CTV Advertising: What’s in It for Auto Dealers?
Apple TV, Roku, and other connected TV devices have become the entertainment hub for millions of households. So why are so many dealers still spending all their TV dollars on traditional ads?

Nearly 75% of all American households had at least one connected TV device in 2018, a 6% year-over-year increase, according to Leichtman Research.
Photo courtesy Apple Inc.
As an auto dealer, you are always on the lookout for the best bang for your buck, especially when it comes to ad spend. Connected TV devices like Apple TV and Roku have become the entertainment hub for millions of households. If you’re aiming to reach the maximum number of eyeballs in your market, look no further.
CTV is popular because users have control over what they watch and how they watch it. Instead of having to rely on broadcasts or run streaming networks on their computers, they’re able to put it all on their TV and control their experience from a single platform. Viewers enjoy on-demand content from a growing list of providers, giving them the means to design their own programming schedule.
Read: 3 Digital Retailing Myths Debunked
According to Leichtman Research, as of last year, nearly 75% of all US households had some type of CTV set up in their homes — a 6% jump from 2017. CTV advertising is gaining a lot of traction because most people use it to run monthly subscription services, such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go. These premium audiences have the means and motivation to demand more from their viewing experience — they’re willing to pay for it.
TV or CTV?
Automotive dealers are increasingly opting out of traditional TV ads for several reasons: It’s expensive, it’s top of funnel, and you can’t measure performance. They are running more digital campaigns, for which the results can be attributed based on form fill-outs and walk-ins.
CTV brings the sophistication in targeting and tracking of digital and adds the reach and audience quality of TV. It also offers the geotargeting and household targeting inherent to digital marketing — and takes location-based targeting a notch higher.
Audiences are shifting their attention from one device to another all the time — from TV to phones and tablets.
Connected TV ads can be far more specific to the viewer than traditional marketing. Auto dealers can use first- and third-party data to target ads to interested audiences, retarget ads to prospective buyers, and market products and services across multiple devices. Advertisers can also access their metrics in real time, allowing them to quickly adjust campaigns that aren’t working.
These are the exact capabilities you need to reach car buyers in your locality.
Market Across Devices
CTV is starting to become the hub on which cross-device marketing is set to establish and build upon. Audiences are shifting their attention from one device to another all the time — from TV to phones and tablets.
So it only makes sense to market across devices, then track data from the whole network, rather than just one device. You need the full picture to get meaningful analytics.
CTV may seem like unfamiliar territory, and without a sound strategy, it can be tricky. But dealers who invest in CTV are finding success with targeted ads and measurable results. And most of them have the same technology at home.
Mike Machado is the co-founder and CRO of Demand Local Inc. and a 15-year dealership digital marketing veteran.
Read: 3 Reasons Smartphones Are the Secret to Service Success
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Digital

F&I in the Digital Age
Digital retailing has not made the F&I manager obsolete. If anything, it has revealed how valuable the role can become when technology is used correctly.
Read More →
Need for Speed: EV Apps Lack Consistency
Fifty-five percent of surveyed EV owners said their mobile applications had a major or moderate impact on their purchasing decisions, but connectivity issues remain a problem.
Read More →
Four Keys to Your Digital Trail Defense
Federal regulators are cracking down on hidden fees. This protective measure could mean the difference between winning and losing a lawsuit or surviving a duel with the Dark Side.
Read More →
Hyundai Hosts Tech Talent Forum
Technology leaders from Hyundai Motor Group will have open discussions at the inaugural HMG Tech Talent Forum on topics ranging from autonomous driving to 'smart' manufacturing.
Read More →
Dealers Seek Actionable AI
Dealers are facing growing frustrations with current generic artificial intelligence tools, according to a survey by Lotlinx, which found they want a solution that understands their inventories.
Read More →
Reahard & Associates Forges New Integration
The firm's F&I Insight tie-up with The Impact Group’s ImpactMenu platform is designed to enhance finance-and-insurance transaction recording for auto dealerships.
Read More →
Registration Open for Reynolds Amplify Retail Summit
Advancements with Reynolds' AI Agent, Rey, will take center stage this August at the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, Calif., near San Diego.
Read More →
Automotive Training Academy by Assurant Grows Offering
A new Atlanta location on Reynolds and Reynolds' docuPAD e-contracting system is designed to broaden access for auto professionals.
Read More →
Assurant Debuts Virtual Solution for Dealers' Staffing Challenges
Company says on-demand access to F&I specialists is shown to boost dealership efficiency and profitability.
Read More →
What to Do When Your Vendor Is Hacked
The quickest way to turn a breach into a crisis is to wing it. Follow this seven-step playbook to ensure you meet your obligations.
Read More →