What Is Amazon OTT? A Comprehensive Guide to Streaming & Video Advertising

Virginia Miller

September 11, 2024

In this article:

Today's society places a high value on entertainment. Streaming services like Amazon significantly influence the delivery of a wide range of media content as technology develops with its significant technological changes. Audiences are astonished that they can now watch games, movies, television shows, and other content anytime and from anywhere in the world.

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The best option for marketers looking to include potential consumers in the initial stages of their purchasing process is streaming video, which is becoming increasingly popular and efficient at engaging audiences today. Streaming video advertising connects a business with a potential customer by combining the three senses: hearing, vision, and movement. Additionally, streaming enables companies to use sophisticated machine-learning techniques to improve their advertising and guarantee the operating first-hand information.

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Over-the-top (OTT) advertising has significantly altered the online marketing landscape and has several advantages for users and marketers who need to define OTT initially. It is predicted that by 2027 there will be 4,216.3 million consumers within the OTT video advertisements market. Since the start of 2020, there has been a sharp increase in the amount of video content available, which has rendered OTT advertising services essential for brands. Additionally, marketers will eventually have to employ methods that do not depend on third-party cookies.

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Since its initial release in 2019, Amazon OTT advertising through videos has drawn notice for its distinctive ability to promote both company performance desires and larger reach goals by utilizing Amazon's first-party information.

Understanding Amazon's Over-The-Top (OTT) Streaming Services

What is OTT?

OTT stands for "over-the-top" and refers to streaming media content delivered directly to viewers over the internet, bypassing traditional distribution platforms like cable or satellite TV. OTT services have become increasingly popular due to their convenience, flexibility, and affordability compared to traditional pay TV.

Amazon's OTT Offerings

Amazon offers several OTT streaming options:

Amazon Prime Video - Included with an Amazon Prime membership, this provides access to original content, movies, and TV shows.
IMDb TV - Amazon's free, ad-supported streaming service with a library of movies and TV shows.
Amazon Channels - Add-on channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz for additional fees.
Amazon Fire TV - Amazon's media player that allows access to Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu and more on your TV.

Benefits of Amazon OTT Advertising

Advertising on Amazon's OTT platforms offers several advantages:

Precise targeting - Leverage Amazon's data and advanced targeting capabilities.
Large reach - Access a growing audience of cord-cutters and streamers.
Strong measurement - Track campaign performance with metrics like brand lift and site visits.
Seamless viewing experience - Ads fit naturally within content playback.

Best Practices

To create effective OTT ads on Amazon:

Focus your message and establish clear goals.
Tell a compelling story that engages the viewer.
Use high quality video production and editing.
Include a strong call-to-action.
Test different creative versions.

By following Amazon's guidelines and best practices, brands can find great success advertising on their OTT platforms.

The Future of OTT

As OTT platforms continue to gain viewership, advertising opportunities will grow exponentially. Amazon is positioned as a leader in both content and advanced advertising capabilities. Developing an OTT strategy now can help brands stay ahead of the curve and build lasting connections with streaming audiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Amazon OTT?

Amazon OTT (over-the-top) is an internet streaming service that allows viewers to access live and on-demand video content directly, without needing a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription.

What features does Amazon OTT offer?

Amazon OTT offers a large library of movies, TV shows, sports, and original content that can be accessed across devices. It also provides advanced viewing analytics and audience targeting capabilities for advertisers.

What are the benefits of Amazon OTT advertising?

Benefits include precise audience targeting, ability to reach viewers who don't have cable/satellite, lower cost than traditional TV ads, and access to hard-to-reach audiences.

What are Amazon's ad guidelines?

Guidelines include establishing a goal, identifying your target viewer, telling a compelling story, adding a logo, including a clear call-to-action, minimizing on-screen text, and choosing suitable audio.

How do I launch an Amazon OTT ad campaign?

Major steps include choosing campaign goals/KPIs, identifying specific audience subgroups, submitting your ad through Amazon DSP, and continually evaluating and optimizing performance.

How can I measure the success of my ads?

Metrics to track include brand reach, brand lift, branded search, new-to-brand analytics, website visits, product page views and more.

Why choose Amazon OTT advertising?

Amazon OTT provides innovative ad formats, detailed performance analytics, and access to Amazon's valuable first-party audience and shopping data to help drive results.