CTV statistics, metrics and predictions 2025

Streaming TV is evolving as an important channel for viewers and advertisers, with new trends shaping how content is discovered, ads are delivered, and campaigns are optimized. As 2025 begins, this blog brings together key statistics, metrics, and predictions to provide a snapshot of where streaming stands today and where it’s headed in the near future.

AI, personalization, and content discovery

Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) is changing the way people watch content, giving viewers an affordable way to access a wide range of shows and movies. As these platforms grow, competition for viewers’ attention is heating up, with a focus on making it easier to find and recommend content. However, even with so many options, many people still struggle to choose what to watch. Solving that struggle will shape the future of streaming.

For context

• Viewers are switching to free streaming: FAST is the fastest-growing streaming tier in the US, with 47% of households using it weekly. (Source)
• In tandem, daily viewing hours increased by 5% year-over-year from Q3 2023 to Q3 2024. (Source)
• However, content discovery is a headwind for increased adoption and viewing: 72% of consumers say they struggle to find something to watch, up six percentage points from 2023. (Source)
• Top sources for content recommendations among CTV users (Source):
  • Family and friends (44%)
  • App homepages (40%)
  • TV home screens (39%)
  • TV ads (24%)
• Only 10% of viewers feel streaming recommendations align well with their interests. (Source)

2025 predictions

Wurl CEO Ron Gutman predicts: “For streamers and publishers, AI will bring more personalized recommendations and interactive content experiences to CTV – like what we’ve seen drive success on other platforms such as web and mobile. For CTV advertisers, deep contextual data will provide greater insight into viewer emotions and how people react to content, allowing for more precise ad placement and messaging.”

Wurl’s Pete Crofut says, “In the Connected TV space, Gen AI will build on recent advancements to create truly dynamic and contextual ad experiences, analyzing not only viewer demographics but moment-by-moment reactions. This will inspire a new level of hyper-personalization in CTV advertising, allowing advertisers to deliver messages that adapt to the context of a scene and even viewers’ emotional states.”

Interactive and engaging ad experiences

Streaming is growing quickly — and changing how people watch content and interact with ads. Viewers are spending more time watching and using their TVs for things like shopping and interactive activities. New types of ads are helping brands connect with audiences by focusing on keeping people engaged and making a lasting impression.

For context

• Ad spend on TV is growing: the global video streaming market was valued at $106.83 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 21.5% from 2024 to 2030. (Source)
• More streaming hours means more ads served: Average streaming session length increased by 7% in Q2 2024 compared to Q2 2023. (Source)
• Interactive ads are increasingly popular: 30% of consumers regularly use their phones to scan QR codes during TV shows or commercials. (Source)
• They are also effective: Interactive ads boost unaided brand recall by 36% compared to standard video ads, with 80% of viewers identifying the advertiser correctly. (Source)
• Viewers are most likely to pay attention to ads that offer rewards for watching. (Source)
• 51% of connected TV users engage in commerce-related activities through their TVs. (Source)

2025 predictions

Wurl’s Ria Madrid predicts “Next year, CTV will further prove its value as a performance vehicle for full-funnel marketing. We’ll see ‘T-commerce’ adoption grow and become more interactive, with shoppable units continuing to come to market – further showcasing that deterministic attribution on TV is no longer out of reach.”

Emotion targeting on FAST

Emotionally engaging and AI-targeted ads are changing how brands connect with viewers in the streaming age. Ads that focus on emotions or use smart targeting grab more attention and deliver better results. These strategies are helping brands increase awareness, drive sales, and encourage real-world actions, showing the value of personalization and emotional connection.

For context

• Emotion is a powerful advertising tool: 42% of viewers show increased interest in products and brands featured in emotionally engaging ads. (Source)
• Contextually targeted CTV ads with AI capture 4X more attention from consumers. (Source)
• Emotion-based targeting by BrandDiscovery resulted in a 33% increase in aided brand awareness, exceeding other CTV campaign strategies. (Source)
• Emotion-targeted impressions drove a 40% increase in restaurant visits and a 48% boost in sales. (Source)

2025 predictions

Wurl’s Pete Crofut predicts: “Next year, innovation in the ad-supported streaming space will help drive advertisers to FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV). Specifically, CTV advertising will continue to move beyond viewer demographics and broad genre-based targeting to instead more sophisticated strategies that consider mood and emotion. As advertisers test and learn with these newer approaches to determine what drives outcomes, we’ll see more creative campaigns developed with a broad range of emotions in mind, ultimately accelerating CTV ad effectiveness, creating more positive attention among viewers, and driving performance on FAST.”

Ria Madrid says: “By combining the precise targeting and measurement capabilities of digital with the immersive ‘sight, sound, and emotion’ of TV, advertisers will have a powerful opportunity to engage viewers more effectively (and efficiently) on the largest screen in the house.”

Streaming TV as a performance marketing channel

Connected TV (CTV) is quickly becoming a powerful tool for performance-driven marketing, offering high impact and measurable results. With exceptional viewability rates and growing adoption of AI for campaign optimization, CTV is helping marketers drive key metrics like web visits and revenue, with its many uses in the marketers’ toolkit only becoming more apparent as adoption increases.

For context

• 65% of marketers consider CTV a performance channel, with 52% using it to drive web visits and revenue. (Source)
• CTV ads achieve viewability rates over 90%, outperforming mobile and desktop ads. (Source)
• 43% of US marketers predict campaign optimization will be the top AI use case by 2025. (Source)

2025 predictions

Pete Crofut predicts: “In 2025, AI will mature as a technology not just useful in improving processes and creating efficiencies, but also in driving strategic initiatives and outcomes for brands.”

EMEA — a key growth region for FAST

Streaming TV is transforming the media landscape across EMEA, with rapid growth in adoption and content offerings. As viewership expands, the region is seeing increased focus on CTV as a powerful channel for both audiences and advertisers, driving innovation and investment in the space.

For context

• In EMEA 86% of consumers use CTV, with the highest viewership in Spain, followed by the UK. (Source)
• Germany saw a 32% increase in CTV channel volume in 2024, growing from a low base. (Source)
• CTV ad investments are rising, with UK spending projected to reach £2.94 billion by 2028. (Source)

2025 predictions

Wurl’s Keith Bedford predicts: “In 2025, free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) will continue to find its way across Europe – with top markets like the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France leading the way. Over the past year, we saw major platforms and broadcasters launch new FAST initiatives, from Titan OS and Virgin Media TV to BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 with the launch of Freely. Now, as we head into the new year, content will be key: we’ll hopefully see more high-profile and quality content being brought to FAST that will help drive Europe’s FAST market growth.

Additionally, Sports will serve as a huge opportunity for the growth of ad-supported streaming in 2025. As studios and sports broadcasters struggle to tie in major upfront deals and connect with younger audiences, new models for revenue and content discovery will be required. Short-form video could be one way we start to see sports content companies garner interest and boost engagement for their long-form and TVOD (transactional video on demand) businesses.”