YouTube: I Want My CTV

The big rectangle on everyone's living room wall is now a connected device.

Given that, few thoughts on capabilities and recent updates:

• The Living Room is Now a Point of Sale: New Shoppable CTV formats, available through Demand Gen and Performance Max campaigns, allow viewers to browse and engage with products directly from their television screens. This transforms the TV from a media device into a more capable direct-response channel

  
  

• Connected TV is Now Connected More to Active Search: "Attributed Branded Search" quantifies how many viewers conduct a search for a brand after exposure to a video ad. This provides additional insight on CTV viewership with subsequent high-intent actions

• Size of Rectangle is Less of An Issue For Creative: Generative AI tools can automatically reformat / remix existing video content to fit any aspect ratio from vertical Shorts to horizontal CTV screens

Use Cases for Marketers:

• Direct-to-SKU CTV Campaigns: Link shoppable CTV ad formats directly to specific product SKUs within a feed. A fashion brand, for instance, could run a creator-led video on CTV where viewers can click to see product details for every item featured in the video, effectively making the television a visual catalog

• Advanced Funnel-Based Targeting / Retargeting: Use search data as a signal for retargeting. A user who sees a CTV ad for a new electric vehicle feature and subsequently performs a related search could be immediately entered into a lower-funnel sequence with ads featuring local inventory or promotional offers

• Integrated Creator Testing & Amplification: Contract a creator for a series of videos through the new partnership tool. Isolate the highest-performing content and transition it into a Video Reach Campaign using Non-Skippable formats on CTV to a lookalike audience

  
  

The evolution is clear. YouTube on CTV now functions as an integrated system with mobile, where the immersive experience of the large screen drives measurable actions and accountable results, merging the impact of television with the precision of digital marketing.