Measure your CTV campaigns
People don't click CTV ads. They see them, then act later, often on another device. This article explains how we connect a TV ad to the visits and sales that follow, and how to read your CTV reports.
Step 1: We find your shoppers on the TV
Exact match first. When a privacy-safe link is available, such as a hashed email or device ID, we connect the TV to a known shopper.
Household match when needed. If there's no exact match, we use the home's shared internet connection as an approximate signal. This identifies the household, not a specific person, and is a standard method across CTV.
Step 2: We bid based on the shopper behind the screen
Many CTV bids are the same for every viewer of the same app, at the same time, in the same area. Our bids also use that shopper's or household's history, such as site visits and past purchases. Higher intent means a higher bid. We also manage how often each household sees your ad.
Step 3: We report on the household
We count outcomes by home, not by person, because:
TVs are shared by everyone in the home
Purchases often happen on a phone or laptop, not the TV
People can't click CTV ads
How does post-view attribution work?
Your ad plays on the TV. We record the view for that household.
The household acts. Someone in the home visits your site or buys on any device.
We connect the two. If the visit or sale happens within the attribution window, it's credited to your CTV ad.
Outcome | Default attribution window |
Visits | 1 day after the view |
Sales | Up to 30 days after the view |
CTV Campaign Analytics: your main CTV report
This report shows everything about your CTV campaign in one place: how many ads ran, what they cost, who saw them, where they appeared, and what people did afterward. Use it as your main source for CTV performance. To open it:
From the left navigation panel, select Analytics.
In the Exploring section, select CTV Campaign Analytics.
What you'll see?
Section | What it tells you |
Summary tiles | Total displays (ads shown), cost per thousand impressions (CPM), total visits, and total sales |
Ad set performance | Delivery, cost, reach, frequency, visits, sales, revenue, return on ad spend (ROAS), and assisted sales for each ad set |
Publishers | Which streaming apps showed your ads, with displays and cost for each |
Operating systems | Which TV platforms your ads ran on, such as Samsung, LG, Roku, and Android TV |
Content | The category, channel, and genre of the shows your ads ran in |
Creatives | Delivery, visits, sales, and ROAS for each video |
How to use it?
Choose your view. Pick a date range and compare it to an earlier period if you like. Filter by campaign or ad set.
Pick CTV only or CTV + sequencing. Use CTV only to see the TV ads on their own. Use CTV + sequencing to include the display or online video ads that follow up with the same households.
Check the attribution window. By default, visits are counted for 1 day after a view and sales for 30 days. Your Criteo team can help you choose the right window for your goals.
Read from top to bottom. Start with scale (displays and reach), then cost (CPM), then how often households saw your ad (frequency). Next, look at where your ads ran, and finish with visits, sales, and ROAS.
Save or export. Save your view for next time or export a PDF to share with your team.
Cross-channel reports: how CTV fits the bigger picture
These reports show how CTV works alongside your other Criteo campaigns:
Report | Use it to/ What is shows |
Awareness | Impressions, reach, frequency, cost per thousand impressions (CPM), views, and completions |
Conversions | Post-view visits, sales, revenue, ROAS and more |
Placement | Where your ads ran: publisher, channel, genre, and device |
Full funnel | See how CTV works with your display, online video, and social campaigns |
Path to purchase | See where CTV appears in your customers' journeys before they buy, and which channels tend to come first, in the middle, or last |
Insights from your Criteo team
CTV in Commerce Growth is a managed service, so your Criteo team reviews your campaigns with you. Expect regular check-ins where they:
Walk you through your CTV reporting and what it means for your goals
Share recommendations to improve your campaigns
Help you decide whether to scale, adjust, or plan your next flights
Why may your numbers differ from Google Analytics 4?
Because CTV ads aren't clickable, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) often credits those visits to direct or organic traffic instead. That's why your Criteo numbers and GA4 numbers can differ.
Next step
Before launch, review your goals and attribution settings with your Criteo team. You can then follow your campaign in your reports.