CTV programmatic bid strategy depends on your buying channel (open auction vs. PMP) and campaign objective. For PMP deals, the most common approach is a fixed CPM bid set above the deal floor by 10-20% — enough to win consistently without overpaying. If the floor is INR 300 CPM, bid INR 330-360. If you lose too many impressions (low win rate), raise the bid rather than assuming supply is exhausted. If you are consistently clearing significantly above floor, the floor may be mis-negotiated — discuss with the publisher. For open auction, DSPs offer: Fixed CPM (you set a maximum, DSP bids up to it), Target CPM (DSP optimises bids to achieve a target average CPM while maintaining delivery), and Target CPCV (cost per completed view — the DSP optimises towards completions within your budget). Target CPCV is the most relevant objective for CTV awareness campaigns.
India-specific considerations: CPM floors on India CTV programmatic range from INR 80 (open auction, long-tail OTT) to INR 600+ (PMP, live sports). DSP pacing algorithms need 3-5 days to stabilise delivery on a new CTV campaign — do not optimise aggressively in the first 48 hours. For PMP deals during IPL, set your bid well above floor at the start; auction dynamics are competitive and under-bidding means consistent impression loss. Most experienced India CTV buyers set daily budget caps and let the DSP pace smoothly rather than using aggressive dayparting, unless there is a specific reason to concentrate delivery in certain hours.
Full guide
For a complete explanation, read: CTV programmatic bid strategy: how to set bids for PMP and open auction in India