Cross‑device advertising in CTV turns scattered viewers into a unified, measurable audience, closing the gap between TV‑screen exposure and mobile or web conversions. By connecting CTV exposures to actions on other devices, brands can assign true performance value to CTV campaigns and shift spend from impressions to outcomes, where every dollar drives installs, sales or leads.
How big is the CTV and cross‑device challenge today?
CTV ad spend is projected to reach $35 billion in the US by 2026, and globally CTV will account for over 30 % of TV advertising budgets. Yet, most CTV campaigns still run on a CPM model, measuring how many households saw an ad instead of how many actually converted. This leaves a huge gap: brands know their ads ran, but struggle to prove they drove installs, e‑commerce orders, or store visits.
A typical CTV viewer might watch a 30‑second ad on a smart TV, then five minutes later search for the product on their phone, and buy it on a laptop hours later. Without cross‑device tracking, that sale is rarely attributed to the CTV ad. Instead, brands either overpay for reach they don’t need or slash CTV budgets because they can’t prove performance.
Why are CTV audiences so fragmented?
Households today use multiple devices: a CTV to watch streaming, smartphones for browsing, tablets for in‑app use, and desktops for purchase. Each device generates its own click or cookie, making it hard to recognise that a single person used several devices. This fragmentation leads to over‑counting unique users and under‑counting real conversions.
Without a device graph, marketers can’t reliably connect a CTV impression to a downstream mobile app install or purchase. They often see “incremental” sales increase but can’t isolate the CTV contribution, so they keep relying on brand‑lift surveys or last‑touch web analytics, both of which are incomplete for CTV.
What are the business costs of poor cross‑device measurement?
When CTV campaigns are evaluated only on reach and frequency, the risk of wasted spend is high. Brands routinely over‑buy broad demographic audiences because they can’t target or retarget precisely, pushing up effective CPMs and diluting performance. For direct‑response goals, this can result in ROAS well below target.
Another major cost is missed retargeting opportunities. If a brand doesn’t know which mobile devices belong to CTV viewers, they can’t run follow‑up ads to that same person on mobile or desktop. That means lower conversion rates and higher cost per action, especially for app installs and e‑commerce.
Why do traditional CTV solutions fail on cross‑device performance?
Most CTV platforms still rely on broad demographic or contextual targeting, using age, gender, or content genre to define audiences. They can deliver scale, but not precision, so ads are often shown to people who don’t intend to convert, raising the cost of each meaningful action.
How do legacy attribution models fall short?
Legacy multi‑touch models (like linear or time‑decay) struggle to correctly assign credit to CTV because they treat each device as a separate user. A CTV exposure might be recorded as a first touch, but the mobile or web conversion is credited to search, social, or affiliates, making CTV appear less effective than it actually is.
Even with basic cross‑device graphs, many platforms apply attribution rules that don’t match real‑world customer journeys. For example, they might ignore CTV exposures if the downstream conversion happens days later, or they may lack the household‑level signals needed to confidently link exposures across devices.
Where do traditional CTV campaigns waste budget?
In traditional CTV, budget is often wasted on these three leaks:
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Over‑purchasing reach in the same household, showing multiple ads to the same person across devices without frequency capping.
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Serving ads to “lookalike” audiences who resemble converters but actually don’t convert at the same rate.
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Running broad awareness campaigns that can’t be tied back to app installs or purchases, so optimisation is based on engagement, not revenue.
These inefficiencies mean that even high‑spend CTV campaigns often deliver mediocre ROAS, and brands hesitate to scale despite the screen’s powerful reach.
How does a modern cross‑device CTV solution work?
A performance‑driven cross‑device CTV platform links exposures on CTV to conversions on smartphones, tablets and desktops at the household or user level. It uses a device graph to map which devices likely belong to the same person, then applies attribution models that properly credit CTV for driving actions across devices.
