Connected TV advertising has become a prime tenet of marketing for big brands, but for relatively small businesses and brands, the domain of CTV ads still remains untapped.
Now, with increasing technological developments, it’s time for small businesses to get ahead in the game of CTV advertising. So if you are a SME and unsure of what this new advertising can do for your brand, we are here to tell you the benefits that CTV ads have in store.
According to GroupM TYNY Report 2024, India’s CTV ad spend jumped by 233% from ₹450 crore in 2022 to ₹1,500 crore in 2024. CTV household base is projected to cross 60 million by 2026, according to FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Report 2025. According to VDO.AI CTV Viewership Report 2024, 65% of Indian viewers prefer CTV platforms over linear TV, and young audiences are driving the growth, with a significant share being cord-nevers. According to FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Report 2025, CTV penetration has reached over 30 million households by end of 2023, projected to reach 60 million by 2026. According to GroupM & Ampere 2024 study, 47% of online respondents already own a smart TV, and 25% of non-owners plan to purchase one within the next year.
What’s stopping SMEs from using CTV advertising?
Misconception regarding Budget
CTV is a potentially new market, which is why many brands and smaller businesses with less marketing budget might be reluctant to try CTV ads. There is a common misconception that advertising in CTV could exceed their allotted ad budget, and so SMEs don’t consider it worth the risk.
According to FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Report 2025, Connected TV has already crossed 50 million active sets in 2024 and is projected to reach 60 million households by 2026. It is time that SMEs look into this option and broaden their reach. As per Gee Ranasinha, the CEO of KEXINO, for a small market agency, the real cost lies in the creativity for entering into the streaming market. He adds the real cost is in the ideation, if your SME invests in execution values and in-house talent one will find their way into the CTV ad platform too.
From a general perspective, SME owners feel that CTV advertising will go beyond their budget, but on actually scratching the surface of the expenses involved, you will feel it is right up your alley in terms of budget.
The battle of CTV versus linear TV advertising for SMEs
According to several advertising experts, a brand can advertise on both linear TV and CTV as both of these target different segments of the audience.
The business or advertiser can segregate as to what to advertise where and when. There are brands that prefer to run their traditional TV ads during a certain time, genre, or program depending on their target audience. The same brand can advertise on CTV to reach a different set of audience for their premium products or services.
Why Connected TV Advertising Is Growing Rapidly in India
India is witnessing one of the fastest transitions from traditional television to internet-connected television. Affordable Smart TVs, cheaper broadband connections, and the growing popularity of OTT platforms have fundamentally changed how audiences consume content.
For advertisers, this creates an opportunity to reach viewers in premium, distraction-free environments while benefiting from digital-style audience targeting. Instead of buying television inventory based only on programs, brands can now target households using factors such as:
- Location
- Language
- Device type
- Viewing behaviour
- Content preferences
- Household demographics
This combination of television reach and digital precision is why Connected TV Advertising has become one of the fastest-growing advertising channels in India.
In the end, it all comes down to better targeting
The primary objective of advertising is targeting the right viewers, in the right place at the right time. CTV is just more detailed when it comes to targeting as you would know the number of people streaming, their interests and age group. Advertising on CTV will hence allow SMEs to narrow down where they spend their money, both in terms of geography and demographics. A classic example of going smart work rather than hard.
The targeting capabilities of CTV advertising is why more small brands should consider it in their marketing plan,especially right now when it’s young and heavy in potential. You would know that the ads are reaching your consumers and that assurance is something every advertiser and business owner strives for.
One of the things that SMEs may find attractive is the ability of CTV ads to deliver content that is specific to one particular geographic region. There are streaming channels that are beneficial to one size of the audience, hence every penny spent on CTV ads is worth it as you know that your ads are reaching your target audience.
While linear TV does have a wide reach and is extremely effective for advertising, however, CTV gives you a level of control. You can control the expense and who you want your ad to be catered to.
Traditional TV ads do offer a considerable amount of reach, but CTV is gaining huge popularity in India as more and more urban and young audiences are engaging in OTT content. Counterpoint Research 2024 says over 90% of all TVs sold in India in 2023 were smart TVs, and the installed base of smart TVs exceeded 45 million connected households in 2024.
How CTV Audience Targeting Helps SMEs Compete with Large Brands
One of the biggest advantages of Connected TV is that small businesses no longer need national television budgets to reach premium audiences.
Instead of paying to reach millions of untargeted viewers, SMEs can focus only on audiences that matter.
Examples include:
| Business | Target Audience |
|---|---|
| Dental Clinic | Families within 10 km |
| Real Estate Builder | Home buyers in Bengaluru |
| Coaching Institute | Parents with teenagers |
| Automobile Dealer | Premium households |
| Hospital | Families in selected cities |
| Restaurant Chain | Nearby Smart TV households |
This level of precision significantly improves media efficiency while reducing wasted advertising spend.
