SteelHouse adds Connected TV

Self-service ad platform SteelHouse announced today that it is adding Connected TV (CTV) to its advertising capabilities, marking another step toward full citizenship in the advertising ecosystem for Net-based television.

Viewers of CTV are expected to reach almost 60 percent of the US population this year, according to an eMarketer study.

CTV is online streaming content that includes TV programming from major broadcast networks, cable networks like Bravo or online-only networks like Netflix.

Some of the programming services, like Crackle, are available for free with advertising. The TV content can be delivered through apps in Smart TVs, desktop computers, mobile devices or Over-the-Top boxes like Apple TV or Roku.

CEO Mark Douglas told me via email that the additional CTV capabilities in his company’s platform cover the same functions as those offered for conventional online ads, including prospective and retargeting campaigns.

Additionally, a new Audience Extension feature allows an ad campaign seen on CTV to be extended to social networks, mobile devices or computer websites. There is also the capability to track website visits by viewers who saw CTV ads.

The addition of CTV by the Culver City, California-based SteelHouse is only the latest in a steady stream of actions by ad tech providers to include OTT and Smart TV streaming programming in their mix.

Last September, for instance, the demand-side platform The Trade Desk added CTV capabilities. Data provider Tru Optik has launched an OTT Data Cloud and has added some of the targeting and analytical capabilities that online advertisers employ, such as comScore demographic data.

Taplytics, which makes app testing software, is now supporting OTT apps, and app marketing/engagement platform Swrve has announced it has integrated with several OTT platforms.

About The Author

Barry Levine

Barry Levine covers marketing technology for Third Door Media. Previously, he covered this space as a Senior Writer for VentureBeat, and he has written about these and other tech subjects for such publications as CMSWire and NewsFactor. He founded and led the web site/unit at PBS station Thirteen/WNET; worked as an online Senior Producer/writer for Viacom; created a successful interactive game, PLAY IT BY EAR: The First CD Game; founded and led an independent film showcase, CENTER SCREEN, based at Harvard and M.I.T.; and served over five years as a consultant to the M.I.T. Media Lab. You can find him at LinkedIn, and on Twitter at xBarryLevine.