A growing cohort of mobile marketers are turning to Connected TV (CTV) to find new customers and drive measurable actions.
These brands are drawn to the unique blend of premium inventory and performance that streaming offers. And streaming audiences are receptive. Half of U.S. viewers report downloading a mobile app after seeing a CTV ad1.
But how exactly should they spend that budget? CTV encompasses a lot of different ad formats and strategies, and it doesn’t look or act the same as familiar channels like search and social. Let's examine some of the biggest opportunities for mobile marketers to break through in streaming.
From scroll to screen
Connected TV offers a fundamentally different environment for marketers. Brands show up in a lean-back viewing experience — one where audiences are engaged with entertainment they love on the largest screen in the home, not scrolling from one topic to the next.
This CTV audience is large and highly engaged. Consumers now spend an average of 3.5 hours per day streaming TV, compared to 2.8 hours on social media, 1.6 hours on cable, and one hour gaming2.
For mobile marketers who embrace CTV, the results are already materializing. App downloads attributed to CTV ads nearly doubled between August 2024 and January 20253.
For most of these advertisers, the goal is not to replace existing channels but rather to extend them. CTV allows brands to reach audiences in a different, more receptive moment while also introducing entirely new audiences beyond traditional search and social campaigns.
Why CTV works for mobile app marketers
Here are five ways marketers are using CTV to augment, and even improve on, their search and social campaigns.
1. Incremental reach. Mobile marketers are using CTV to find net-new audiences. Roku households are 71% cordless4, and 50% of them can't be reached on another TV streaming device5.
2. Advanced targeting at scale. Platforms like Roku Ads Manager provide access to large, logged-in audiences enriched with demographic and behavioral data. That means mobile marketers can extend their targeting strategies into the living room without sacrificing precision.
3. Unmissable ad formats. Ad formats range from non-skippable video ads to high-impact home screen units, designed to hold attention and increase ad recall, whether your goal is awareness or an immediate install.
4. Built for incrementality testing. CTV is well suited for measuring true impact. Geo-based lift studies and controlled experiments allow marketers to isolate the incremental effect of CTV on installs, conversions, and overall performance. That provides a clearer view than relying on last-click attribution alone.
5. Second-screen behavior drives action. 41% of Roku users say they always have their phone in hand while watching6, and half of U.S. viewers report downloading a mobile app after seeing a CTV ad1. With so many people using devices while watching TV, mobile marketers are successfully converting users using Roku’s interactive Action Ads that use opt-in text messages to drive immediate installs.
Getting started is easier than you think
Marketers who are new to CTV should consider Roku Ads Manager, which provides access to more 125 million streaming households — one of the largest logged-in TV audiences in the U.S.
With a streamlined, self-serve interface, Roku Ads Manager lets marketers launch campaigns quickly and even use existing high-performing creative from social or mobile channels. They can then refine their approach as they learn what resonates on the TV screen.
Measurement is built in. Roku Ads Manager provides clear, outcome-based reporting so marketers can evaluate how CTV contributes to installs, conversions, and broader campaign performance. Plus, we integrate with MMPs that support attribution and tracking specifically for mobile.
Ready to launch your first campaign?
Marketing strategies are always evolving, and CTV adds a complementary layer that expands reach, strengthens brand presence, and creates new pathways to conversion. It introduces incremental growth without forcing marketers to abandon what already works.
1. AppsFlyer CTV Survey Report 2022-2023
3. AppsFlyer, Sept 2025 'Turn streaming into measurable growth with AppsFlyer and Roku'
4. Roku Internal Data, 2026
5. Nielsen Streaming Platform Ratings, 4Q25 HHLD Reach
6. Roku Commerce Media Thought Leadership 2024
