O-T-T Media Buying Agency Services
In today’s ever-changing advertising landscape, Over-the-Top (O-T-T) media buying has emerged as a powerful way to reach viewers where they stream their favorite content. Many media buying agencies offer O-T-T services to help brands place targeted video ads on platforms like Hulu, Roku, and YouTube TV—bypassing traditional cable and connecting directly with digital audiences. These services go beyond simple ad placement, involving data-driven targeting, performance tracking, and integration into broader marketing strategies. With precise audience segmentation and cross-device reach, O-T-T advertising allows brands to build awareness and drive engagement effectively.
At Ottaway Communications, we help businesses navigate the complex O-T-T advertising space through strategic media planning and buying. As a full-service media buying agency, we build custom O-T-T campaigns that are aligned with your goals, audience, and budget. From selecting the right platforms to managing ad placements and analyzing performance, our team brings together strategy, creativity, and deep media expertise. Whether your campaign stands alone or is part of a cross-channel effort, we ensure your O-T-T advertising campaign delivers results that matter.
Our O-T-T Media Buying Services
- Platform Selection & Strategy
- We identify the best streaming platforms for your brand—whether that be Hulu, Roku, or YouTube TV—based on your targeted audience and campaign goals, ensuring maximum relevance and visibility.
- Advanced Audience Targeting
- Using first- and third-party data, we deliver your message to specific demographics and geographic segments across multiple devices and households.
- Creative Development & Adaptation
- Our team can produce and repurpose video content specifically formatted for O-T-T campaigns, ensuring your ads meet platform requirements while maintaining visual impact and brand consistency.
- Campaign Monitoring & Optimization
- We provide real-time performance tracking and often make daily adjustments to improve ad delivery, increase viewer engagement, and maximize return on investment.
How Do Media Buying Agencies Target Audiences With O-T-T Ads?
Media buying agencies use a variety of data sources and targeting strategies to reach audiences effectively through Over-The-Top (O-T-T) ads. These include:
- Demographic Targeting: Focusing on consumer attributes like age, gender, household income, and education level.
- Behavioral Targeting: Analyzing consumers’ interests, viewing habits, and lifestyle choices to better target specific audiences.
- Geographic Targeting: Crucial for local businesses to target potential consumers. This segments audiences by state, city, ZIP code, or even radius around a location.
- Device & Platform Targeting: A narrowed focus on targeting viewers on smart TVs, streaming devices, mobile, or desktop.
- First- and Third-Party Data: Using customer data or data from providers to refine the audience.
- Retargeting: “Brands retarget customers who have previously shown interest in or interacted with them,” Martynas Klimas from Surfshark notes. By re-engaging consumers who have already interacted with a brand’s content or services, media buying agencies have a better chance of helping businesses generate quality conversions and leads.
At Ottaway Communications, we use advanced audience targeting tools to ensure your O-T-T ads reach the right viewers at the right time. Our targeting capabilities include:
- Hyper-local geographic targeting to connect with audiences at the neighborhood level.
- Deep segmentation using third-party data for interest-based targeting.
- Cross-device targeting to serve ads across multiple screens in the same household.
- Custom audience builds from your existing customer data or customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
“O-T-T campaigns require data-driven targeting strategies to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time,” explains our President, Bob Ottaway.
What Experience Do Media Buying Companies Have With O-T-T Platforms Like Hulu, Roku, and YouTube TV?
Top media buying agencies have direct access to O-T-T inventory across major platforms, including:
- Hulu – with programmatic and direct buy options for premium content.
- Roku – offering both Roku’s own ad inventory and third-party apps.
- YouTube TV – integrated into Google Ads for highly targeted reach.
- Advertising Video on Demand (AVOD) – “AVOD platforms like Pluto TV, Tubi, and Freevee provide free content–you just have to watch a few ads,” Melissa Yap from Mountain.com states.
- Demand-Side Platform (DSP) Integrations – for automated real-time bidding across multiple streaming platforms.
Ottaway Communications has over 40 years of experience executing an array of media campaigns, including O-T-T projects across all the major platforms. Our team:
- Has experience working with Hulu, Roku, YouTube TV, and over 121 channels for premium ad placement
- Uses trusted demand-side platforms (DSPs) to maximize reach and performance
- Navigates each platform’s unique requirements, formats, and pricing structures
- Provides recommendations on the best mix of platforms based on your audience and goals
“Each O-T-T platform has its own strengths, and we know how to leverage them so they reach the right consumers,” highlights our President, Bob Ottaway.
What Kind of Reporting and Analytics Do Media Buying Agencies Provide for O-T-T Campaigns?
