CTV Retargeting explained: Turn big screen views into actions

Connected TV (CTV) isn’t just an afterthought. It’s quickly becoming a critical part of marketers’ toolkits. In high-growth markets like India and Brazil, CTV drives 11% and 19% higher unaided recall than video-sharing platforms, and over 85% of viewers actively pay attention to ads, according to Magnite.

In parallel, CTV in the U.S. hit three major milestones: it captured one-third of total TV advertising spend ($28.75B) equating to 9.5% of all spend, viewership - reaching 233.9 million viewers - surpassed linear TV, and saw five major streamers (Hulu, YouTube, Amazon, Roku, and Peacock) each generate over $1B in ad revenue. With nearly 48% of VoD households open to ads, it is not surprising that following the launch of its ad-supported tier, Amazon Prime Video's revenue surged to $3.13 billion, marking a remarkable 125% year-over-year increase and leading the growth in the sector. In the UK, the adoption of Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) has reached 16% of households, prompting traditional broadcasters to launch Free to compete more directly for audience and ad revenue.

Do you want to capitalize on CTV's growth? Cross-screen retargeting is the secret weapon for every CTV marketer. Here's why: Today’s consumers are multi-screen users. A promo seen on the big screen can be reinforced with a mobile ‘buy now’ offer. A product browsed on mobile can reappear during streaming. It’s seamless, scalable, and turns attention into action. This article breaks down what CTV retargeting is, why it’s so effective, how to level it up with smarter data, and how to get started. Let’s dive in.

What is CTV Retargeting?

At its core, CTV retargeting is the practice of reaching the same user across various screens and stages of the customer journey. Let’s say someone watches your ad on their CTV, you can then serve a follow-up offer to their mobile device later that day. 

In simple terms, you can:

- Retarget Mobile users on CTV: a user downloads your app, browses your app, then sees your ad on their smart TV to finish their purchase.

- Retarget CTV viewers on Mobile: a user sees your TV ad, then receives a reminder on their phone with a CTA: get the app, book the holiday, etc.

- Extend reach across DOOH and Desktop: In omnichannel strategies, go a step further and retarget the same user with a contextual display ad or well-located DOOH placement.

The magic happens through household sync and audience mapping. With these tools, platforms like mediasmart can match devices in the same household using location data, ensuring you’re reaching the right person in a privacy-safe way. This multi-touch journey not only reinforces your message, but it also drives higher recall and conversions.

Why It Works

Here’s what makes CTV retargeting so powerful:

CTV drives attention

Users are more engaged with CTV than other digital formats. The ads are full-screen, non-skippable, and part of the viewing experience. Completion rates most of the time exceed 90%, meaning your message is seen in full.

Mobile drives action

Mobile users are primed to click, install, or search. That’s why pairing CTV with mobile creates a high-performing combo. A study by Adjust showed that 29% of app installs (out of 2.7 billion) were assisted by a CTV ad seen earlier in the journey.

Cross-screen messaging amplifies results

Campaigns that sync messages across CTV and mobile see up to 8.7× higher brand recall and 11.2× more consideration, according to LGAds. When users see your message on multiple screens, they remember and act on it.

It’s measurable

With mediasmart, you can track it all. From CTV impressions to Mobile app installs, website visits, and even physical store visits using real-time location data. No more black box.

Smarter targeting with location and data

The power of retargeting grows exponentially when you combine it with location intelligence. Here’s how:

Geofencing

Set virtual boundaries around your stores (or your competitor’s) and trigger mobile ads when someone enters the area.

Build real-world audiences

Track foot traffic to your stores, malls, or high-traffic zones. Retarget those users later at home on CTV, or while commuting with DOOH. You can even exclude users who’ve already converted, saving your budget.

Add contextual signals

Dynamically adjust creatives in real-time based on weather, language, or content preferences. Show cold-weather products when it’s raining. Use regional languages for local CTV placements. Our dynamic creative optimization makes this easy.

Getting Started

If you’re new to cross-screen retargeting, here’s how to get going:

1. Define your goal
Are you trying to increase app installs? Drive web traffic? Bring people into a store? Your strategy starts here.

2. Build your audience
Retarget users based on previous CTV exposure or use first-party data like mobile IDs or location data to create precise segments. 

3. Sync your message
Don’t blast the same ad everywhere. Build a story. Hook them on CTV, nudge on DOOH, close on Mobile. Right screen, right time, real results.

4. Measure impact and optimize in real-time beyond clicks
Clicks are just one part of the story. Use tools like mediasmart to measure incremental store visits, app opens, and assisted conversions, metrics that show real business impact.

Smart wrap-up

CTV grabs the spotlight: big screen, full attention. And retargeting? That’s where things move. 

Picture this: someone sees your ad while streaming their favorite show. Later, they’re scrolling on their phone, and there you are again, but this time with a timely offer or a nudge to take action. It’s not just a second impression; it’s a second chance to connect, convert, and close the loop.

This isn’t spray-and-pray. It’s storytelling that travels. CTV sparks interest, DOOH nudges in the real world, and Mobile keeps interactions going. You're not following users around, you’re meeting them where they are, with the right message at the right moment. It's cool, cohesive, and built for the way people live, stream, and scroll today.

Want to see how it works for your brand? Contact us to start today.

Sources

• VoD Growth Accelerates in an Unprecedented Q1  | Kantar  
  
• UK streaming market shows signs of growth with SVoD and FAST on the rise in Q3 | Kantar  
  
• 3 milestones that mark the ascent of CTV: Ad spend, viewers, and major players | eMarketer
  
• New LG Ad Solutions Study Reveals Advertisers Should Prioritize The Total TV Experience For Effective CTV Campaigns | LGAds
  
• A Full-Funnel Approach to CTV Marketing 2024 | Wurl, Adjust