Introduction
As consumers cut the cord and shift to streaming, over-the-top (OTT) video advertising has emerged as a critical channel for automotive marketers. Unlike traditional TV spots, OTT ads let you pinpoint high-intent audiences on connected TVs, mobile devices, and desktop browsers—maximizing reach while minimizing waste. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into audience targeting, creative best practices, platform choices, budgeting strategies, and measurement techniques tailored for dealerships.
Understanding OTT & CTV: Why It Matters
OTT refers to video content delivered via the internet, bypassing traditional cable or satellite providers. Connected TV (CTV) devices—Roku, Amazon Fire TV, smart TVs—are the primary delivery method. Key advantages include:
- Precision Targeting: Leverage addressable inventory to reach viewers by demographics, interests, or behavioral segments.
- Cross-Device Frequency: Maintain consistent messaging across TV, mobile, and desktop to reinforce brand recall.
- Interactive CTAs: Use overlay cards with “Visit Dealer” or “Book a Test Drive” buttons to drive direct engagement.
For dealerships, OTT offers an unmatched ability to showcase inventory in context and drive in-market shoppers to your lot.
Audience Targeting Strategies
OTT platforms provide rich targeting capabilities:
- Demographic & Interest Segments: Target by age, income bracket, family status, or auto-enthusiast interests.
- In-Market Auto Shoppers: Activate auto-intender segments who have recently researched vehicles online.
- Geo-Fencing at Scale: Define sub-regions around your dealership and competitor lots—serve ads only when viewers are within these zones.
- First-Party Data Retargeting: Sync your CRM or website visitor list to OTT partners to re-engage site visitors who viewed inventory pages.
Creative & Messaging Best Practices
OTT demands a balance between storytelling and direct response:
Length & Format
- 15-Second Spots: Ideal for quick promos (“New Year Sales Event—This Weekend Only”).
- 30-Second Stories: Showcase a hero vehicle with lifestyle footage and a clear CTA.
Branding & Visuals
Use high-resolution B-roll of your dealership and vehicles. Overlay branded lower-thirds with your logo and URL.
Calls to Action
- Verbal + Overlay: “Visit ConquestOneDealer.com now!”
- Interactive: “Press OK on your remote to learn more.”
Sound & Captions
Optimize for “sound off” by including on-screen captions. Use ambient music and clear voice-over to reinforce key messages.
A/B test two cuts—one purely emotional brand story vs. one direct-response promo—to see which resonates best.
Platform Selection & Partnerships
Choose platforms based on your target demographics and budget:
- The Trade Desk & DSPs: Access premium inventory across multiple ad exchanges with granular targeting controls.
- Streaming Device Portals: Roku’s OneView and Hulu’s Ad Manager offer self-serve and managed options with robust reporting.
- Publisher Partnerships: Work with local news apps (e.g., local broadcaster VOD) to maintain a local presence.
Budgeting & Pacing Your Campaign
OTT typically sells on CPM (cost per thousand impressions):
- Benchmark CPMs: Expect $20–$35 CPMs for premium inventory; lower CPMs ($10–$15) on AVOD apps.
- Flighting & Frequency Caps: Cap at 3–4 impressions per week per unique user to avoid overexposure.
- Dayparting: Allocate higher budgets during weekend and evening prime-time streaming hours.
- Incremental Lift Tests: Reserve 10% of your budget for a control group (no ads) to measure true campaign lift.
Measuring Lift & Attribution
Unlike click-through metrics, OTT success is gauged by lift in key brand and behavioral KPIs:
- Brand Awareness & Consideration Lift: Conduct pre- and post-campaign surveys via measurement partners (e.g., Nielsen, Innovid).
- Site Visits & Form Enrollments: Track authenticated site traffic spikes during campaign windows and apply first-party analytics to measure test-drive form submissions.
- In-Market Conversions: Integrate your CRM to attribute sales events (test drives, purchases) back to exposed vs. unexposed cohorts.
Conclusion & Next Steps
OTT video advertising empowers dealerships to break through the clutter of traditional media with laser-focused, cross-device campaigns that reach today’s cord-cutting shoppers. By combining sophisticated audience targeting, compelling creative, strategic platform selection, and robust measurement methods, you can drive brand awareness, website traffic, and—most importantly—quality showroom visits. Ready to launch your first OTT campaign? Reach out to Conquest One Marketing for a custom OTT strategy that delivers real, measurable results.
