Connected TV, commonly known as CTV, has evolved from an awareness channel into a measurable performance marketing platform. As more consumers watch streaming services on smart televisions and connected devices, eCommerce brands have new opportunities to reach highly engaged audiences with targeted advertising.
Advances in audience targeting, retail media integration and attribution have made CTV advertising increasingly accessible for businesses of all sizes. In 2026, many online retailers are combining CTV with paid search, paid social and email marketing to create a more complete customer journey.
What Are CTV Ads?
CTV ads are video advertisements delivered through internet-connected television devices rather than traditional broadcast or cable television. These devices include:
- Smart TVs
- Streaming devices such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV
- Gaming consoles
- Streaming applications on connected televisions
Unlike traditional television advertising, CTV campaigns can use first-party data, audience segmentation and automated buying to improve targeting and reporting.
Why CTV Matters for eCommerce Brands in 2026
Consumer viewing habits continue to shift towards streaming platforms. At the same time, privacy regulations and changes to third-party cookies have increased the importance of first-party customer data.
For eCommerce businesses, CTV provides several advantages.
- High-quality, full-screen brand visibility
- Audience targeting based on behavioural and demographic data
- Cross-device attribution and conversion tracking
- Integration with retail media and customer data platforms
- Increased reach beyond social media platforms
This combination allows brands to build awareness while supporting measurable business objectives.
The Evolution of CTV Advertising
Early CTV campaigns focused almost entirely on brand awareness. Modern platforms now support more sophisticated optimisation through machine learning, retail media partnerships and customer identity resolution. Many advertisers now use CTV alongside:
- Google Ads
- Microsoft Advertising
- Meta Ads
- Amazon Ads
- Retail media networks
This integrated approach creates multiple touchpoints across the customer journey.
How CTV Fits into the eCommerce Marketing Funnel
Top of Funnel – Building Awareness
CTV is highly effective at introducing a brand, product or promotion to new audiences. Premium, full-screen video helps create awareness and trust in a way that many other digital channels cannot.
Typical objectives include:
- Launching new products
- Building brand recognition
- Reaching new customer segments
- Supporting seasonal campaigns
Middle of Funnel – Reinforcing Consideration
Once viewers have been exposed to a CTV advert, they often continue their research on another device. This is where other digital channels reinforce the message. CTV works alongside:
- Paid search campaigns that capture branded searches
- Display remarketing for previous website visitors
- Paid social advertising with complementary creative
- Email marketing for existing customers
Rather than replacing these channels, CTV creates demand that they can help convert.
Bottom of Funnel – Driving Conversions
While most viewers do not purchase directly from their television, modern attribution tools make it possible to connect CTV exposure with online sales. QR codes, sequential advertising and cross-device measurement allow brands to understand how television advertising contributes to conversions.
At this stage, CTV supports:
- Assisted conversions
- Incremental sales
- Repeat purchases
- Customer lifetime value
Audience Targeting in 2026
Modern CTV platforms offer sophisticated targeting options without relying solely on third-party cookies.
Common targeting methods include:
- First-party customer data
- Purchase intent
- Household demographics
- Geographic targeting
- Contextual targeting
Artificial intelligence also helps optimise delivery towards audiences more likely to convert.
Measuring CTV Performance
One of the biggest improvements in recent years is campaign measurement.
Key metrics include:
- Video completion rate
- Incremental reach
- Cost per completed view
- Website visits
- Assisted conversions
- Return on ad spend
- Customer acquisition cost
Rather than viewing CTV as an isolated channel, marketers increasingly evaluate its contribution across the full marketing mix.
Retail Media and CTV
Retail media continues to expand rapidly in 2026. Large retailers increasingly allow brands to use shopping behaviour and purchase signals for television advertising.
This creates opportunities to reach consumers based on actual buying behaviour instead of inferred interests alone.
For eCommerce businesses selling through marketplaces or major retailers, retail media partnerships can significantly improve campaign relevance.
Creative Best Practices
High-quality creative remains one of the strongest predictors of campaign success. Effective CTV adverts typically include:
- Strong branding within the opening seconds
- Clear product benefits
- Simple messaging
- Consistent visual identity
- A clear call to action
Creative should also be adapted for different audience segments where possible.
As David Ogilvy famously said:
“If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.”
While media technology continues to evolve, strong messaging remains fundamental.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Some advertisers still approach CTV using outdated television planning methods.
Common mistakes include:
- Treating CTV purely as a branding channel
- Ignoring first-party customer data
- Using creative designed only for social media
- Measuring only last-click conversions
- Failing to integrate campaigns with wider digital marketing activity
Avoiding these issues improves both campaign efficiency and long-term performance.
Are CTV ads suitable for small and medium sized eCommerce brands?
Yes. Programmatic buying and self-service advertising platforms have reduced minimum spending requirements, making CTV accessible to many small and medium sized businesses. Success depends on clear objectives, strong creative, accurate audience targeting and effective measurement rather than exceptionally large budgets.
Conclusion
CTV ads for eCommerce brands have become an increasingly valuable marketing channel in 2026. Better targeting, improved attribution, and stronger integration with retail media platforms allow online retailers to measure outcomes more accurately than ever before.
Businesses that combine high-quality creative with first-party data and a well-planned multi-channel strategy are well positioned to maximise the value of connected TV advertising as consumer viewing habits continue to evolve.
Ready to Make Connected TV Part of Your Marketing Strategy?
CTV advertising has become a measurable, performance-driven channel that can help eCommerce brands reach new audiences, strengthen brand awareness and increase online sales. However, achieving strong results requires more than simply running video adverts. Success depends on the right audience strategy, compelling creative, accurate measurement and seamless integration with your wider digital marketing activity.
At ExtraDigital, we help businesses develop marketing strategies that combine paid media, analytics, SEO and conversion optimisation to maximise return on investment. Whether you are exploring connected TV for the first time or looking to improve existing campaigns, our team can help you build an approach that supports measurable business growth.
Speak to the ExtraDigital team to discuss how connected TV advertising could fit into your 2026 marketing strategy.
