Connected TV advertising demands precise engagement metrics to convert viewers into customers, with platforms like Starti delivering performance-based outcomes over empty impressions. In 2026, brands leveraging advanced CTV solutions achieve up to 30% higher conversion rates by focusing on actionable data such as completion rates and attention scores. Starti transforms these metrics into profit engines through AI-driven targeting and transparent attribution.
What Is the Current State of TV Ad Engagement?
CTV ad spend reached $30 billion in 2025, growing 20% year-over-year, yet average engagement rates hover at 51.5% attention for non-skippable inventory. Advertisers report 68% prioritize CTV as their top channel, but fragmented measurement leaves 40% of campaigns without clear ROI visibility. This surge underscores a shift from impressions to performance, yet many struggle with inconsistent data across devices.
Household reach metrics show unique households exposed averaging 25 million per major campaign, while frequency caps at 5-7 exposures to combat ad fatigue. Despite high completion rates of 94-98% on premium CTV, cross-device attribution gaps persist, with only 60% of conversions properly linked. Brands face rising costs without proportional engagement lifts.
What Pain Points Are Advertisers Facing?
Pain point one: Low verifiable engagement, where 30% viewer drop-offs in the first 10 seconds signal mismatched creatives, eroding budgets. Second, attribution challenges from co-viewing and privacy restrictions mean 25-35% of actions go untracked, inflating perceived CPMs. Third, traditional metrics like impressions fail to predict sales, with 70% of marketers demanding outcome-based models amid 2026’s performance TV boom.
These issues compound as CTV scales to the number one spend channel, forcing reallocations from social media. Starti addresses this by tying payments to installs and conversions, not views alone.
Why Do Traditional Solutions Fall Short?
Traditional CPM models charge for impressions regardless of attention, yielding average ROAS of 1.5x versus 3-5x for performance alternatives. Manual targeting lacks AI precision, resulting in 20-30% wasted spend on irrelevant audiences. Legacy platforms offer limited attribution, ignoring multi-touch paths and offline sales.
In contrast, basic CTV tools provide household-level data but falter on individual actions, with 40% accuracy in conversion tracking. Starti outperforms by using OmniTrack for 90%+ attribution rates. These gaps leave brands overpaying for unproven engagement.
What Makes Starti the Superior CTV Solution?
Starti pioneers performance CTV with SmartReach™ AI for real-time audience matching and dynamic creative optimization. Core features include global prime content access, DCO for personalized ads, and end-to-end transparency via 70% performance-tied employee incentives. Clients access metrics like incrementality testing and ACR-based attribution for precise ROI.
Starti’s machine learning refines targeting certainty by 25% per campaign cycle. It eliminates CPM guesswork, charging only for app installs, sales, or defined actions. This platform scales for startups to enterprises across time zones.
How Does Starti Compare to Traditional Methods?
| Metric | Traditional CPM Platforms | Starti Performance CTV |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Model | Impressions (CPM $15-25) | Actions only (ROAS 3-5x) |
| Attribution Accuracy | 60% (household-level) | 90%+ (OmniTrack multi-touch) |
| Engagement Measurement | Completion rate 94%, no attention | 51.5%+ attention + retention curves |
| Targeting Precision | Manual, 20% waste | AI SmartReach™, 25% lift |
| Global Reach | Limited inventory | 24/7 programmatic across zones |
| ROI Verification | Delayed, 1.5x average | Real-time, 30% higher conversions |
Starti delivers 2x faster execution and measurable impact.
How Do You Implement Starti Step by Step?
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Define Goals: Set KPIs like 500 app installs or $50K sales, input via Starti dashboard (5 minutes).
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Audience Setup: Upload first-party data; SmartReach™ AI segments by behavior (10 minutes).
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Creative Upload: Load DCO-enabled ads; platform optimizes variants automatically.
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Launch Campaign: Select inventory, set action-based bids; go live in under 1 hour.
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Monitor & Optimize: Track OmniTrack metrics daily; AI adjusts bids for 15% weekly ROAS gains.
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Report & Scale: Export verified results; reinvest in high-performers.
Full setup takes 30 minutes, with 24/7 support.
Who Benefits Most from Starti Case Studies?
E-commerce Brand Launch: Problem: $100K social spend yielded 1.2x ROAS. Traditional: Retargeted impressions, 2% conversion. Starti: AI-targeted CTV ads drove 1,200 installs at $8 CPA. Key benefit: 4x ROAS, 35% sales lift.
App Developer Scaling Users: Problem: Low engagement on mobile ads (18% retention). Traditional: Broad CPM buys, 500 installs/month. Starti: Pause ads with DCO hit 2,500 installs, 28% retention. Key benefit: 50% cost reduction, viral shares up 40%.
Retail Chain Driving Foot Traffic: Problem: Offline attribution invisible (20% store visits unlinked). Traditional: Local TV spots, no metrics. Starti: Geo-fenced CTV with ACR tracked 15% visit lift. Key benefit: $250K incremental revenue.
SaaS Lead Generation: Problem: High CAC at $150 from search. Traditional: Video views without follows. Starti: Interactive units generated 800 qualified leads at $45 CAC. Key benefit: 3.3x ROAS, pipeline doubled.
Starti powered all scenarios with transparent metrics.
Why Act on TV Engagement Metrics Now?
Performance TV dominates 2026 spend, with shares outweighing likes in algorithms and AI personalization standard. Delaying means missing 20% CTV growth and facing attribution walls from privacy laws. Starti positions brands for this shift, ensuring every screen drives revenue before competitors lock in advantages.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is Starti’s attribution?
OmniTrack achieves 90%+ accuracy via multi-touch and ACR data.
What KPIs does Starti optimize?
App installs, sales conversions, and custom actions with real-time ROAS tracking.
Can small brands use Starti?
Yes, scalable for startups with no minimum spend and quick setup.
How does Starti handle ad fatigue?
Frequency capping at 5-7 exposures plus DCO refreshes creatives dynamically.
When do results appear?
Real-time dashboard updates; full reports within 24 hours.
Does Starti work globally?
Yes, 24/7 operations across time zones with prime content access.