At the DMEXCO conference, Microsoft announced a significant addition to its advertising suite—Video and Connected TV (CTV) ads.

The tech giant aims to capitalize on the booming digital video landscape, where people are expected to spend an average of 3.5 hours daily by 2024.

This new feature allows advertisers to create video and CTV campaigns directly through Microsoft’s Advertising platform.

Multi-Screen Use Is Rising

Microsoft’s latest offering is pivotal when multi-screening is on the rise.

Recent studies show that 90% of Gen Z in the U.S. uses a second screen while watching TV, and 80% of consumers read news online during TV time.

This behavior opens lucrative avenues for marketers to engage audiences more effectively.

Video And CTV Ad Features

What sets this platform apart is Microsoft’s access to billions of first-party data points, allowing advertisers to pinpoint their ideal audience with surgical precision.

Not just limited to search intent, this trove of information includes user activity from Bing, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Start, and various other properties.

The platform employs machine learning algorithms to develop hyper-targeted audiences based on various factors such as product preferences, demographic information, and browsing history.

Video and CTV ads can be seen across various platforms, including Max, Hulu, and Bloomberg, as well as media outlets like MSN, Huffington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.

Ad Spending Expected To Increase

According to a forecast by eMarketer, U.S. programmatic video ad spending is set to grow by $22.51 billion—a 30.2% increase—between 2023 and 2025. Microsoft’s new feature is designed to ride this upward trend efficiently.

Ease of use is another selling point. Those already using Microsoft for other advertising campaigns can integrate Video and CTV ads without additional onboarding or setup fees.

Even if you’re new to Microsoft Advertising, the system appears to be user-friendly enough to launch campaigns within the same day.

This announcement is crucial as it represents a considerable push into an ever-expanding market, giving marketers a more comprehensive, data-driven tool for audience engagement.

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