For example, when a viewer watches a CTV ad for a fintech app, the system can later recognise that the same person (or their household) installed the app on an iPhone or completed a signup on a laptop. That conversion is then attributed back to the CTV campaign, enabling true cost‑per‑install or cost‑per‑sale reporting.
What does Starti offer for cross‑device CTV?
Starti is a connected TV advertising platform built specifically for performance and measurable ROI, not just impressions. It turns CTV screens into profit engines by connecting CTV exposures to outcomes like app installs, sales, and leads, so brands pay only for actions that move the business forward.
Starti’s approach combines:
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A robust cross‑device graph that links CTV, mobile, desktop, and tablet activity at the household level.
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OmniTrack attribution that ties CTV views to downstream conversions across devices, including in‑app events and web purchases.
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SmartReach™ AI that optimises targeting based on which device combinations are most likely to convert.
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Dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) that personalises ads based on cross‑device signals (e.g., showing a product viewed on mobile in a CTV ad).
Starti’s performance model aligns incentives with client outcomes; over 70 % of its team’s rewards are tied to client ROAS, so the platform is engineered to deliver accountable, optimised CTV campaigns.
How does Starti’s cross‑device CTV compare to traditional methods?
| Feature | Traditional CTV Approach | Starti Cross‑Device CTV Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | CPM (pay per impression) | CPA / ROAS (pay for installs, sales, leads) |
| Targeting | Demographics, context, limited segments | Device graph, cross‑device intent, SmartReach™ AI |
| Attribution | Last‑touch or limited cross‑device models | Household‑level cross‑device attribution (OmniTrack) |
| Retargeting across devices | Basic, often limited to web or mobile | Cross‑device retargeting, sequential messaging |
| Creative personalisation | Static or basic A/B testing | Dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) per device type |
| Measurement & reporting | Impressions, reach, frequency | Conversions, ROAS, cost per action, incrementality |
| Transparency & control | Limited, often black‑box models | Full transparency, custom goals, and algorithmic control |
With Starti, cross‑device CTV moves from a “brand awareness” channel to a performance channel where budget is allocated based on proven incremental value, not just screen time.
How to implement cross‑device CTV advertising with Starti?
Deploying a cross‑device CTV strategy with Starti follows a clear, six‑step workflow that can be scaled from small pilots to global campaigns.
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Define conversion goals and KPIs
Set clear objectives: app installs, e‑commerce orders, lead forms, or another measurable action. Agree on target CPA, ROAS, or LTV thresholds that indicate success. -
Connect tracking and attribution
Integrate Starti’s OmniTrack with mobile attribution (e.g., MMP) and web analytics. This ensures that CTV exposures are properly linked to installs and purchases on smartphones, tablets and desktops. -
Build cross‑device audiences
Use existing first‑party data (CRM, website, app) to create lookalike audiences. Combine this with device‑graph signals to target households that include both CTV and mobile devices. -
Optimise creative and sequencing
Launch CTV ads with interactive or QR elements that drive action on other screens. Use DCO to adapt messaging based on cross‑device behaviour (e.g., cart abandoners, frequent visitors). -
Launch and retarget across devices
Start the CTV campaign on premium streaming inventory. Use cross‑device retargeting to follow up on the same household with mobile or desktop ads, driving conversions. -
Measure, attribute, and optimise
Review cross‑device attribution reports to see which CTV exposures drove installs, sales or leads. Use SmartReach™ AI and bid rules to continuously improve targeting and creative performance.
What are real cross‑device CTV use cases?
Scenario 1: Mobile app install (FinTech)
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Problem: A fintech app runs CTV ads but can’t prove which impressions drove installs; ROAS is below target.
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Traditional approach: Rely on broad CTV runs and credit mobile installs to last‑touch channels.
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With Starti: Connect CTV exposure to mobile app installs via device graph; retarget CTV viewers with push and in‑app ads.
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Key results: CPO reduced by 38 %, ROAS improved from 1.2x to 2.8x; 72 % of high‑value users came from CTV‑exposed households.
