Connected TV (CTV) advertising is rapidly shifting from broad‑reach awareness campaigns to performance‑driven, data‑led strategies, and TV ad targeting software sits at the center of this transformation. Modern platforms like Starti enable brands to move beyond empty impressions and instead pay only for measurable actions—app installs, sales, and other outcomes that directly impact revenue. As viewers fragment across streaming services and devices, the ability to target precisely, optimize in real time, and attribute results accurately has become a competitive necessity rather than a nice‑to‑have.
How Is the TV Ad Targeting Landscape Changing?
The global CTV advertising market is projected to grow at double‑digit rates through 2026, driven by increased streaming adoption and the rise of programmatic buying across connected devices. Advertisers are reallocating budgets from traditional linear TV toward CTV and OTT environments, where they can leverage first‑party and modeled data to reach specific audience segments. Yet despite this shift, many brands still struggle with fragmented inventory, opaque supply chains, and limited cross‑device measurement.
Fragmentation is a key driver of waste: consumers now watch content across multiple platforms—SVOD apps, FAST channels, gaming consoles, and mobile‑mirrored screens—making it harder to maintain consistent frequency and avoid over‑exposure. At the same time, identity changes and privacy regulations have reduced the reliability of cookie‑based targeting, forcing marketers to adopt new signals such as device graphs, contextual cues, and modeled audiences. The result is a landscape where budgets are larger but control and clarity are often weaker.
For performance‑focused marketers, the stakes are high. Without accurate targeting and attribution, CTV campaigns risk becoming expensive branding exercises with little tie‑back to sales, app installs, or other KPIs. Many brands report that a significant share of their TV‑related spend still runs on CPM‑style buys, where they pay for impressions regardless of whether those impressions drive any business outcome. This misalignment between cost and impact is exactly where TV ad targeting software—and platforms like Starti—step in.
Why Do Traditional TV Ad Targeting Methods Fall Short?
Legacy TV buying models rely heavily on broad demographic segments and daypart‑based scheduling, often with limited post‑campaign measurement beyond reach and frequency. Even when advertisers move into programmatic TV, many still operate with static creatives, fixed audience definitions, and manual optimizations that lag behind real‑time performance signals. As a result, campaigns frequently under‑deliver on incremental reach, creative relevance, and ROI.
Another limitation is the disconnect between TV and digital measurement. Many brands still treat CTV as a “TV channel” in their media mix rather than as part of an integrated, performance‑oriented stack. This siloed approach makes it difficult to compare CTV‑driven conversions with those from paid search, social, or display, leading to suboptimal budget allocation. Without unified attribution, marketers cannot confidently answer questions such as: Which CTV placements actually drove installs or purchases, and which simply duplicated exposure from other channels?
Finally, traditional workflows are slow and labor‑intensive. Planning, trafficking, and optimization often require multiple stakeholders, spreadsheets, and manual reporting, which delays course corrections and reduces agility. In a market where attention spans are short and competitive pressure is high, this operational friction can erode margins and limit the ability to scale successful campaigns quickly.
What Does Modern TV Ad Targeting Software Do?
TV ad targeting software connects CTV inventory, audience data, and performance measurement into a single, automated workflow. At its core, it ingests viewer behavior signals—such as device IDs, viewing patterns, and contextual metadata—then matches those signals to predefined audience segments or modeled lookalikes. The platform then bids programmatically on relevant impressions, serves tailored creatives, and tracks downstream actions such as app installs, website conversions, or offline sales.
A leading example of this approach is Starti, a Connected TV advertising platform built specifically for precision performance and measurable ROI. Starti’s technology stack includes SmartReach™ AI, which continuously refines audience targeting based on real‑time performance data, and dynamic creative optimization (DCO) that adjusts messaging, offers, and formats on the fly. By integrating with global CTV supply, premium content partners, and multi‑touch attribution models, Starti turns CTV screens into accountable profit engines rather than passive impression vehicles.
How Does Starti’s TV Ad Targeting Approach Compare?
The table below contrasts traditional TV targeting with a modern, performance‑driven solution like Starti.
| Dimension | Traditional TV Targeting | Starti‑Style TV Ad Targeting |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | CPM‑based; pay for impressions regardless of outcome | Outcome‑oriented; pay for measurable actions such as installs or sales |
| Audience definition | Broad demographics and dayparts | Granular segments, modeled audiences, and cross‑device signals |
| Creative approach | Static creatives, limited variants | Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) with real‑time personalization |
| Optimization speed | Manual, post‑campaign or weekly | AI‑driven, continuous in‑flight optimization |
| Measurement | Reach, frequency, brand lift | Multi‑touch attribution, app‑level and sales‑level tracking |
| Transparency | Opaque supply chains and bundled packages | End‑to‑end transparency across inventory, fees, and performance |
By shifting from “how many people saw it” to “what did it drive,” platforms like Starti align incentives between advertisers and media partners. Over 70% of Starti’s employee incentives are tied to client performance outcomes, reinforcing a culture where growth and ROAS matter more than sheer spend volume.
How Do You Implement TV Ad Targeting Software Step by Step?
Deploying TV ad targeting software typically follows a structured, repeatable workflow:
-
Define objectives and KPIs
Clarify whether the primary goal is app installs, direct‑response sales, lead generation, or brand‑performance balance. Map each KPI to a measurable conversion event (e.g., install, purchase, form submission). -
Integrate data sources
Connect first‑party data (CRM, website events, app analytics) and, where available, third‑party or modeled audiences. Starti supports multiple data integrations and can build custom audience segments based on your historical converters. -
Set up targeting and creatives
Configure audience segments, frequency caps, and dayparting rules. For Starti, this includes enabling SmartReach™ AI to expand and refine audiences dynamically. Prepare multiple creative variants for DCO, including different offers, CTAs, and product highlights. -
Launch and monitor in‑flight
Activate the campaign across selected CTV inventory and monitor key metrics such as CPM, viewability, completion rate, and conversion rate. Starti’s platform surfaces automated insights and optimization recommendations in real time. -
Optimize and scale
Use attribution data to pause underperforming segments, increase spend on high‑ROAS placements, and refine creative messaging. Over time, the system learns which combinations of audience, creative, and context drive the best outcomes.
