Digital Advertising Breakdown: Dive into Display, CTV, OTT, ZTV

There are so many digital advertising types and acronyms, so it’s easy to get confused by the offerings and what scenarios they’re useful in. 

With years of experience in the digital advertising industry, our team at Mailbox Merchants is the best source of information to break it down for you. Learn why digital advertising is important and discern the difference between digital advertising techniques, including display, CTV, OTT, and ZTV.

Why Is Digital Advertising Important?

Digital and print work together to create a lasting, deep brand recognition in your clients. The marketing rule of 7 is a well-held marketing strategy based on years of evidence that states that a potential customer needs to encounter your brand’s marketing at least seven times before making a purchasing decision.

Digital helps you hit customers multiple times where they spend their time online, to help you reach the vital 7 impressions faster and more effectively.

Types of Digital Advertising

CTV (Connected TV) Advertising

The evolution of television into the digital space brings us CTV advertising. These ads grace the screens of internet-connected TVs, allowing advertisers to engage with their target audience using the familiarity of the TV format, but with the precision of digital campaigns.

ZTV Advertising

ZIP code-optimized CTV (ZTV) advertising delivers targeted CTV advertising at lower costs per thousand impressions (CPMs). It brings several additional benefits to multiple advertising use cases, including:

• Targeting Specific ZIP Codes – Local businesses can precisely target their TV ads to specific ZIP codes within their service areas. This targeted approach costs less than traditional cable zone targeting, helping stretch advertising budgets further.
• Better Acquisition Control – Performance-focused advertisers gain better control over their cost per acquisition (CPA) and return on ad spend (ROAS). Precise targeting helps eliminate waste and improve campaign efficiency.
• Trade Zone Specialties – Multi-location businesses like retail stores, restaurants, franchises, and dealerships can advertise specifically within their trade zones. This granular ZIP code targeting surpasses the broader designated marketing area (DMA) and cable zone buys while providing clearer insights into campaign performance.
• Compensate for Under-Delivery – National brands and advertisers can use ZTV to complement linear TV campaigns and compensate for the under-delivery by targeting specific ZIP codes that have a higher usage of CTV streaming. This ensures a consistent message to a variety of viewing audiences.

Transitioning from Theory to Practice

With a clear grasp of these advertising platforms, the next challenge is crafting campaigns that stand out. Regardless of the platform — be it digital display, CTV, OTT, ZTV, or mobile advertising — the golden rule remains: always prioritize the needs and preferences of your target audience. This ensures that every digital campaign not only reaches but also deeply resonates.

Where to Find Digital Advertising Services

After seeing the various types of digital advertising services available and their unique benefits, you may want to consider utilizing them at your company. At Mailbox Merchants, we have experts in digital marketing who can help bring your advertising ideas to life. Reach out today to see what we can do to increase your ROI.

Mailbox Merchants is the Northwest’s largest independently owned direct mail, multi-channel and digital marketing provider for local businesses. We marry the old and the new by tapping into the perpetual power of print media and using technology to strategically segment, target behaviors, and optimize performance through measurable marketing results.