Advertise on CTV: Boosting Your University’s Visibility

Higher education marketing is changing fast—and if you’re still relying on the same playbook from five years ago, you’re missing where today’s students (and their parents) are spending their time. Streaming platforms have become the new front door to your university’s brand. Here’s how to get that front door wide open—by learning how to advertise on CTV and make it work for your enrollment goals.

What is Connected TV (CTV) Advertising?

Connected TV (CTV) refers to any TV connected to the internet—think smart TVs, Roku, Apple TV, and more. CTV advertising means serving ads to viewers streaming their favorite content on platforms like Hulu, Peacock, or Paramount+.

Want to see how this can look in action? Explore AmbioEdu’s CTV + OTT solutions designed specifically for higher ed institutions.

Key Benefits of CTV Advertising for Universities

You already know traditional TV is on life support. In fact, according to Nielsen, streaming has officially surpassed both broadcast and cable viewing combined—marking a historic shift in how audiences engage with content.

Meanwhile, prospective students are binge-watching shows on streaming platforms—over 9 in 10 U.S. households now use at least one subscription-based streaming service, according to Statista. That’s why smart universities are shifting to CTV.

Here’s how a strong CTV strategy can sharpen your competitive edge:

• Reach students where they actually watch
• Customize messaging by household, location, or behavior
• Attribute ad views to actual enrollment actions (think applications and event registrations)

Still catching up? No worries. The halo effect of CTV means your other marketing channels benefit too. When prospective students see your university on their living room screen, they’re more likely to engage with your other advertising tactics, such as follow-up ads, emails, or even direct mail. It increases trust, builds brand recognition, and creates a sense of familiarity before they ever click a link or fill out an RFI form.

Steps to Launch Your First CTV Advertising Campaign

Successfully launching a CTV campaign involves more than pressing play. For marketing and enrollment teams in higher education, it’s about building a strategic foundation that connects the dots between audience behavior, compelling storytelling, and measurable outcomes. But let’s be clear—AmbioEdu is not a self-serve platform. We’re a hands-on partner, not a plug-and-play SaaS tool.

Most of our clients come to us after trying self-serve platforms and realizing they want more: more collaboration, more insight, and more support from a team that REALLY understands higher ed. So while these are the key components of a successful CTV campaign, you won’t be doing it alone. If you work with us, we’ll handle this process for you—strategically and collaboratively.

Here’s how we approach it:

Step 1: Define Your Goals

We start by getting clear on what matters most to your institution. Whether you’re aiming to boost brand visibility, drive campus visits, or increase applications for a specific program, we’ll help you articulate KPIs that align with your larger enrollment strategy.

Step 2: Build Your Audience Profile

Next, we work together to define who you want to reach. Using a combination of your first-party data—like CRM insights or inquiry lists—and third-party behavioral and geographic data, we’ll map out a detailed audience profile tailored to your goals.

Step 3: Craft Creative That Converts

With targeting in place, our team collaborates with yours to develop creative that’s designed to stop thumbs and spark interest. From scripting to storyboarding to final cut, we make sure the message hits home with prospective students and their families.

Step 4: Choose the Right Platform(s)

Not all inventory is created equal. We’ll advise you on the best placements—whether it’s Hulu, Pluto TV, or device-level buys—to match your budget and audience behavior. Our team handles the buys so you don’t have to wade through menus or dashboards.

Step 5: Launch and Monitor in Real-Time

Once we launch your campaign, we don’t just sit back. We continuously monitor performance, optimize based on real-time data, and make proactive adjustments to keep your goals on track. You’ll get clear reporting and strategic insights—powered by our platform’s AI, which continually refines targeting and delivery to put the right message in front of the right household at the right time. Our proprietary platform also uses machine learning to identify and bid on the impressions most likely to convert, optimizing your spend across every placement.

💡Pro Tip: AmbioEdu’s CTV + OTT solutions offer full campaign planning and execution, including performance tracking down to the enrollment.

Targeting Options Available in CTV Advertising

The beauty of CTV advertising lies in its precision. You’re not wasting dollars on broad demographics or hoping your spot lands during the right commercial break. With CTV, you know exactly who you’re speaking to, when, and where. This makes every impression smarter—and every dollar work harder. The real flex of CTV is precision. Gone are the days of hoping someone sees your ad during the 6 p.m. news. You can now reach:

🌍 By Geography

Location matters—especially in higher ed. Whether you’re targeting prospective students near campus, in feeder high schools, or in out-of-state regions you’re trying to grow, we use advanced geo-targeting to reach the right zip codes, DMAs, or even individual households. This level of precision helps ensure your message is always relevant, timely, and locally optimized.

👥 By Demographics

Every campaign starts with knowing who you want to reach. With CTV, we can refine your audience based on key demographic details like age, household income, education level, and family structure. Whether you’re marketing to high school juniors, transfer students, or adult learners, demographic targeting ensures your message speaks directly to their unique stage of life.

