CTV is exploding in popularity, and so are the number of CTV platforms people use. With more attention on CTV, there’s more reason for advertisers to promote where their audience lives.
Some recent data highlights the trend in growing CTV attention and reveals where advertisers are putting CTV budget.
The average time spent per day with CTV will grow 6.9% this year, meanwhile the time spent with mobile devices will only grow 1.0% and time spent with desktops and laptops will fall by 3.8%.
CTV will soon represent almost a third of total digital media time: 29.8% in 2025 and 30.9% next year. Time with CTV is usually characterized by better attention to ads than, say, time spent on a desktop device where you can easily scroll past ads.
This shift is adding urgency to advertisers assessing their channel mixes. Growing attention on CTV points to more relevance in the digital ad ecosystem.
In 2020, the average US time spent with CTV averaged one hour and 22 minutes (1:22). By 2026, we forecast the average US time spent with CTV is expected to almost double from 2020, reaching 2:37.
The reason for double time? More streaming services like Max and Paramount+ have launched lower-priced ad tiers, making streamers more accessible, and hardware is now designed with CTV in mind. Though the streaming landscape has since stabilized, new services are still being planned.
A look at ad revenue share vs. CTV time spent reveals opportunities, such as Tubi and Netflix growing:
(Source: EMARKETER)
Part of the reason CTV is becoming more attractive to advertisers is growing user interest in free tiers that include ads. Streaming services used to tout ad-free experiences, but now at a lower subscription cost, users can watch content with ads.
CTV ad attention rose to 51.5% in Q1 2024, while linear TV ad attention was flat, per a July 2024 report from DoubleVerify and TVision Insights.
Many viewers feel more connected to CTV ads compared with traditional TV ads. Most (70%) Asian American consumers find CTV ads more relevant than TV ads, according to a September 2024 LG Ad Solutions report. CTV allows for robust ad targeting, so marketers can reach their intended audiences with messaging that resonates.
With all eyes on CTV, it makes sense why many advertisers are being tasked with implementing it into campaigns. AdRoll offers CTV that helps advertisers reach the right audiences at the right time while still managing ads across other platforms. Give us a try!
Last updated on April 28th, 2025.
