What is pre-roll advertising on CTV?
Pre-roll CTV ads play before content starts. Non-skippable on JioHotstar (the merged JioHotstar platform), skippable on YouTube. Completion rates 85–95% on India CTV.
Ad Formats — Frequently Asked Questions
Pre-roll, mid-roll, skippable vs non-skippable, VAST, overlays, interactive and shoppable ads — every format question answered for India platforms. No hedging.
Pre-roll CTV ads play before content starts. Non-skippable on JioHotstar (the merged JioHotstar platform), skippable on YouTube. Completion rates 85–95% on India CTV.
Mid-roll CTV ads play during content. Higher CPMs than pre-roll, 75–88% completion. Available on JioHotstar IPL and Hotstar in India.
Post-roll CTV ads play after content ends. 40–65% completion — lower because viewers navigate away. When post-roll is worth buying and when to skip it.
Non-skippable CTV ads guarantee completion (88–95%). Skippable (YouTube TrueView) costs less but completes at 40–60%. Which to use and when for India CTV.
CTV ad lengths: 15s is the India default, 30s for premium, 6s bumper for frequency. Completion rates by length and platform rules for JioHotstar (the merged JioHotstar and JioHotstar platform).
CTV bumper ads are 6-second non-skippable video units. Near-100% completion. Best for frequency reinforcement. India availability on YouTube CTV.
CTV video completion rate (VCR) benchmarks — 90–95% for non-skippable pre-roll, 85–92% for 30s, 75–88% for mid-roll. What drives VCR and how to improve it.
CTV ad pods are commercial breaks with 2–5 ads. Pod leader has higher recall. Frequency management and competitive separation in India CTV explained.
Instream CTV video plays inside a video player. On CTV, nearly all inventory is instream. What this means for India buyers and completion rate expectations.
VAST is the XML standard for CTV video ad delivery. SSAI limits client-side tracking on JioHotstar (the merged JioHotstar and JioHotstar platform). VPAID is retiring on CTV platforms.
CTV brand safety on India platforms. Closed AVOD is safer than open web. YouTube UGC risk remains. How India platforms handle brand safety.
India CTV creative specs — 1080p, H.264, MP4, 15/30 seconds, -23 LUFS audio. JioHotstar, Hotstar, and YouTube CTV requirements and common trafficking mistakes.
CTV display ads are non-video formats — L-banners, pause ads, home screen units. How they differ from video, when to use them, and India platform availability.
CTV display vs video — video for brand awareness and reach, display for frequency extension and live sports presence. How to combine both in an India CTV plan.
Pause ads appear on CTV when viewers pause content. High-attention format — viewer is paused, looking at screen, phone in hand. India availability on JioHotstar.
CTV L-banners frame live content while it continues in a reduced window. India availability on JioHotstar IPL packages and Hotstar live sports.
Lower third CTV ads are banner strips at the bottom of the screen during content. Used in live sports and news streaming. India availability and creative specs.
CTV home screen ads appear before content is selected. Samsung Ads, Fire TV, LG Ads India availability, buying routes, and when to use home screen inventory.
Spotlight CTV ads are featured placements on device home screens. Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart Hub India availability for app installs and content.
Branded UI on CTV integrates brand identity into the platform interface. Content section naming rights, UI skins, feature sponsorships. India availability.
CTV rich media: animated overlays and video banners are available now in India. Expandable units and SIMID interactive formats are still developing.
India CTV overlay availability: Hotstar (pause ads, L-banners), JioHotstar (IPL), Samsung Ads, Fire TV via Amazon DSP. Platform-by-platform guide.
Interactive CTV ads let viewers respond — QR codes, remote-click, polls, second screen. What formats exist in India today and how to deploy them effectively.
CTV QR code ads display a scannable code on screen. Viewers scan with their phone and continue on mobile. Scan rates 1–4%. Creative specs and India use cases.
Shoppable TV lets viewers buy from a TV ad. Amazon Fire TV is the most developed India product. QR-to-cart is the route for non-Amazon commerce.
Second screen CTV uses TV for awareness and mobile for response. QR codes, WhatsApp triggers, SMS codes. How TV-to-mobile handoffs work in India and scan rates.
India interactive CTV today: QR codes, WhatsApp triggers, YouTube DCO, and Fire TV shoppable are available now. What is coming in 2026–28.
Personalised CTV ads use household data: platform first-party, IP-based, CRM match, and ACR. India data availability and privacy context explained.
CTV dynamic creative (DCO) serves personalised ad variations based on audience data. Google Director Mix on YouTube CTV is the most developed India DCO product.
Voice CTV ads use Alexa or Google Assistant. Limited US pilots only. India voice CTV standardised products expected 2027+. Use QR codes now.
Want the full picture?
Each FAQ links to its companion KB article.
These answers are the quick version. The Knowledge Base has 1,500–2,000 word deep-dives with India data, examples, and practitioner context.
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