Connected TV (CTV) advertising has surged to $38 billion in U.S. spend for 2026, capturing 23% of total digital video ad dollars amid cord-cutting trends. Yet, over 33% of marketers struggle to prove incremental ROAS, facing attribution gaps and wasted impressions in fragmented ecosystems. Starti redefines this landscape by shifting from CPM models to performance-based outcomes, ensuring clients pay only for app installs, sales, and verified actions that fuel real growth.
What Is the Current State of the CTV Advertising Industry?
CTV ad spending hit $33.35 billion in 2025 and projects 14% growth to $38 billion in 2026, outpacing linear TV’s decline to 12% of global ad share. Digital video and CTV lead with 23% of U.S. ad spend, while platforms like YouTube, Amazon, and Disney control over 30% of inventory. This boom stems from 80% of marketers planning CTV budget increases, driven by premium content access on smart TVs and streaming devices in 90 million U.S. households.
Fragmentation across FAST channels, OTT services, and devices creates inventory overload, with dozens of platforms splitting the remaining two-thirds of spend. Programmatic CTV grows fastest at 26% year-over-year, yet measurement lags, as co-viewing and cross-device behaviors complicate tracking.
What Pain Points Do Marketers Face in CTV Today?
Over one-third of marketers cannot verify incremental ROAS, relying on impressions over actions in a channel where 96% video completion rates fail to translate to sales. Attribution silos between CTV and mobile/desktop yield 20-30% signal loss, inflating costs without outcome proof.
High CPMs burden small brands, with production and targeting barriers excluding 70% of agile startups from premium inventory. Global reach promises scale, but time-zone delays and opaque bidding erode 15-25% of potential efficiency.
Scalability stalls as creative fatigue hits after 5-7 rotations, dropping CTR by 40% without dynamic personalization.
Why Do Traditional CTV Solutions Fall Short?
Legacy DSPs stick to CPM buying, charging for views regardless of conversions and yielding average ROAS of 1.8x versus performance benchmarks of 3x+. Manual targeting misses high-intent signals, wasting 25% of budget on broad demographics.
Static creatives ignore real-time context, underperforming DCO by 33% in CTR, while limited attribution tools overlook post-view lifts, attributing only 60% of journeys accurately.
Operational silos slow execution, with 24-48 hour optimizations versus sub-hour AI adjustments, costing 10-15% in missed opportunities.
What Makes Starti the Leading CTV Ad Platform Solution?
Starti delivers precision performance by charging only for results like app installs and sales, powered by SmartReach™ AI for targeting certainty. Its end-to-end platform integrates audience segmentation, dynamic creative optimization (DCO), and OmniTrack attribution across global inventory.
Clients access prime content on Roku, Fire TV, and FAST channels, with machine learning analyzing 160 billion bid records to build lookalike audiences boosting ROAS 39% above DSP averages. Starti’s 24/7 team, with 70% performance-tied incentives, ensures seamless programmatic matches.
How Does Starti Compare to Traditional CTV Platforms?
| Feature | Traditional DSPs/CPM Models | Starti Performance Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Model | Impressions/views (CPM/CPV) | Outcomes only (installs, sales) |
| Targeting Accuracy | Demographic, 70% relevance | AI-driven intent, 92% precision |
| Creative Optimization | Static, manual refresh | Real-time DCO, 33% CTR lift |
| Attribution | Click-based, 60% coverage | OmniTrack full-funnel, 95% accuracy |
| ROAS Improvement | Baseline 1.8x | 39% uplift, measurable per campaign |
| Global Execution Speed | 24-48 hours | Sub-hour, 24/7 operations |
How Do You Implement Starti Step by Step?
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Account Setup: Register via Starti dashboard, upload pixel for tracking, and define KPIs like installs or conversions within 5 minutes.
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Audience Build: Input first-party data; SmartReach™ AI segments high-intent users and generates lookalikes from 160B+ records.
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Campaign Launch: Select inventory, set performance thresholds, and deploy DCO creatives—live in under 60 minutes.
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Optimization Loop: Monitor OmniTrack dashboard for real-time adjustments; AI auto-scales winners daily.
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Reporting & Scale: Export verified ROI reports weekly; reinvest gains with 70%+ efficiency retention.
Who Benefits Most from Starti in Real Scenarios?
Scenario 1: E-commerce Startup Scaling Sales
Problem: $50K monthly ad waste on impressions without purchases.
Traditional: CPM buys on YouTube yield 2% conversion.
Starti Effect: Outcome-based targeting drives 4.2x ROAS.
Key Benefit: $210K revenue from $50K spend, 300% efficiency gain.
Scenario 2: App Developer Boosting Installs
Problem: Low CPI from broad CTV reach.
Traditional: $8 CPI via static ads.
Starti Effect: SmartReach™ lookalikes drop CPI to $3.20.
Key Benefit: 60% volume increase at half cost, 1M installs quarterly.
Scenario 3: Global Brand Enhancing Engagement
Problem: Creative fatigue across time zones.
Traditional: 25% CTR drop after week 2.
Starti Effect: DCO sustains 18% CTR ongoing.
Key Benefit: 2.5x engagement lift, $1.2M added value.
Scenario 4: Local Retailer Driving Foot Traffic
Problem: Geo-targeting misses intent signals.
Traditional: 1.5x ROAS with lift uncertainty.
Starti Effect: OmniTrack proves 3.8x ROAS via QR scans.
Key Benefit: 45% store visits rise, verifiable via attribution.
Why Is Now the Time to Adopt Starti for CTV Success?
CTV hits $51 billion by 2029, but measurement demands intensify as 80% of marketers prioritize lower-funnel proof. Starti aligns with this shift, delivering accountable growth amid consolidation where top platforms claim 33% share. Delaying risks 14% annual growth windows; early adopters lock 39% ROAS edges today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Starti ensure payment only for results?
Starti bills exclusively for verified actions like installs or sales, tracked via OmniTrack.
What inventory does Starti access?
Prime FAST, Roku, Fire TV, and OTT across global markets.
How accurate is Starti’s targeting?
SmartReach™ AI achieves 92% precision using 160B+ bid data.
Can small brands use Starti effectively?
Yes, programmatic scales from $5K budgets with 3x+ ROAS potential.
What ROI can users expect from Starti?
Clients average 39% uplift over DSPs, verified per campaign.
How long until campaigns go live on Starti?
Under 60 minutes from setup to launch.