CTV Terms and Glossary

View our comprehensive CTV glossary. We highlight all the terms and definitions you need to know as you navigate the CTV advertising space.

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1. 360 Video Ads: A video ad format that utilizes 360-degree virtual reality technology. 360-degree technology allows users to view the content as if they are in the center of a sphere, with the content acting as the sphere, allowing the viewer to look in any direction of the video and still see content. Mimicking your visual experience of your everyday.
   
   
2. Ad Pod: Ad pod is in reference to multiple ads strung together and played back-to-back within a single ad break. Utilizing ad pods allows publishers to return multiple ads in response to a single ad request maximizing the amount of ad exposure.
   
   
3. Ad-based Video-On-Demand (AVOD): Ad-Supported Video on Demand (AVOD) is a process that monetizes video services that are available to end-users at no cost. These video services are ad-supported by adding ads to the video on demand in any way. The service can be free, or it can be presented as one of its hybrids as a SVOD/TVOD/AVOD model, and often AVOD services are more cost-effective.
   
   
4. Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABS): A method for streaming video over the internet. Adaptive streaming techs are built on HTTP and are designed to perform efficiently across large, distributed HTTP networks such as the Internet. It operates by detecting a protein and detecting a user's bandwidth and CPU capacity in real-time and automatically adjusting the quality of the media stream. It necessitates the use of an encoder capable of encoding multiple bit rates from a single source media (video or audio).
   
   
5. Addressability: The ability of a digital device to respond individually to a message sent to a group of similar devices. Pagers, cellphones, and pay-tv set-top boxes are all examples of addressable devices. Addressability allows data to be sent in situations where controlling exactly where or to which devices the message is physically sent is very difficult or impossible.
   
   
6. Addressable TV: Addressable TV ads allow advertisers to segment TV audiences to serve multiple different advertisements to different households tuned in to a single program. This method can help advertisers focus on relevance and impact of the ads.
   
   
7. Advanced TV: Advanced TV is a term used to reference various forms of streaming TV content, such as video on demand (VOD), connected TV, TV everywhere, and programmatic TV. It is used for all forms of television that are not viewed on a television through a broadcast, cable, or satellite connection.
   
   
8. Audible and Viewable on Complete (AVOC): AVOC is a measurement of the number of impressions where the ad was delivered to a person and was visible and audible upon completion.
   
   
9. Automatic Content Recognition (ACR): is a device used for identifying content played on a media device or contained in a media file. Devices with ACR support enable users to quickly obtain additional information about the content they see while utilizing search and input from users.
   
   
10. Autoplay Video Ad: autoplay video is content that begins playing automatically when a visitor lands on a page. Autoplay video is often used for advertisements as it can grab the user’s attention immediately upon start.
    
    
11. Bitrate or Bit Rate: the maximum amount of data that can be sent over a digital network in one second.
    
    
12. Branded Video Content: Branded video is marketing content that is sponsored or created by a brand but does not directly advertise or promote the brand. It is not a form of direct self-promotion; it aims to profit from positive associations.
    
    
13. BVOD (Broadcaster VOD): BVOD allows users to watch live tv on demand, allowing users to tune in when and wherever they want.
    
    
14. Co-Viewing: When members of the same household are watching television at the same time, this is referred to as "dual-screening."
    
    
15. Connected TV: A Connected TV (CTV) is a device that connects to a television to allow for the streaming of video content. Some examples of Connected TV include Xbox, PlayStation, Roku, and Apple TV.
    
    
16. Content Distribution Network (CDN): refers to a geographically distributed group of servers that collaborate to deliver Internet content quickly.
    
    
17. Cost Per Completed View (CPCV): Cost Per Completed View is a formula to determine advertiser compensation for completed video views. CPCV is calculated by dividing advertising cost by total completed video views.  
    
    
18. Cost Per Point (CPP): Cost per point is a cost-effectiveness metric that allows you to compare the cost of one advertisement to the cost of other advertisements. The CPP is calculated by dividing the Media Cost by the Gross Rating Points (GRPs)
    
    
19. Cost Per View (CPV): A method of bidding for video campaigns in which you pay per view. When a viewer watches 30 seconds of your video ad or the duration or interacts with the ad, whichever comes first, it is considered a view.
    
    
20. Cost Per Viewable Impression (CPVI or VCPM/VCPV): Viewable Cost per Mille is a marketing metric that counts the number of times a user sees an ad rather than the number of times the seller places it. The standard CPM measures the cost per thousand impressions, whereas the VCPM measures the cost per thousand viewable impressions.
    
    
21. Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI): DAI allows advertisers to insert video ads into live tv as well as on-demand programming. It is a server-side video ad technology that combines video content and ads into a single stream while eliminating the SDK's ad request and response processes.
    
    
22. Data-Driven Linear TV: Data-driven linear TV is an automated method of buying linear TV ads for both broadcast and cable.
    
    
23. Direct to Consumer (DTC): DTC is a sales method by which products are sold to your end customers. It allows sellers to bypass any third-party retailers, wholesalers, or other types of middlemen and deliver the product straight to the customer.
    