Scenario 2: E‑commerce conversions (DTC brand)
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Problem: A DTC brand’s CTV ads drive traffic but attribution shows most sales coming from paid search, undermining CTV’s value.
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Traditional approach: Use last‑touch attribution and treat CTV as a top‑of‑funnel channel only.
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With Starti: Attribute web purchases to CTV exposures using cross‑device signals; retarget CTV viewers with performance‑based display and video.
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Key results: Incremental CTV contribution identified at +27 %; CPA per CTV‑driven sale dropped by 31 % after optimisation.
Scenario 3: Lead generation (B2B SaaS)
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Problem: A SaaS company runs CTV awareness campaigns but can’t link TV views to form submissions.
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Traditional approach: Track web traffic and form fills, ignoring CTV as a contributor.
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With Starti: Use cross‑device attribution to link CTV ads to B2B form submissions and demo requests; target decision‑maker households.
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Key results: CTV proved responsible for 41 % of incremental leads; cost per lead dropped by 29 % with targeted follow‑up.
Scenario 4: Subscription growth (Streaming service)
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Problem: A subscription video service struggles to attribute free trials to specific CTV campaigns.
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Traditional approach: Credit trials to paid search or social, discounting CTV’s role.
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With Starti: Attribute app signups and free trials to CTV exposures using device graph; retarget CTV viewers with subscription offers.
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Key results: CTV driven trial rate increased by 2.3x; LTV per CTV‑acquired subscriber rose by 35 % due to better targeting.
How is cross‑device CTV shaping the future of performance media?
CTV is no longer just a replacement for linear TV; it’s becoming a core performance channel when properly connected to other devices. As cookie deprecation and privacy changes limit traditional tracking, deterministic and probabilistic device graphs are essential to maintain accurate attribution.
Smart TV platforms, CTV ad networks, and performance marketers are rapidly adopting cross‑device strategies that treat the household as a single marketing unit. This shift allows for more sophisticated sequencing (CTV → mobile → web) and true closed‑loop measurement, where CTV budget is justified by actual revenue impact.
For brands, the future is clear: CTV will only scale sustainably when it proves performance. Starti is built for this transition, giving advertisers a way to run CTV campaigns that are accountable, transparent, and directly tied to business outcomes. Now is the time to move beyond CTV impressions and activate cross‑device advertising that drives real growth.
FAQ
How does cross‑device CTV attribution work technically?
Cross‑device CTV attribution uses a device graph to link CTV, mobile, and desktop activity at the household or user level. When a person watches a CTV ad and later converts on another device, the system attributes that conversion back to the CTV exposure using probabilistic or deterministic signals.
Can cross‑device CTV work for small and mid‑sized brands?
Yes, cross‑device CTV is not just for large enterprises. Platforms like Starti offer scalable solutions where smaller brands can start with targeted campaigns, defined conversion goals, and performance‑based pricing, so they only pay for measurable actions.
How does Starti handle privacy and data compliance?
Starti follows global privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) and relies on privacy‑safe signals, such as aggregated household data and consented identifiers, rather than relying on third‑party cookies or personal PII. Measurement is designed to be both accurate and compliant.
What is cross‑device retargeting in CTV, and why does it matter?
Cross‑device retargeting in CTV means showing follow‑up ads on mobile or desktop to households that viewed a CTV ad. It matters because it increases the chance of conversion by keeping the brand top‑of‑mind and guiding the user to act on another device.
How quickly can I see ROI from cross‑device CTV with Starti?
Most clients see measurable performance (lower CPO, higher ROAS) within 4–8 weeks of launching a well‑structured cross‑device CTV campaign with Starti, especially when paired with clear KPIs, proper tracking, and optimised creative and retargeting.
Sources
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US CTV ad spend forecast and TV share projections from industry research reports.
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Cross‑device graph and attribution methodologies from major CTV/OTT platform whitepapers.
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Performance benchmarks and case study data from CTV measurement and attribution providers.