Why ad measurement is becoming the real battleground in OTT advertising

Broadcasters have spent the last decade dedicating more and more time trying to harness the power of addressable advertising on OTT. Over this time, dynamic ad insertion (DAI) has become a pivotal part of streaming monetization.

Regardless of how an ad is stitched, an undeniable reality for broadcasters is that providing a seamless ad experience is paramount. Improving the viewer experience has been, and will always be, a primary focus for broadcasters. Now, as advertising comes into sharper focus for their business case, close attention is also being paid to ad measurement. This is what advertisers pay for.

Measurement is the foundation of trust and efficiency for advertisers who want verified engagement, predictable spend, and consistent reporting. Emerging standards are helping to close the gap between these goals, giving the industry the tools it needs to measure ad delivery and performance in a unified, device-agnostic way.

Why ad insertion alone isn’t enough

Streaming has introduced a level of complexity that traditional broadcast didn’t have to consider. In linear TV, ads cannot be measured individually, so other systems must be used to quantify them, and it’s harder to ensure accuracy. Streaming works differently in that ads are now one-to-one addressable, which doesn’t just mean each viewer can see a different ad, but also each user’s unique viewing activity can be measured. Viewers pause, skip, switch apps, or watch in environments where the ad may not be visible or audible. A stitched ad may play on paper, but without measurement, there is no proof it reached the viewer in a meaningful way.

Advertisers are willing to pay more for the more sophisticated analytics DAI can provide. But to do this, they need accurate and trusted measurement that answers questions like:

• Did the ad actually play?
• How long was it on-screen?
• Was sound enabled?
• Did a viewer complete the ad?

Broadcasters that cannot demonstrate verified engagement will struggle to win ad spend, particularly in environments where buyers compare inventory across many suppliers.

What is ad measurement today?

The core of measurement remains simple: a tracking URL, also called a beacon. When triggered, it confirms a specific event, such as the start of an ad, quartiles, or completion. However, the proliferation of devices, players, streaming protocols, and insertion strategies has created a complex measurement landscape.

Standard measurement covers essential playback events: impressions, quartiles, completions, and user interactions. Enhanced measurement adds viewability data, including on-screen percentage and audio status. Both layers are required for buyers today, particularly those looking to compare the quality of CTV and OTT inventory with that of digital video.

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Understanding measurement in SSAI and SGAI

In the first iteration of dynamic ad insertion, client-side ad insertion (CSAI), the player is aware of the ad and can handle firing tracking beacons. With server-side ad insertion (SSAI), ads are stitched into a single stream, and the player doesn’t inherently know whether an ad is present or where it begins and ends. Server-guided ad insertion (SGAI) requires the player to switch between content and an alternative stream, but by default, it is unaware of what’s in the alternative stream.

Broadcasters face several challenges as a result:

• Device fragmentation: CTVs behave differently from mobile devices, browsers, or set-top boxes. Even models from the same manufacturer can vary in capability.
• Player limitations: Advertisers prefer tracking sent by players, as they consider it the most accurate. However, due to fragmentation, each platform must implement a (small) vendor-specific SDK when using an SSAI and SGAI stream for tracking.
• Multiple stakeholders: Each impression requires confirmation from the ad server, SSP, DSP, and verification providers.

When measurements are inconsistent, advertisers lose trust and make lower bids for ad slots, or even none at all.

How new standards are simplifying the landscape

To address fragmentation, emerging standards are shaping the future of measurement in OTT and CTV. Let’s unpack SVTA Ad Creative Signalling, CTA’s Common Media Client Data Version 2 (CMCDv2), and the IAB’s Open Measurement SDK.

SVTA Ad Creative Signalling

Created by the Streaming Video Technology Alliance, this standard provides a consistent, JSON-based method for delivering ad metadata to the player. This ensures that all tracking events, like impressions, quartiles, and completions, are clearly communicated.

Benefits for broadcasters include:

• No reliance on custom SDKs
• It’s part of the player functionality
• Easier debugging, independent of the ad insertion provider
• Better mobility across devices

This model gives broadcasters more insight and flexibility, as tracking is built into player development. So testing can be conducted to ensure the implementation complies with standards.

CTA’s Common Media Client Data Version 2 (CMCDv2)

The CTA’s CMCDv2 standard flips the model. Instead of having the player fire tracking pixels directly, the player reports basic playback state information to a measurement endpoint (such as the DAI system). That endpoint then fires the tracking events on the player’s behalf.

Advantages include:

• No exposure to ad blockers
• Consistent reporting across all devices
• Stronger protection of audience data
• Reduced resource load

This approach is particularly helpful in the case of syndicated environments, where broadcasters may need to rely on third-party apps and players they do not control. Also, since the server handles all the complexity and certification, it works accurately on any device.

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Both standards aim to reduce fragmentation, increase consistency, and build confidence among advertisers and publishers.

IAB’s Open Measurement SDK

Impression tracking tells you if an ad played. Viewability helps determine whether the viewer actually saw it. The IAB’s Open Measurement SDK (OMSDK) is designed to provide a standardized way to gather viewability signals, including screen coverage, audio levels, and time-in-view.

Advertisers want to compare streaming inventory against other forms, and to do so, they need consistent, certified reporting. As a result, access to viewability metrics has become helpful for broadcasters who can now use this as a bargaining chip to request a higher CPM.

What’s next for broadcasters?

Measurement is one of the most strategic components of an OTT and CTV business. Dynamic ad insertion has shown it can deliver a seamless, scalable experience, and SSAI has proved it’s a mature method for doing so. This allows broadcasters to focus more on revenue, and it is more important than ever to choose partners and platforms that do more than stitch ads into a stream. What matters is technology that integrates flawlessly with the broader ad ecosystem, supports emerging measurement standards, and ensures that every delivered impression can be validated and monetized.

The ad marketplace has always been complex, with buyers expecting transparency, consistency, and proof that their creative is reaching the right audience. Measurement sits at the center of that exchange. It is what makes inventory more attractive to advertisers and what convinces them to commit additional spend for placements they know will be seen by the audiences they want to reach. Reliable measurement does more than confirm delivery; it provides evidence of effectiveness, unlocking higher CPMs, attracting new demand, and giving broadcasters a competitive edge in a crowded streaming landscape.

As OTT and CTV continue to evolve, broadcasters who prioritize measurement will be best positioned to grow revenue and strengthen advertiser relationships.

Olivier Cortambert, YospaceOlivier Cortambert is head of solutions architecture for Yospace.