Why Marketers Need to Bridge the Streaming Visibility Gap

An attribution visibility gap is, as it sounds, a missing piece in the campaign’s attribution data. This gap makes it impossible for marketers to see all conversions their campaign has generated, preventing the precise attribution of conversions to targeted households. Even if the campaign is successful in generating conversions, marketers cannot deterministically connect specific conversions to their campaign.

Visibility gaps are a challenge across many advertising channels, but they’re especially prevalent in non-clickable formats like streaming, where users can’t simply click through to an advertiser’s site. Connected TVs (CTV) and Bluetooth audio devices lack direct click-through functionality, meaning conversions are often tracked via other devices within the same household. Without a clear way to trace the viewer’s journey from ad exposure to action, marketers struggle to determine if their ads actually drove conversions.

Bridging visibility gaps is crucial for reporting performance and, arguably more importantly, optimizing campaigns. If marketers can’t accurately measure how many conversions a streaming campaign generated, it’s nearly impossible to make data-driven decisions for future campaigns. As a result, performance can stagnate, with ineffective tactics continuing unchecked. Many marketing agencies using streaming media struggle to measure deterministic attribution, often guessing at the real impact on sales.

Over the last six years, EMG has refined its approach to bridge this visibility gap for Connected TV and streaming audio.

At EMG, we focus exclusively on streaming channels, namely Connected TV and streaming audio, because of their high engagement and effectiveness at driving conversions. Streaming combines the impactful reach of traditional TV and radio with the advanced targeting and attribution abilities of digital ads, yielding exceptional results when managed effectively.

Despite these strengths, Connected TV and streaming audio present especially difficult attribution challenges due to visibility gaps. EMG has found a way to close these gaps using an attribution-first approach. This solution leverages the display channel and the Household Graph to create complete visibility and insightful analysis for automotive campaigns, allowing precise online and offline attribution.

Although EMG’s solutions are streaming-focused, we include display ads as a third channel to bridge visibility gaps. This addition serves two purposes: reinforcement and enhanced cross-channel attribution.

When a person completes a Connected TV or streaming audio ad, this impression is recorded, triggering a display ad for that same viewer 3 to 7 days later. The display ad reinforces the original streaming impression, catching the viewer’s attention in a more convenient context. For instance, someone may hear an ad during a run but won’t stop to check a dealership’s website. Days later, a display ad will appear, capturing their attention when they’re more likely to click and engage.

The display channel also enhances visibility through clickability, making it possible to trace a viewer’s online journey post-ad. A viewer who saw a streaming ad, clicks on a display ad, and takes an online action can be directly linked back to the streaming ad’s influence. Display also supports offline attribution by linking a viewer’s mobile ID, connecting the streaming impression with physical dealership visits and creating a more complete view of the customer journey.

But what if a streaming campaign lacks a display component, or consumers don’t see a display ad after their Connected TV or streaming audio ad exposure? That’s where the Household Graph comes in.

EMG also uses Household Graphing technology, which links all internet-connected devices in a home—such as CTV, Bluetooth speakers, mobile phones, and desktops—into a unified view of ad exposure across the household. By associating device IDs with a single household, the Household Graph lets marketers track users from the initial streaming impression to any downstream activity from a different device.

With this household-level tracking, EMG can bridge visibility gaps by associating unclickable streaming impressions with devices used to complete conversions, like a mobile phone or desktop. If a mobile device that shares a household with a CTV device visits a dealership lot, it is logged as a visit attributable to the streaming ad. Similarly, if a desktop associated with the household visits the dealership website, it is logged and attributed to the campaign, even if it wasn’t a direct click-through from a display ad.

EMG’s approach provides the best of both worlds: high-impact streaming channels combined with the granular attribution capabilities of clickable ads. EMG understands that dealerships need to see tangible results from their media investments. That’s why we’ve created an attribution-first solution that bridges visibility gaps using display ads and the Household Graph, delivering the data needed to assess and optimize campaign performance meaningfully.

To take advantage of superior streaming channels with one-to-one attribution insights, contact us today.