Effective O-T-T reporting focuses on performance metrics that reflect both reach and engagement. “Media buyers monitor KPIs like conversions, ROAS, and site visits—so they know exactly what’s working and where optimization efforts need to go,” Melissa Yap from Mountain.com reports.
Other analytics these companies focus on are:
- Impressions and Reach – how many people saw the ad and how often
- Completion Rates – how many viewers watched the ad to the end
- Frequency – how often an ad was shown to the same person
- Device and Platform Breakdown – where ads were viewed
- Geo Performance – how ads performed in specific regions
- Attribution Tracking – connecting ad views to conversions (if applicable)
At Ottaway Communication, we value the importance of providing transparent, easy-to-understand reporting for all O-T-T campaigns. Our reporting includes:
- Real-time dashboards for on-demand performance tracking.
- Weekly or monthly reports with campaign summaries and insights.
- Custom metrics based on your KPIs, including lead generation or sales lift.
- Strategic recommendations based on performance data to guide the next steps.
“We provide clear, actionable reporting so clients always know how their O-T-T campaigns are performing and where we can optimize,” our President, Bob Ottaway, states.
What Are Media Buying Companies’ Minimum Ad Spend or Budget Recommendation for O-T-T Campaigns?
Minimum ad spend requirements for O-T-T campaigns vary, but agencies often recommend:
- Starting Budgets – usually at $10,000 per month to see meaningful results
- Platform Minimums – some platforms require set minimum spends (e.g., Hulu’s self-serve minimums)
- Budget Allocation Guidance – spending across multiple platforms or geographies for optimized performance
- Campaign Length Considerations – longer campaigns help stabilize frequency and performance over time
Additionally, understanding O-T-T advertising rates is essential to navigating your campaign budget moving forward. According to Hassan Javed from USA Wire, “Rates can vary widely based on the platform, audience, and content context, typically ranging from $10 to $30 or more per thousand impressions.”
At Ottaway Communications, we work with clients of all sizes and provide scalable O-T-T advertising solutions. Our approach includes:
- Customized budget recommendations based on your goals and market
- Flexible minimum spends that allow for testing and learning before scaling
- Strategic allocation of ad spend across platforms to maximize return on investment (ROI)
- Ongoing consultation to adjust budgets based on performance and audience reach
“We work with a range of budgets and tailor O-T-T campaigns to deliver strong results, whether you’re starting small or ready to scale,” assures our President, Bob Ottaway. To understand how we can meet your O-T-T budgeting needs, contact us by calling (248) 637-4600 or filling out our free consultation form.
Do Media Buying Agencies Handle Creative Production Services for O-T-T Campaigns?
“Media buyers are now deeply involved in the creative process,” suggests Ravi Pandya from Shopify. Some offer their creative services in-house, while others partner with production studios. These solutions may include:
- Scripting and Storyboarding – developing messaging tailored to O-T-T audiences
- Video Production – filming, editing, and producing 15- or 30-second spots
- Asset Optimization – reformatting existing content for O-T-T specs
- A/B Creative Testing – using multiple creatives to test performance
Ottaway Communications offers partial and full-service creative support tailored for O-T-T projects. Our capabilities include:
- Producing polished video ads optimized for streaming environments
- Repurposing existing TV or social content into O-T-T-ready formats
- Guiding creative strategy to align with audience behavior on each platform
- Coordinating messaging across O-T-T and other media channels for consistency
“We handle everything from scripting to final edits to ensure your O-T-T ads are polished, platform-ready, and on brand,” our President, Bob Ottaway, emphasizes.
Can O-T-T Be Part of a Cross-Channel Media Strategy?
O-T-T is often used alongside other digital and traditional media for a full-funnel strategy. Media buying agencies typically:
- Integrate O-T-T with linear TV, digital video, social media, and display advertising.
- Use unified audience targeting to deliver a consistent message across channels.
- Leverage cross-channel attribution to measure performance holistically.
- Apply retargeting tactics between O-T-T and other channels. “O-T-T advertising allows you to retarget through web and mobile traffic to complete the cross-channel marketing loop,” Mike Rowan from Forbes adds.
At Ottaway Communications, we specialize in building integrated media plans that position O-T-T as a powerful piece of a broader campaign. Our approach includes:
- Syncing O-T-T messaging with TV, radio, display, and social for cohesive branding.
- Cross-platform audience planning to minimize overlap and increase reach.
- Unified campaign tracking to measure success across all channels.
- Strategy sessions to help you understand how O-T-T fits within your larger media goals.
“We can seamlessly integrate O-T-T into broader media plans, so your message stays consistent across TV, digital, radio, and beyond,” our President, Bob Ottaway, notes. Take a look at our case studies page to see how we’ve been able to help some of our clients generate measurable results across media channels.
