Best Practices for OTT Creative

As more consumers shift from traditional linear television to adopting streaming services, Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms have become another option for advertisers to consider for media campaigns. OTT advertising can help brands reach their audiences in a highly targeted and data-driven way. 

Creating an OTT ad that resonates with your audience requires a carefully thought-out creative strategy to capture attention and drive results. Following the steps below can help you develop a strong strategy for high-performing OTT creative:

1. Set Clear Campaign Goals

Before diving into ad creation, it’s essential to establish clear objectives for your OTT campaign. Are you looking to build brand awareness, drive conversions, and/or boost engagement? 

Aligning your creative with specific KPIs ensures that the ad not only grabs attention but also drives the desired business outcome.

2. Adopt an Audience-First Approach

OTT platforms offer advanced targeting capabilities, allowing advertisers to reach specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and even viewing habits. Given this level of precision, it’s essential to adopt an audience-first approach when developing your creative.

Tailor your content to resonate with your audience. This means that every aspect of your creative—from the script to the visuals—should reflect the preferences and interests of your target demographic. Use actors, language, and themes that your audience can relate to.

The more personalized and relevant the content feels, the more likely viewers will engage with it. OTT viewers are used to a personalized experience, so they expect the ads they see to be just as relevant as the content they’re watching.

3. Craft a Compelling Narrative

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in advertising. In the world of OTT advertising, where ads can range from 15 seconds to over a minute, storytelling is still an essential component of a successful campaign.

Your narrative should be clear, engaging, and memorable, regardless of the ad length. Whether you have a 15-second spot or a longer 60-second ad, make sure your story is easy to follow and leaves a lasting impression. A strong narrative can increase brand recall and foster a deeper emotional connection with viewers.

Focus on keeping the message simple and the story relatable. Don’t overload your viewers with information; instead, craft a story that aligns with your brand’s core values and resonates with your audience on an emotional and rational level.

4. Optimize for Multiple Devices and Platforms

OTT viewers consume content on various devices, from smart TVs to mobile phones. Your creative must be optimized for all of these platforms. This means creating assets for each specific viewing experience on each device.

For example, ads on smart TVs may be able to be more cinematic, whereas ads viewed on mobile devices need to account for smaller screens and likely shorter attention spans. When optimizing for multiple devices, it’s essential to ensure that your creative doesn’t lose its impact or message regardless of where it’s being viewed.

Tailoring your creative for each platform and device ensures that you’re providing the best user experience, ultimately leading to higher engagement rates.

5. Use Strong Calls to Action (CTAs)

A well-crafted call to action can significantly impact the success of your OTT ad. Whether your goal is to drive immediate sales, boost website traffic, or increase brand engagement, your CTA should be clear, compelling, and actionable.

The key to an effective CTA is clarity. Avoid vague messaging, and make it easy for viewers to understand what action you want them to take. For example, if you want viewers to visit your website, use a direct CTA like “Visit Us at” then name your website URL. If you’re looking for immediate conversions, phrases like “Shop Now” or “Get Yours Today” can be more effective.

Experiment with different CTA variations to see which ones resonate best with your audience and drive the most engagement.

6. Leverage A/B and Multivariate Testing

OTT platforms sometimes offer the advantage of real-time data and feedback, making A/B and multivariate testing a crucial part of any campaign. Testing different versions of your creative can help you identify which elements are most effective in driving engagement and conversions.

A/B testing involves creating two slightly different versions of the same ad and comparing their performance. This could include testing different visuals, messages, or CTAs to see which one resonates better with your audience.

Multivariate testing, on the other hand, involves testing multiple elements simultaneously to see how different combinations affect performance. By leveraging testing, you can refine your creative and optimize your campaigns for maximum results.

7. Early Test and Learn

One way to reduce the risk of launching an ineffective campaign is by pre-testing your creative at a smaller scale. Pre-testing involves running your ad campaign to a smaller audience, such as a single designated market area, to gather data and insights before launching it to other areas or nationwide.

This process allows you to identify any issues with your creative and make adjustments before scaling the campaign, much like a focus group. By pre-testing, you can optimize your ad’s performance and increase the chances of success once it launches at a larger scale.

OTT platforms make it easy to pre-test creative and adjust your strategy based on  data, giving you a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t.

8. Prioritize Audio and Visual Consistency

In an environment where many viewers are watching content with others or in shared spaces, the quality of both audio and visuals in your ad becomes crucial. High-quality visuals that match the tone of your message, paired with professional sound design, can create a more immersive experience for viewers.

Ensure that your visuals and audio work together harmoniously to deliver a cohesive message. Poor audio quality or mismatched sound effects can detract from the viewer’s experience and lower the impact of your ad. 

OTT platforms often have different sound requirements than traditional TV, so it’s essential to test and fine-tune your ad’s audio before launching.

9. Plan for Seasonal Adjustments

One of the advantages of OTT advertising is the ability to make adjustments to your campaigns based on performance data even while your campaign in is progress. As viewer behavior shifts with seasons or cultural trends, your creative should reflect these changes to maintain relevance.

For example, ads that align with holidays or seasonal events tend to perform better during specific times of the year. Being able to adjust your creative based on these trends allows you to stay ahead of the competition and maximize the effectiveness of your campaign.

Seasonal adjustments also allow you to respond to any performance issues mid-campaign, giving you the flexibility to continuously optimize your ad creative.

In short, OTT advertising offers incredible opportunities to reach highly targeted audiences in a personalized and engaging way. However, the success of your campaigns depends heavily on the strength of your creative strategy. 

By setting clear goals, adopting an audience-first approach, crafting compelling narratives, and continually testing and optimizing your content, you can create OTT ads that not only capture attention but also drive results.