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While many marketers agree that CTV is indispensable, they’re less sure how best to use it for maximum business growth.
This uncertainty is understandable when you consider the sheer versatility of streaming. After all, CTV now has enough scale to be the anchor for large ad campaigns yet can also supply incremental reach. It’s commonly used for both performance and brand lift goals. And it offers a superhero squad of creative formats that do different things, from video spots to home screen ads to interactive overlays.
While this versatility can be overwhelming, “You can’t not have CTV as part of your plan,” said Ashley Arena, media agency PHD’s Head of Video.
To solve the riddle of CTV’s ideal place in the media mix, we asked senior experts from several media agencies for their recommendations. Below are a few key strategies that surfaced across these conversations.
Strategy 1: Focus on ROAS and campaign effectiveness
If your goal is to drive measurable business outcomes, the data increasingly points in one direction: CTV punches above its weight.
“Streaming has been a strong performance channel from the jump. We see higher visits. We see purchases. And we see more revenue than the status quo.”
- Shasta Cafarelli, SVP of Media Investment at Tinuiti.
A Nielsen marketing mix study found that CTV is 4.5x more effective than social and 3.7x more effective than linear TV at driving sales. In one case, an apparel brand achieved $3.39 ROAS on Roku, one of its most efficient marketing channels.
“The possibilities are wide open in terms of how [CTV] dollars impact the bottom line,” said PHD’s Arena. “They can do more heavy lifting for brands beyond just building reach and scale.”
Takeaway: With greater accountability, stronger targeting, and measurable business impact, CTV is becoming one of the most effective performance channels in the mix. A CTV-focused performance campaign might go easy on top-of-funnel, mid-weight during the consideration stage, and heavy on lower-funnel — where search, social, and action-forward CTV can work in unison.
Strategy 2: Use CTV to amplify other channels
Top media buyers say CTV enhances other marketing channels.
“CTV shouldn’t be viewed as competitive,” said Anthony Dario, EVP, Video and Marketplace at Spark Foundry. “It’s complementary.”
Dario and his team increasingly view CTV as a channel that strengthens the broader media mix, particularly when it comes to connecting upper-funnel awareness with lower-funnel action.
Separately, Roku and Nielsen’s marketing mix study found clear incremental lift when Roku runs alongside other media channels:
- Roku + digital display: +5.1%
- Roku + online video: +4.6%
- Roku + social: +4.0%
“When you think about CTV, it can exist across the full funnel. It can drive awareness, but it also helps push people down the funnel where channels like search and social can capture demand.”
- Anthony Dario, EVP, Video and Marketplace at Spark Foundry.
Takeaway: CTV doesn’t operate in a silo. When used strategically, it amplifies the performance of other channels, driving lift, engagement, and campaign efficiency. A media plan focused on amplifying other channels would pull data-driven strategies into its full-funnel CTV mix, such as optimizing towards streamers who didn't see brands ads on traditional TV, aligned to key segments like lapsed purchasers, or using creative that encourages action on social or web.
Strategy 3: CTV is foundational
CTV has proven it can reach audiences that other channels miss. That’s one reason advertisers have historically treated it as a source of incremental reach. Linear TV served as the baseline, and CTV was something you sprinkled on top.
But streaming time is now greater than broadcast and cable, and the model is evolving. The Roku/Nielsen analysis suggests brands have significant room to scale CTV investment before hitting saturation.
“We’re starting to see the script flipped with a baseline built through CTV and streaming, and linear layered on as a complementary tactic.”
- Ashley Arena, Head of Video, PHD
Today, PHD sees a roughly 60/40 split in favor of CTV vs linear across its client base.
Of course, not all advertisers are there yet.
“We’re still seeing 80/20, 70/30, whatever percentages you want to throw out in terms of linear versus streaming,” said Francis D'Hondt, SVP of Addressable Health at KINESSO. “And I want to see some clients be extremely bold and almost focus on the streaming and CTV side first, before thinking of linear.”
Takeaway: Whether you anchor on “big moments” or daily streaming habits, most marketers will see returns continue to improve well above current CTV investment levels. Consider directing the bulk of spend to streaming while layering in linear, social and other channels to build incremental reach to specific audiences.
“We see connected TV and streaming in general as a full-funnel solution. I want to see some of our clients be extremely bold and focus on the streaming and CTV side first before thinking of linear.”
- Francis D'Hondt, SVP, Addressable Health at KINESSO
Measurement shows the way
Of course, the sales impact of any channel will be unique to each marketer, which is why independent measurement and testing are critical. Luckily, the Roku Ecosystem has made it easier for brands to assess and optimize their campaigns. Our interoperable approach, featuring partnerships with iSpot, Instacart and others, helps marketers prove CTV’s value at all stages of the customer journey.
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CTV is reshaping the media mix and the smartest brands are already leaning in.
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