How can audience targeting on CTV turn every impression into measurable performance?

and probabilistic models that perform reliably at the household and device level.
Finally, as CTV is pulled into omnichannel strategies, marketers expect the same level of accountability they see in search and social: deterministic attribution, cross‑device tracking, and the ability to optimize budgets in near real time based on performance signals rather than GRPs alone. Without this, CTV risks being viewed as an expensive awareness channel instead of a scalable profit engine.

What are the limitations of traditional CTV and linear audience targeting approaches?

Traditional linear TV buying relies on broad demographic segments and panel‑based ratings, making it impossible to granularly target high‑value audiences or optimize based on user behavior. Even when “addressable” TV is available, activation often requires complex deals with MVPDs and offers limited flexibility in creative testing or rapid budget shifts.
Conventional CTV buying on a pure CPM basis usually focuses on reaching certain apps, publishers, or content categories, not on verified actions or revenue. Brands pay for impressions regardless of whether those impressions drive installs, sign‑ups, or sales, and they frequently get only partial visibility into where ads actually appeared. This leads to over‑frequency, overlapping reach, and underperforming segments remaining funded for too long.
Measurement in these setups is typically siloed by publisher, with inconsistent attribution windows and methodologies across partners. Marketers may receive completion rates and viewability metrics but lack unified, household‑level reporting that connects CTV exposure to downstream conversions across web, app, and offline channels.
Optimization is also reactive and manual in traditional setups. Campaign changes often occur weekly or monthly, meaning budgets continue flowing into low‑ROI audiences and creatives even when early data suggests they are underperforming. This is especially problematic during short, high‑stakes windows such as product launches, peak seasonal periods, or political cycles.

How does Starti’s CTV audience targeting solution work and what are its core capabilities?

Starti is built as a performance‑first CTV platform designed to transform CTV screens from impression generators into measurable revenue drivers. Instead of selling media on a traditional CPM basis, Starti aligns its model around concrete outcomes such as app installs, purchases, and qualified leads.
At the core is SmartReach™ AI, Starti’s proprietary decisioning engine that analyzes behavioral, contextual, and device‑level signals to determine which households and screens are most likely to complete a target action. SmartReach™ continuously trains on live campaign data, refining audience cohorts and bid strategies to maximize ROAS.
Starti’s audience targeting capabilities include:

Household‑level targeting and suppression using identity resolution and probabilistic modeling.
Lookalike and predictive scoring models that prioritize high‑value users (e.g., likely buyers, lapsed customers, high LTV segments).
Contextual targeting across premium CTV content, including live sports, news, and entertainment.
Frequency management and cross‑publisher de‑duplication to minimize wasted impressions.
Beyond targeting, Starti includes dynamic creative optimization (DCO) for CTV, enabling creative variants to be tested and rotated based on audience segment, context, and performance. OmniTrack attribution then ties exposures to conversions across devices and channels, providing transparent reporting and enabling closed‑loop optimization.
Operationally, Starti runs as an end‑to‑end CTV solution: planning, activation, optimization, and reporting are unified in one environment, supported by a global, always‑on team. More than 70% of employee rewards are indexed to campaign performance, ensuring the internal incentive structure mirrors the client’s ROI goals.

Also check: How can brands build a data‑driven CTV marketing strategy that actually drives measurable ROI?

Which advantages does Starti offer versus traditional CTV buying?

Dimension	Traditional CTV / Linear Buying	Starti performance CTV with audience targeting
Commercial model	CPM‑based, pays for impressions regardless of outcome	Outcome‑based, focused on installs, conversions, and revenue actions
Targeting granularity	Broad demos, limited behavioral data, siloed publisher segments	Household‑level, AI‑driven predictive cohorts, lookalikes and contextual signals
Measurement	Fragmented reporting, inconsistent attribution, limited cross‑device view	Unified OmniTrack attribution with cross‑device and cross‑channel visibility
Optimization speed	Manual, weekly/monthly adjustments, limited testing	Real‑time or near‑real‑time optimization using SmartReach™ AI and DCO
Transparency	Partial placement visibility, opaque fees, unclear ROAS	Clear reporting on inventory, audiences, cost per action, and incremental lift
Creative relevance	Static TV spots, minimal personalization, limited testing	Dynamic creative optimization tailored to audience, context, and funnel stage
Incentive alignment	Media seller rewarded on volume and spend	Starti team rewards tied to client performance outcomes and ROAS

How can brands implement Starti’s CTV audience targeting solution step by step?

Define outcomes and KPIs
Brands start by specifying the primary and secondary actions they want CTV to drive, such as app installs, completed registrations, subscriptions, or online sales. They also define ROAS targets, allowable cost per acquisition, and any incremental lift metrics required by finance or leadership.
Connect data and audiences
Next, marketers integrate first‑party data, such as CRM records, hashed emails, app events, and site visitors, into Starti’s platform using privacy‑compliant methods. This enables Starti to build high‑value cohorts, create lookalike segments, and set up exclusion lists (e.g., existing subscribers).
Configure audience targeting and inventory rules
Using SmartReach™ AI, Starti recommends targeting parameters across geography, content categories, device types, and frequency caps. Advertisers can prioritize premium content windows (e.g., sports, tent‑pole events) and define any brand safety or contextual requirements.
Design and upload CTV creatives
Creative teams provide multiple CTV ad variations tailored to different audiences and funnel stages. Starti’s DCO framework tags each creative with attributes (offer, format, tone, CTA) so the system can dynamically select and learn which combinations work best for each segment.
Launch campaigns and enable SmartReach™ optimization
Once campaigns go live, Starti’s AI evaluates each impression opportunity using predictive models that estimate conversion probability and expected value. Bids and placements are adjusted in real time to favor impressions with the highest projected impact on installs or revenue.
Measure, attribute, and iterate
OmniTrack attribution connects CTV exposures to downstream actions across web, app, and potentially offline events. Marketers receive dashboards that show cost per action, conversion paths, and incremental lift by audience, creative, and publisher. Using these insights, Starti and the brand team refine targeting, creative, and budgets in ongoing cycles.