    
24. Full-Episode Player (FEP) A "full-episode player" is professionally produced, TV content that can be viewed on any device, such as apps and web browsers. FEP’s are produced to follow the standard television format regarding episode length and structure. FEP’s typically span 30-60 minutes with commercial breaks.
    
    
25. Gross Rating Point (GRP) the industry-standard measurement of media delivery in advertising. With one advertising message, one Gross Rating Point is equivalent to reaching 1% of the total potential audience.
    
    
26. Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV):  an initiative for hybrid digital TV designed to integrate broadcast, IPTV, and broadband entertainment delivery to end-users via connected TVs and set-top boxes.
    
    
27. Identifier for Advertising on OTT (OTT IFA): An Identifier for Advertising is a 32-hexadecimal code that is unique to the consumer's OTT device. OTT IFA’s are generated unless the user has chosen to limit ad tracking. It can be reset at any time by the user.
    
    
28. Internet Protocol television (IPTV): Internet Protocol television refers to the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. This method contrasts traditional television formats such as satellite and cable. It allows you to continuously stream the source media resulting in quick viewing times as users can access their content immediately.
    
    
29. Linear TV:  Linear TV is a traditional system in which a viewer watches a scheduled television program on its original channel and at the time it is broadcast.
    
    
30. Living Room Quality Connected TV: Living Room Quality Connected TV is ad-supported programming that is live or on-demand, from content companies via an internet connection.
    
    
31. Long-Form Video: Long Form Video is used to describe a type of video content that has a content arc with a beginning, middle, and end that is typically longer than 10 minutes in length.
    
    
32. Multi-Channel Video Programming Distributor (MVPD): The Multichannel Video Programming Distributor connects the user to the content through subscriptions.  
    
    
33. OTT Aggregators: OTT aggregators are any third-party OTT platforms, virtual pay-TV operators or others that sell add-on video subscription services.
    
    
34. OTT Standalone Services: OTT standalone services are any online content provider that offers streaming media as a standalone product most often used to describe VOD platforms. OTT standalone services also encompass audio streaming, messaging services, and internet-based voice calling solutions.
    
    
35. Outstream Video Ad: Outstream videos are mobile-only advertisements that appear on partner sites and apps outside of YouTube and play in the app or within the page's content.
    
    
36. Over The Top (OTT): OTT is a media service delivered to viewers directly over the Internet. OTT bypasses traditional controllers and distributors of television media, such as cable, broadcast, and satellite television.  
    
    
37. Programmatic TV: Programmatic TV is a method of buying and delivering ads for TV that is supported by data-driven technology. Programmatic TV includes digital TV ads that appear on the web, on mobile devices, and on connected TVs.
    
    
38. Return Path Data (RPD):  Set-top boxes, like computers and smartphones, track and store their usage. Set-top boxes with Return Path capabilities can save data about what was watched and then send it to the MVPD provider.
    
    
39. Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI): Server-side ad insertion is a method of embedding advertisements into high-quality, long-form TV. The ad insertion process allows for a buffer-free transition from content to ad, then back to content.
    
    
40. Short-Form Video Ad:   Short-form video advertisements are video ads less than ten minutes long.
    
    
41. Sticky Video Ad: A sticky video ad or adhesion ad are video advertisements that are anchored to the bottom or top of the screen and scroll with the user.
    
    
42. Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD): Subscription Video on Demand are video streaming services that require users to subscribe to gain access to content.
    
    
43. TV Everywhere: TV Everywhere or authenticated streaming is a subscription business model in which users must "authenticate" themselves as current subscribers to the channel. This is done via an account provided by their pay television provider to access streaming video content from the channel.
    
    
44. Transactional Video-on-Demand (TVoD): Transactional video on demand is a pay-per-view form of video consumption. TVOD services do not offer access to entire catalogs of content, instead, users must pay for each additional video or video package they wish to watch.
    
    
45. User-Generated Content (UGC): User Generated Content is any content ranging from text, videos, images, etc. created by individuals rather than brands.
    
    
46. Video Ad Serving Template (VAST): A Video Ad Serving Template is used to structure ad tags that serve advertisements to video players. VAST works by transferring important metadata about an ad from the ad server to a video player using an XML schema.
    
    
47. Vertical Video Ads: Vertical Video Ads are video advertisements that span the height of your mobile screen.
    
    
48. Video Ad Completion Rate (VCR): The Video Ad Completion Rate or View-Through-Rate is the percentage of all video advertisements that play all the way through to the end.
    
    
49. Video Multiple Ad Playlist (VMAP): The Video Multiple Ad Playlist is an IAB standard that allows multiple video ads to be played at the same time during a video giving content owners more control over ad placement and timing.
    
    
50. Video On Demand (VOD): Video on demand is a media distribution system that allows users to watch videos without the need for a traditional video player or the limitations of a static broadcasting schedule.
    
    
51. Viewability Rate: Viewability rate is the percentage of ads that are seen by a user. The viewability rate is determined by measuring the percentage of ad impressions that are counted as being viewed.
    
    
52. Viewable Video Impression:  A viewable video impression is an ad that has 50 percent of the pixels in the ad visible in the browser window for 1 second.
    
    
53. Virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor (vMVPD): Virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributors are companies that assemble live and on-demand television and deliver it over the internet.

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