Connected TV (CTV) is no longer just an emerging channel—it’s a dominant force in digital advertising. With CTV ad spend projected to reach $46.89 billion by 2028, surpassing traditional TV ad spending ($45.10 billion) for the first time (eMarketer). For mobile marketers, this shift presents a massive opportunity. CTV retargeting combines the precision of digital targeting with the immersive, full-screen experience of television, making it an invaluable tool for both user acquisition and retargeting campaigns.
Below, we dive into 10 key CTV viewership trends that illustrate why now is the time to make CTV retargeting a central part of your marketing strategy.
CTV ads have a 90%+ viewability rate, meaning nearly every ad served is actually seen. Even more impressive, CTV holds viewer attention 8x longer than mobile ads and 16x longer than desktop ads (International Advertising Solutions).
Unlike skippable or easily ignored mobile ads, CTV ensures your brand message is seen and retained in a high-quality, distraction-free environment. This makes it a perfect channel for retargeting lapsed app users who need a strong visual reminder to re-engage.
In 2023, CTV doubled its share of media budgets. Marketers are moving beyond testing and committing real budgets to CTV because it’s delivering results (TVTech).
With CTV ad spend projected to hit $42.4 billion by 2027, brands that delay investing risk falling behind. Mobile marketers should act now to integrate CTV into their cross-channel strategies before competition drives up costs.
By 2025, 72% of U.S. households will be cord-cutters, shifting entirely to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video (TVTech). As of January 2025, over 42% of Americans watch TV via streaming services, with YouTube accounting for the majority of their viewing time (Nielsen).
Source: Nielsen
CTV is no longer a niche channel—it’s the new mainstream TV. Brands relying solely on mobile and social advertising are missing a key consumer touchpoint where engagement is high, and competition is still manageable.
A September 2024 survey found that 7 in 10 U.S. consumers watch content via CTV. Interestingly, baby boomers (76%) are the most likely demographic to use CTV, dispelling the myth that streaming is only for younger audiences (Statista).
CTV’s wide reach means brands can tailor their strategies based on demographic insights—whether it’s retargeting mobile gamers in the 18-34 segment or engaging older, high-value customers.
In 2023, two-thirds of consumers aged 18-34 used CTV daily, while millennial CTV users are projected to grow from 56.8 million in 2023 to 62.6 million by 2025 (KORTX).
Millennials and Gen Z are highly engaged with CTV content, making retargeting campaigns more effective. CTV offers a prime opportunity for mobile apps looking to re-engage users in a high-impact format.
In early 2023, Roku accounted for 44% of all CTV ad impressions, with Fire TV trailing at 16% (MNTN).
As streaming devices consolidate market share, advertisers should prioritize Roku’s extensive reach in their CTV retargeting strategies.
More than half of CTV users find streaming ads more appealing than linear TV ads—especially if it means paying less for content (DeepIntent).
Consumers don’t just tolerate CTV ads—they prefer them. Mobile brands can leverage this positive reception to make CTV retargeting a natural, non-intrusive part of their funnel.
For the first time, ad-supported streaming services have more viewers than subscription-based ones. With Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max introducing ad-supported tiers, advertisers now have premium inventory to reach engaged audiences.
Premium streaming content is no longer off-limits for advertisers. CTV retargeting puts brands in front of engaged audiences without the drawbacks of high subscription-based costs.
Compared to other digital ad channels, CTV retargeting generates 12x higher engagement and 13x higher ROAS (Verve Group).
With such high performance metrics, mobile marketers can’t afford to ignore CTV as a re-engagement tool for lapsed users.
As digital fragmentation increases, CTV and mobile must work together. The best-performing campaigns sync CTV impressions with mobile follow-ups, creating seamless, multi-touch user journeys.
Advertisers should think beyond single-channel strategies. Mobile retargeting works best when CTV is part of the mix, ensuring higher recall and conversion rates.
The data is clear—CTV is no longer an experimental channel. It’s where consumers are spending their time, and where brands need to be actively investing their ad budgets.
With YouAppi’s advanced CTV retargeting solutions, brands can: