General Terms
Over-the-Top
Streaming media services delivered directly to viewers via the internet, bypassing traditional distribution.
Definition
Over-the-Top refers to streaming media services that deliver content directly to viewers over the internet, bypassing traditional cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms. OTT enables viewers to access content on-demand across various internet-connected devices.
Examples
Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+
Video-on-demand platforms
Internet-based live TV services
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Over-the-Top, answered.
What is over-the-top (OTT)?
Over-the-top refers to video content delivered directly over the internet, bypassing traditional cable and satellite TV — streaming services like the major subscription and ad-supported platforms. 'Over the top' means it rides over the internet on top of any provider, rather than through a traditional TV distributor. OTT is how a growing share of audiences now watch premium video content.
What is OTT advertising?
OTT advertising places ads within streaming video content delivered over the internet — typically on ad-supported streaming tiers and apps. It brings TV-style video ads to streaming audiences with digital advantages: audience targeting, measurability, and addressability that traditional linear TV lacks. As viewers shift from cable to streaming, OTT advertising lets brands reach them with premium video in that environment.
What's the difference between OTT and CTV?
OTT (over-the-top) describes the content delivery method — streaming video over the internet, on any device (phone, tablet, computer, TV). CTV (connected TV) describes the device — a TV connected to the internet (smart TV or streaming device) used to watch that content. OTT can be watched on many devices; CTV specifically refers to the television screen. CTV is a subset of how OTT is consumed, and the two terms are often used together.
Why is OTT advertising growing?
Because audiences are migrating from traditional TV to streaming, and ad-supported streaming tiers have expanded the available ad inventory. OTT offers brands the impact of premium, full-screen video with digital targeting and measurement, reaching cord-cutters and lighter linear-TV viewers that traditional TV can't. The combination of shifting viewership and improving targeting/measurement makes OTT a fast-growing channel for video advertising.
How is OTT advertising targeted and measured?
More like digital than linear TV: using audience data (demographics, interests, sometimes first-party and household data) for addressable targeting, and digital measurement for impressions, completion, reach/frequency, and increasingly outcome attribution. It bridges TV-style brand impact with digital accountability — though measurement standards are still maturing, and walled-garden platforms vary in the data and attribution they provide.
