Publisher top tips for growing session length on CTV

For publishers and content creators, session length is a critical metric reflecting viewer engagement and satisfaction. In our recent CTV Trends Report 2024, Wurl data shows that there was a shift in viewing habits post-pandemic, with viewers now sticking with their initial content choices for longer. This can mean less time for other channels.

There are two important consequences of this: content discovery has never been more important and once users are watching it is important to keep their attention.

This dual requirement, to capture and extend session lengths, has become a strategic imperative for content publishers. Not only does this lead to increased viewer satisfaction, but it also enhances revenue potential through more advertising opportunities. In this blog, we will break down some proven strategies to help publishers maximize session lengths on their CTV platforms.

Why Session Lengths Matter

Stickier viewership

Longer session lengths suggest viewers are generally happy with what they initially choose to watch. Before the pandemic, viewers often switched channels frequently, but now they tend to stick with their first choice for a longer period. This change not only makes it harder to achieve high viewing hours but also highlights the importance of making a good first impression with the content viewers see first.

Revenue potential

Longer viewing sessions directly impact potential earnings. When viewers stay engaged and loyal to the content, streamers can present their audiences as highly engaged and attractive to advertisers. In addition, the longer viewers watch, the more chances there are to show ads, which can increase advertising revenue.

Wurl’s 8 top tips for increasing session duration

Combining data from Wurl’s most recent report with advice from experts in our scheduling team, we’ve put together a set of best practices for increasing session duration.

Each tip provides clear, practical steps that can be immediately implemented to make the most of the audience you acquire — and maintain their interest throughout viewing sessions. If you want more 1-1 advice, you can reach out to one of our team.

1. Elevate Content Quality

As CTV technology gets better and the market matures, it’s crucial to keep improving the quality of your content. Great, relevant content grabs and keeps viewers’ attention for longer.

2. Focused Content Streams

Build channels focused on specific themes, genres, or moods to offer a unified and interesting viewing experience. This helps keep viewers engaged for the entire session.

3. Innovative Scheduling

‘Scheduling off-the-clock’ can help smooth transitions between shows and minimize potential exit points. This approach ensures that there is always something engaging on screen, encouraging viewers to stay longer.

4. Leverage Data Insights

Analyze viewer data to identify what content people like best and organize these into groups that can be watched in long sessions. Also, introduce new content that fits viewers’ tastes to keep things interesting.

5. Optimize Ad Breaks

Time your ad breaks wisely, and use promotional bumpers strategically, to keep viewers from leaving. Making ad breaks feel shorter and less disruptive can improve the overall viewing experience.

6. Advanced Channel Features

Use custom-branded graphics and other special features to make your channel stand out on platform home screens. This makes it more attention-grabbing, memorable, and easier to navigate to, helping viewers find and enjoy their favorite shows easily.

7. Live Streamed Events

Plan live events or timely broadcasts that offer unique and engaging viewing opportunities, encouraging viewers to tune in and watch longer. Live events create ‘can’t miss’ moments that grab viewers and keep them interested.

8. Ensure relevant ads

Wurl data in our Full-Funnel Guide to CTV Marketing reveals that ads closely matching the emotional tone of TV scenes significantly reduce viewer drop-off, with a perfect match reducing user loss by as much as 60%. Allowing advertisers to target audiences based on context can massively improve relevance and help you maintain viewership.

Final thoughts

As the world of Connected TV (CTV) keeps changing, it’s crucial for publishers to focus on keeping viewers watching longer to boost engagement and increase advertising revenue. Our latest data highlights the need to attract viewers with top-notch content and keep them hooked with smart scheduling and ads that resonate with them.

For more information on how you can adapt to the latest trends in CTV, check our report.