Meet Our OTT/CTV Advertising Platform
Welcome to our Blog Series! We’re excited to share regular updates with you about a particular facet of our holistic omnichannel OTT/CTV advertising platform. Last time, we dove into the details on sharing content context in the bid request. This week, we’re going back to the basics with FAST channels.
Have you heard of FAST channels? Meet the latest term in the OTT/CTV space. What are FAST channels and how do they differ from AVOD? Don’t worry, we’ve got the answers:
What are FAST channels?
FAST is an acronym that stands for free ad-supported streaming TV services. Essentially, this is streaming live TV without the subscription.
FAST channels extends the service of traditional linear TV channels (like cable satellite) to internet-connected devices, like CTV. By dynamically inserting ads into the would-be ad break, FAST channels are able to offer these streaming services at no cost to the viewer, unlike a subscription model.
What’s the difference between AVOD and FAST, and what are the benefits?
AVOD stands for ad-supported video on-demand. It’s VOD content that is monetized with ads instead of a subscription. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
FAST is basically the same thing, but instead of ad-supported on demand content, it is ad supported live TV content. In short, AVOD and FAST achieve the same thing but for different types of content.
Both use ads to monetize the inventory, eliminating the need for a costly cable subscription, which also helps limit audience subscription fatigue.
Does Smaato support FAST channels? What formats does Smaato support?
At Smaato, we’re here to help you monetize whatever kind of inventory you have, and to reach viewers wherever they are.
We support AVOD for video-on-demand channels on our OTT platform. And, for Live channels on our OTT platform, we support Live Linear/FAST channels. Plus, we offer support for Addressable TV, which delivers different, personalized ads to different viewers for a hyper-engaging and more relevant streaming experience.
Ready to learn more?
Check out our OTT/CTV Advertising eBook to learn how to optimize your OTT and CTV strategy and deliver relevant, engaging experiences to viewers worldwide.
