time without requiring complete file downloads. All OTT content uses streaming technology, but not all streaming is OTT—for example, some cable providers stream their content to apps, but that wouldn't be considered pure OTT. In practice, the terms are often used interchangeably to describe internet-delivered video services.
Yes, Netflix is the prototypical OTT platform. It delivers video content directly to consumers over the internet without requiring traditional cable or broadcast intermediaries. Netflix operates as both a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service and, following its 2022 ad tier launch, as a hybrid model offering both ad-supported and ad-free options. The platform exemplifies the OTT category that has disrupted traditional television distribution.
AVOD (Advertising-Based Video on Demand) platforms offer free content supported by advertising revenue. Examples include YouTube, Tubi, and Pluto TV. Users pay nothing but watch commercial breaks. SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) platforms charge recurring fees for access, traditionally without ads. Examples include Netflix's premium tiers, Apple TV+, and Disney+'s ad-free plan. Many platforms now offer hybrid models with both AVOD and SVOD tiers, letting consumers choose between paying for ad-free experiences or accepting commercials for lower or zero costs.
If you’re building/hosting your own service, common choices are Brightcove, JW Player, Kaltura, Vimeo OTT and Mux—the right pick comes down to needs like DRM/SSAI, app SDKs, analytics and cost.
