From Risk Avoidance To Value Creation: A Paradigm Shift In CTV Ad Verification
As connected TV (CTV) evolves, it is encountering the challenges typical of any high-growth channel in the media mix including issues of invalid traffic (IVT), non-viewable impressions, and user inactivity. Rather than focusing solely on preventing negative outcomes, the industry’s verification approaches are evolving to emphasize deeper measurement, from ensuring ads are seen by real, engaged viewers (no “TV-off” scenarios) to understanding how CTV environments can drive meaningful brand connections. For nearly two decades, digital advertising has relied on risk-averse strategies designed to shield brands from low-quality or non-viewable content. But as these limitations grow more apparent, the industry is shifting—moving from avoiding negatives to actively fostering relevance and value. This transformation positions verification as more than a safeguard. It’s becoming a strategic tool for meaningful engagement and growth.
Moving Beyond Risk Aversion
Traditional verification practices, often rooted in text-based brand safety approaches, have protected brands from damaging associations online, but these tactics do not translate neatly into the CTV environment. Instead, outdated tactics can still limit scale and relevance, ultimately preventing advertisers from accessing emerging CTV audiences and premium inventory. Overly-broad safety measures often create friction between advertisers and publishers, leaving publishers to manage revenue losses or make-goods for blocked or mislabeled content. The focus on risk over value, in addition to the dominance of the space by a shrinking handful of dominant players, has kept innovation stagnant and ripe for disruption.
Toward a Value-Driven Model
Brands and publishers are now adopting a proactive approach to verification, moving beyond the question of what to avoid and instead identifying high-quality content that aligns with brand values. This shift is resonating across the industry, with 17% of marketers already opting for solutions like Protected by Mediaocean that prioritize positive engagement over traditional, risk-averse measures—a sign that change is well underway.
In this emerging model, advanced AI and machine learning allow for a more sophisticated analysis of content, evaluating not only tone and relevance but also context and audience fit. These capabilities enable advertisers to connect with audiences in safe yet resonant environments. For CTV, where content quality and engagement are critical, this shift turns verification into a strategic asset, helping brands to reach audiences in ways that drive both awareness and affinity.
Verification in this context becomes a bridge between advertisers and publishers rather than a barrier. Quality-focused verification encourages publishers to produce premium content, fostering a cooperative ecosystem that benefits both sides. It also discourages low-value, “Made-for-Advertising” content designed only to pass traditional verification standards without delivering meaningful engagement - something that we’ve started to see in CTV with random channels for dogs and screensavers that create cheap inventory for nonhuman or inactive viewers. By rewarding high-quality, human-driven content, this approach supports a robust content landscape that includes both credible journalism and professionally-produced CTV programming.
New Metrics for Meaningful Engagement
To realize the potential of this value-driven model, verification metrics need to evolve. Moving beyond traditional risk indicators such as fraud rates and safety violations, new metrics can measure the constructive impact of ad placements. Tracking factors like content relevance, audience engagement, and brand lift provides advertisers with a fuller picture of campaign performance, revealing growth opportunities that are often hidden within a risk-focused approach. For CTV campaigns, where viewer engagement is a key measure of success, these metrics offer critical insights into what drives viewer interest and brand impact.
Redefining Verification’s Role
Verification has always been essential for managing the complexity of an open ecosystem, but as the industry matures, so too must verification. The future isn’t about building walls to exclude potential risk but about creating pathways that connect brands with valuable, relevant content. For CTV, this means taking full advantage of its premium audiences and unique contexts to foster genuine engagement. By shifting to a value-driven model, verification transforms into a strategic asset that aligns with brand objectives, strengthens publisher relationships, and sustains a digital ecosystem where advertisers, publishers, and audiences thrive together.