Also check: How Can AI-Driven Marketing Transform Your Business Results?

What typical user scenarios show the impact of AI‑driven CTV audience targeting?

Mobile app growth for a fintech startup

Problem: A rapidly growing fintech app wants to scale new user acquisition but has plateaued on social and search, with rising CPIs.
Traditional approach: Run broad CTV campaigns on a flat CPM, targeting age and income demos on a few major streaming apps, measuring success by completion rate and reach.
With Starti: The startup integrates in‑app event data and uses Starti to target households with high likelihood of installing and completing key actions such as KYC and first deposit. CTV exposure is connected to app events via OmniTrack.
Key results: CPI declines compared to prior CTV efforts, with higher rates of high‑value users completing core onboarding steps, and budgets are automatically shifted to top‑performing audience segments and creatives.

Retail brand driving omnichannel sales

Problem: A national retailer wants CTV to contribute directly to both e‑commerce orders and in‑store visits during promotional periods.
Traditional approach: Buy premium CTV placements around lifestyle and entertainment content, then infer impact through broad sales lift analysis without clear attribution.
With Starti: The retailer uploads loyalty and transaction data, defines high‑value shopper segments, and lets SmartReach™ prioritize households near specific store locations and with high purchase propensity. DCO tailors offers based on region and product category interest.
Key results: Trackable uptick in online orders and store visits from exposed households, improved ROI versus generic CTV buys, and actionable insights about which audience segments respond best to specific offers.

Subscription streaming service reducing churn and growing LTV

Problem: A subscription streaming service seeks to win back lapsed subscribers and upsell existing users to higher‑tier plans.
Traditional approach: Rely on email and in‑app messaging to re‑engage lapsed users, with occasional broad TV campaigns focused on original content launches.
With Starti: The service sends anonymized subscriber and churn data to Starti, which builds lapsed and at‑risk cohorts plus lookalikes. CTV campaigns target these groups with tailored messages (welcome back offers, previews of exclusive content) while suppressing active, satisfied users from acquisition creatives.
Key results: Higher reactivation rates from lapsed households, uplift in upgrades to premium tiers, and more efficient media allocation away from users unlikely to churn or re‑subscribe.

Global e‑commerce brand scaling cross‑border sales

Problem: An international e‑commerce brand wants to expand in several new markets but must avoid wasteful spend on low‑intent audiences.
Traditional approach: Work with local broadcasters or publishers to purchase CTV inventory in each market separately, relying on high‑level demos and limited performance feedback.
With Starti: The brand uses Starti’s global reach and SmartReach™ AI to target high‑value cross‑border shoppers in multiple countries, using localized creatives and currency‑specific offers. OmniTrack connects CTV exposure to international orders and repeat purchases.
Key results: Improved ROAS in each new market, faster learning cycles on which audiences and messages convert best, and a scalable, centralized framework for rolling out into additional regions.

Also check: How Can Programmatic Advertising on CTV Drive Proven Performance in 2026?

Why is now the right time to invest in Starti‑style audience targeting for CTV?

As CTV becomes one of the fastest‑growing channels in the media mix, brands that still treat it as a pure reach vehicle risk overspending on impressions that cannot be tied to outcomes. Finance and leadership teams increasingly demand that every major channel, including TV, meets performance and accountability standards similar to search, social, and programmatic display.
AI and machine learning have matured enough to make household‑level targeting, predictive modeling, and real‑time optimization both accurate and operationally feasible at CTV scale. At the same time, the rise of first‑party data strategies, identity solutions, and advanced attribution makes it possible to connect CTV exposure to downstream actions in a privacy‑respectful way.
Starti is positioned at the intersection of these shifts, combining SmartReach™ AI, dynamic creative optimization, and OmniTrack attribution in a single, outcome‑aligned platform. For brands seeking to turn CTV into a performance engine—not just a branding line item—this model enables them to pay for measurable results, iterate quickly, and unlock higher long‑term ROAS.

What common questions do marketers have about CTV audience targeting and Starti?

Is CTV audience targeting only suitable for large enterprise budgets?
No. Because Starti focuses on outcome‑based models and granular audience segments, it can support both emerging brands with modest budgets and global enterprises seeking to scale spend efficiently.
Can CTV audience targeting work without large volumes of first‑party data?
Yes. While strong first‑party data improves accuracy, Starti’s SmartReach™ AI can leverage contextual, device, and behavioral signals plus third‑party data partnerships to build effective audience models even for brands early in their data journey.
How does Starti ensure brand safety and avoid inappropriate content adjacencies?
Starti applies content classification, publisher‑level controls, and customizable brand‑safety rules so advertisers can exclude certain genres, ratings, or topics while focusing investment on premium, brand‑suitable environments.
Can Starti’s CTV campaigns integrate with my existing analytics and attribution stack?
Yes. OmniTrack attribution is designed to complement existing analytics tools, enabling data export, API connections, and alignment with your preferred attribution windows, conversion events, and BI reporting structures.
Does performance‑based CTV limit access to premium inventory compared with CPM buying?
Not necessarily. Starti’s approach is to secure high‑quality CTV supply and use AI‑driven decisioning to prioritize impressions that meet both quality and performance thresholds, aligning premium placements with audiences most likely to convert.