🎯 By Interests and Behaviors

Forget generic ad placements—this is where the magic happens. Using behavioral and interest-based data, we can target students and parents actively researching programs like “best nursing schools” or “colleges with D1 sports.” It’s intent-based marketing at its best—reaching people when their interest is highest, with content that resonates.

🔁 Retargeting Capabilities

One ad impression isn’t always enough. That’s why we use cross-device retargeting to keep your brand top-of-mind. If a prospective student watches your ad on TV, we can follow up with complementary messaging on their phone, tablet, or laptop. This keeps your school in their consideration set throughout their decision-making journey—without overexposure or wasted spend.

📬 First-Party List Targeting

Already have a list of inquiries, applicants, or admitted students? We can use your existing first-party data to directly target those individuals and their households on CTV. This makes your campaigns more efficient and personal—reaching the people who’ve already expressed interest, right where they’re watching.

AmbioEdu uses 15K+ data points to reach prospective students and their families, turning couches into conversion zones.

Measuring the Success of Your CTV Ad Campaign

Let’s talk data. One of the biggest differentiators of CTV advertising is the ability to track what happens after the ad airs. This isn’t just about feel-good metrics or surface-level engagement. It’s about connecting your investment to real results that move the needle for your institution. If you can’t track it, don’t buy it. That’s our motto.

CTV ads aren’t just about awareness and impressions. With the right setup, you can track:

• Views and completions
• Visits to your website and landing pages, including button clicks
• Form fills, campus tour registrations, and applications
• Enrollment attribution

In fact, AmbioEdu was the first in higher ed to deliver enrollment attribution for streaming TV. Here’s what that means for your ROI.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in CTV Advertising

Like any great tool, CTV is only as effective as the way it’s used. While the technology and targeting are advanced, there are still pitfalls that can throw your strategy off course. Here’s how to steer clear of common traps we’ve seen higher ed teams fall into: CTV works. But not when it’s treated like traditional TV or a digital afterthought. Here’s what to steer clear of:

Mistake #1: Skipping Strategy

Every successful campaign starts with a strategy rooted in real objectives. If you launch without knowing who you’re targeting or what outcomes you’re chasing, even the most compelling creative won’t deliver results. Without strategic alignment, you risk spending thousands on impressions that never translate to engagement, inquiries, or applications. A well-thought-out plan ensures every dollar has a job—and every impression has a purpose.

Mistake #2: Poor Creative

CTV viewers are highly engaged, but that also means they have high expectations. Your creative can’t just look good—it needs to resonate emotionally, reflect your brand values, and communicate a clear next step. Whether it’s a 15-second spot or a 30-second story, your message needs to capture attention and make a lasting impression. Mediocre creative wastes premium inventory. Great creative makes it unforgettable.

Mistake #3: Not Optimizing Mid-Campaign

Campaigns aren’t set-it-and-forget-it. With CTV, one of the biggest advantages is the ability to pivot while your ads are still running. If certain placements are underperforming or specific creatives aren’t resonating, we can adjust in real time—shifting budget, refining targeting, or rotating in fresh content. Ignoring these signals means missed opportunities and wasted spend. Optimization is where good campaigns become great ones. Adjust budget, creative, or targeting as the data comes in.

Mistake #4: Choosing the Wrong Partner

Who you work with matters. Many vendors can place a CTV ad—but very few understand the nuances of higher education. At AmbioEdu, we know how to translate your brand into a compelling story that resonates with students and families. We also know how to back that story up with data, attribution, and strategy. Choosing a partner that doesn’t specialize in higher ed can leave you with a generic plan and zero enrollment impact. You need a partner who gets higher ed.

How CTV Advertising Compares with Traditional TV Ads

As digital video continues its explosive growth—expected to rise another 14% in 2025 per IAB via Marketing Dive—it’s clear that CTV isn’t just a trend, it’s the new standard.

The difference? Night and day. Traditional TV is yesterday’s playbook. CTV is built for where your students are today.

Enhance Your Advertising Strategy on CTV

Let’s zoom out. Connected TV is more than just a new place to run ads—it’s a gateway to redefining how prospective students (and their families) discover and connect with your institution. It brings your school’s unique story into living rooms and mobile devices, fostering awareness and trust before a student ever lands on your website or steps onto campus.

For enrollment and marketing teams feeling pressure to innovate and show results, CTV offers a way to meet students where they already are—without the guesswork. When combined with a thoughtful media mix and strong creative, it can become the linchpin of your broader recruitment strategy.

CTV isn’t a tactic. It’s a transformation.

With AmbioEdu, you’re not just buying media—you’re getting:

• A team that understands higher ed marketing and enrollment—at both the undergraduate and graduate level
• Campaigns optimized to reach prospects when and where they watch
• Attribution from ad view to enrollment

Let’s be real. Cookie-cutter media planning won’t save enrollment. But innovative storytelling on streaming TV? That gets results.

If you’re ready to ditch old-school media buys and start running enrollment-driving campaigns, get in touch. Your future students are already watching—make sure they see you.