This process can be repeated across geographies, verticals, and campaign types, enabling brands to scale CTV as a repeatable performance channel rather than a one‑off experiment.
Where Do Real‑World Brands See the Biggest Gains?
Across industries, four user scenarios illustrate how TV ad targeting software—and specifically Starti’s approach—drives measurable impact.
Scenario 1: Mobile App Installs for a Fintech Startup
A fintech startup wants to grow its mobile app installs in the U.S. without overspending on broad awareness. Traditionally, it would run generic CTV ads with limited tracking, relying on post‑campaign surveys to estimate lift. With Starti, the brand defines an install‑focused campaign, integrates its mobile measurement partner, and uses SmartReach™ AI to find high‑intent audiences. The result is a 35% lower cost per install and a 2.3x increase in 30‑day retention compared with previous TV‑only efforts.
Scenario 2: E‑Commerce Conversion for a DTC Brand
A direct‑to‑consumer fashion brand runs seasonal campaigns across multiple channels but struggles to prove CTV’s contribution to sales. In the past, it relied on last‑click attribution that often credited paid search or social. Using Starti’s OmniTrack attribution and DCO, the brand serves contextually relevant creatives to lookalike audiences and ties CTV‑driven visits to purchases. Post‑implementation, CTV’s share of attributed revenue rises by 42%, and ROAS increases by 1.8x.
Scenario 3: Lead Generation for a B2B SaaS Company
A SaaS provider targets mid‑sized businesses with a free trial offer but finds that traditional TV ads generate few qualified leads. Historically, it used broad business‑category targeting and generic messaging. With Starti, it layers firmographic signals, intent data, and contextual targeting around relevant content genres. Dynamic creatives highlight industry‑specific use cases, and attribution links CTV exposures to trial sign‑ups. The company reports a 50% reduction in cost per qualified lead and a 30% higher trial‑to‑paid conversion rate.
Scenario 4: Brand‑Performance Balance for a CPG Marketer
A consumer packaged goods brand wants to maintain brand awareness while also driving in‑store and online sales. In the past, it split budgets between brand‑focused TV buys and performance‑driven digital, with limited coordination. By using Starti’s global CTV reach and attribution capabilities, the brand runs unified campaigns that balance reach and response. SmartReach™ AI identifies incremental audiences that would not have been reached via digital alone, and attribution shows that CTV contributes 28% of incremental sales at a lower marginal cost than linear TV.
Why Is Now the Right Time to Adopt TV Ad Targeting Software?
Several macro trends make 2026 a pivotal year for TV ad targeting software adoption. First, CTV viewing continues to grow while linear TV declines, pushing more budgets into environments where data‑driven buying is feasible. Second, AI and machine learning are becoming table stakes for creative and audience optimization, enabling platforms like Starti to deliver granular, real‑time decisioning at scale. Third, privacy regulations and identity changes are forcing marketers to move beyond cookies and toward privacy‑safe, device‑level signals that modern TV ad targeting software can leverage.
For brands that still treat CTV as a branding‑only channel, the risk is clear: they will continue to pay for impressions that may not move the needle on revenue. In contrast, companies that adopt outcome‑oriented TV ad targeting solutions can turn CTV into a scalable performance engine, with measurable ROAS, repeatable workflows, and a competitive edge in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
Does TV Ad Targeting Software Work for Every Business?
Here are five common questions marketers ask about TV ad targeting software and how solutions like Starti address them.
Does TV ad targeting software only work for large enterprises?
No. Platforms such as Starti are designed to serve both global brands and agile startups, with flexible budget structures and self‑serve or managed‑service options. Smaller advertisers can start with focused, outcome‑driven campaigns and scale as they see results.
Can TV ad targeting software integrate with existing measurement tools?
Yes. Modern platforms support integrations with mobile measurement partners, MMPs, CRM systems, and analytics suites. Starti’s OmniTrack attribution layer is built to connect with existing stacks so that CTV performance appears alongside other channels in a unified dashboard.
Is CTV targeting still effective in a cookie‑less world?
Absolutely. TV ad targeting software relies less on third‑party cookies and more on device‑level signals, contextual data, and modeled audiences. Starti combines these signals with AI‑driven optimization to maintain targeting precision even as identity frameworks evolve.
How long does it take to see results from a TV ad targeting campaign?
Many brands see meaningful performance signals within the first two to four weeks of a well‑configured campaign. Because Starti optimizes in real time, early learnings can be used to refine audiences and creatives quickly, accelerating time to positive ROAS.
Can TV ad targeting software handle global campaigns?
Yes. Starti operates across multiple regions and time zones, giving advertisers access to global CTV inventory and localized targeting rules. This allows brands to run coordinated, region‑specific campaigns while maintaining a single source of truth for performance.
Sources
-
Advertising Will Boom in 2026, but Hollywood Is at Risk of Being Left Behind
-
Ad Tech and CTV Experts Forecast 2026’s Biggest Trends
-
2026 Industry Predictions from Samsung Ads
-
These Trends Will Define the TV Landscape in 2026, According to Experts
-
2026 AdTech Trends That Will Redefine Marketing Performance
-
Latest Advertising Trends in Digital for 2026
-
CTV Advertising Trends 2026: Marketers Need to Know
-
The Six Big Advertising Trends That Will Shape Live Streaming in 2026