Why CTV ads and SMEs are a match made in heaven
Best Industries That Can Benefit from CTV Advertising
Connected TV is no longer limited to large consumer brands. Businesses across industries are successfully using Smart TV Advertising to generate awareness and qualified leads.
| Industry | Campaign Objective |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Patient Awareness |
| Education | Admissions |
| Real Estate | Property Launches |
| Automobile | Test Drive Bookings |
| BFSI | Loan & Insurance Campaigns |
| D2C Brands | Product Launch |
| Travel | Holiday Packages |
| Restaurants | Local Brand Awareness |
| Retail | Seasonal Promotions |
| Electronics | Product Launches |
Connected TV Advertising Campaign Planning Checklist
Before launching your first CTV campaign, ensure the following steps are completed.
| Checklist | Completed |
|---|---|
| Campaign Objective Defined | ✓ |
| Audience Selected | ✓ |
| OTT Platforms Finalized | ✓ |
| Budget Allocated | ✓ |
| Video Creative Ready | ✓ |
| Landing Page Optimized | ✓ |
| QR Code Added | ✓ |
| Campaign Tracking Enabled | ✓ |
| KPIs Finalized | ✓ |
Once you go CTV, you can never go back
We cannot emphasize more on the fact that CTV is everywhere. Internet giants like Amazon, Netflix, and Sony LIV are producing their own content and the convenience and fear of missing out on any new show are attracting more and more customers to join the platforms. With internet consumption in India being boosted by the pandemic, the time is ripe for video advertising as households are quickly adopting CTV technology.
Cater to a young audience: CTV is clearly the future of video ads because of the young, tech savvy audience. Gen Z and millennials love the content that is available on Amazon, Netflix, Disney+Hotstar, etc, and now even YouTube is allowing the purchase of episodes. According to VDO.AI CTV Viewership Report 2024, 65% of Indian viewers now prefer watching content on CTV platforms over traditional linear TV, with young urban audiences driving this shift.
More Video ads with CTV: The CTV inventory available is less now, and most of it gets snapped quickly, but this is not a disadvantage for advertisers. The growth of CTV is massive and is creating a great opportunity for video ads.
Drive More Sales With CTV Ads: According to GroupM, video ad completion rates on CTV in India exceed 90%, with viewability consistently above 95%, and CPCV is 20–30% lower than on mobile or desktop. Here are some facts that you may want to know:
- Magnite Asia CTV Report says around 80% of CTV viewers use a second screen (typically a smartphone) while watching TV.
- The customers are aware that watching ads is a cost that they pay for a convenient and excellent viewing experience. Hence, ads do not bother them.
- The ability to target the audience based on the data these apps provide is much higher in CTV. This can provide the advertiser with a much higher ROI than traditional TV advertising.
Common CTV Advertising Mistakes SMEs Should Avoid
Many first-time advertisers assume Connected TV works exactly like traditional television. In reality, CTV campaigns require a different planning approach.
Some of the most common mistakes include:
- Running generic TV commercials without digital optimization.
- Targeting audiences that are too broad.
- Ignoring regional language opportunities.
- Not measuring campaign performance.
- Choosing platforms based only on cost instead of audience fit.
- Running awareness campaigns without a clear landing page or call-to-action.
- Ignoring cross-device retargeting opportunities.
Avoiding these mistakes can significantly improve campaign performance and maximize return on investment.
The one feature that sets Connected TV ads apart is the ability to incorporate advertisements directly into streaming apps. Businesses who want to drive maximum profit can benefit from targeting the right audience that matches their ideal customer base and converting ad viewing into immediate sales. Particularly, sales-driven brands and retail brands can benefit from CTV ads.
To summarize, CTV advertising is a lot more than expanding your ad reach; it has the potential to allow SMEs to expand their reach and target the exact consumers they want. All that SMEs need is a strategic plan for optimizing their ideas and marketing techniques to choose the right type of CTV ads.
We hope this article is useful for advertisers and brands. We would love to know your feedback. In case of any comments and queries, you can write to us at Help@TheMediaAnt.com.
Frequently Asked Questions Before Launching CTV Ads
Can SMEs advertise on Connected TV?
Yes. Modern CTV platforms support flexible budgets, allowing regional businesses, startups, and SMEs to launch campaigns without the large investments traditionally associated with television advertising.
Which OTT platforms offer CTV advertising?
Popular platforms include JioHotstar, YouTube on TV, Sony LIV, ZEE5, Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels, and several OEM Smart TV ecosystems.
How much does CTV advertising cost?
Campaign pricing depends on audience targeting, platform selection, seasonality, impressions, and campaign duration. Sports events generally have higher CPMs than entertainment campaigns.
Is CTV better than traditional television?
CTV offers better targeting, real-time analytics, audience measurement, and digital optimization, while traditional TV continues to deliver mass reach. Many brands combine both for maximum effectiveness.
Can local businesses advertise on Smart TVs?
Absolutely. Geo-targeting allows businesses to advertise only in selected cities, regions, or even specific PIN codes.
