Where’s the Audience? User Demographics by CTV and OTT Platforms

As the Connected TV (CTV) and Over-the-Top (OTT) industries continue to boom, your business is likely interested in (or, at least, learning about) advertising in this space. While we don’t need to convince you of the importance of the industry, you might still be wondering exactly how much growth is occurring. 

We’re so glad you asked! According to Statista, 88% of U.S. households own at least one internet-connected TV device in 2023. In another study, Statista also found 83% of respondents used subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) in 2023 — up from just 52% in 2015. 

Over the last couple of years, ad-supported tiers and services have skyrocketed. Netflix and Amazon have each introduced new offerings, creating new advertising opportunities across their platforms. Plus, with more and more viewers tuning into free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platforms there’s no shortage of people watching CTV and OTT advertising. 

Needless to say, CTV and OTT platforms are rapidly growing and have the potential to help you reach your target consumers better. But, just like with any other part of your marketing strategy, you’ll need to know who your audience is and where they’re tuning in from before you start airing ad placements. 

In this blog, we’ll review some key definitions and explore the audience demographics of some popular CTV platforms and OTT devices. 

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What Is CTV? 

Connected TV (CTV) refers to any television with the ability to connect to the internet — a trend that started growing in the mid- to late 2000s. From iTunes to YouTube and Netflix to Disney+, the history of CTV might be more complex than you think. As MNTN explains, CTV typically happens in two ways: 

1. TVs with built-in internet connectivity, like Smart TVs, or
2. Non-internet-connected TVs that connect to multimedia devices — like Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and Chromecast — and allow you to view content through the internet. 

Learn more: Your Guide to Connected TV Video Ad Specs 

What Is OTT? 

Similar to CTV is Over-the-Top (OTT), which refers to content going “over” your cable box to give you access to TV content using an internet connection instead of a cable cord or satellite by traditional broadcast providers. The main difference is OTT content can be viewed on any device, while CTV content is shown on television screens. 

Today, several platforms provide streaming services, including: 

• Disney+
• Hulu
• Netflix
• Roku
• YouTube

These, of course, are just a few examples of OTT channels (a few others have probably already come to mind while you were reading this list!) As the industry continues to expand, new streaming platforms and tiers will emerge, creating more advertising opportunities for brands and more affordable streaming options for viewers. 

Who Watches CTV and OTT Content? 

While we can’t cover all CTV and OTT platforms in this blog, here are some noteworthy ones to keep in mind: 

Smart and Connected TV Users

As we mentioned above, 88% of U.S. households own at least one internet-connected TV, many of which are built to connect to the internet. Connected TV users stretch across generations, but of course, some demographics are easier to reach than others. When it comes to US-based CTV users in 2024, Statista found: 

• 54.9 million are Gen Z
• 62.1 million are Millennials 
• 50.8 million are Gen X 
• 32.4 million are Baby Boomers

Statista also estimates these numbers will continue rising for Gen Z and Millennial demographics. These different generations also spend different amounts of time on CTV — with 18 to 34 year olds spending the most time on the medium, at roughly 82 minutes every day. 

Amazon Fire TV Stick Users

At the end of 2017, 9.2% of respondents owned Amazon Fire TV Sticks, but according to Statista, that number has grown to 30%. In early 2022, Amazon’s Fire TV blog announced the company had sold more than 150 million Fire TV devices around the world. 

In another study, 24% of respondents said they used Amazon Fire TV to connect their TVs to the internet, making it the 4th most popular method in 2022. This, of course, is no surprise due to Amazon’s popularity in nearly every industry. 

Amazon Prime Video

According to Statista, Amazon Prime Video is the most used video-on-demand service in the U.S., with about 67% of all video-on-demand streamers using the platform. 

With the roll-out of Amazon Prime Video ads, brands have another way to reach their target audience across CTV and OTT platforms. According to Amazon, “At launch, Prime Video ads will reach an estimated 115 million monthly viewers in the U.S.” 

Amazon Prime Video users specifically notice ads on social media and streaming services. According to Statista, 49% of viewers in the U.S. recall ads they’ve seen on streaming platforms over the past 4 weeks, up from the average of 37% for all respondents. 

Apple TV Users 

​​Apple TV users are continuing to grow! During the second half of 2017, 8.9% of respondents owned an Apple TV device, but the number of users grew to 21% by the end of 2020. 

Another study found 14% of all respondents used Apple TV products to connect their TVs to the internet. While it may not be the most popular method, Apple TV is still an OTT device to keep in mind as the industry expands. 

Apple TV+ Users 

Not to be confused with Apple TV devices, Apple TV+ is Apple’s streaming service. 

As of March 2022, Statista found 25 million users around the globe were paid subscribers to the platform and 50 million users were currently using a promotion to access the platform for free. By promoting the platform through free trial subscriptions, Apple is hoping users will find a favorite show and stick around.

And these subscriber numbers aren’t slowing down any time soon. One eMarketer report found there are 38.7 million Apple TV+ users in the U.S. alone — and this number is expected to continue growing. By 2026, eMarketer estimates this number will grow to 47.7 million users.  

Disney+ Users 

According to Statista, as of Q2 2024, there are 153.6 million Disney+ subscribers around the world. 

When you think of Disney+ (or Disney in general), you might initially think of kids. But kids aren’t the only audience to target on this streaming platform. While kids (2 to 17 years old) make up a significant portion of the platform’s audience at 43%, Statista found 49% of viewers are actually between 18 and 54. (Kids have parents, for one thing.)

In addition to a (possibly) wider-than-expected audience, Disney+ users are fairly active on the platform. This study found that 19% of 18- to 34-year-olds turn to the platform a few times per week. 

Hulu Users 

With tons of different content, Hulu is often thought of as a platform with something for everyone — and as of Q2 2024, their 50.2 million subscribers agree. As one of the most used and most popular video-on-demand services in the U.S., it’s no surprise Hulu’s brand awareness is powerful across the country. According to a Statista study: 

• 93% of respondents were aware of the platform
• 50% of respondents said they liked the brand 
• 47% said they had used the platform in the last 12 months 
• 41% said they planned to use the platform in the future 
• 34% said they had “noticed [the brand] in the media, on social media or in advertising in the past 3 months” 

Netflix Users 

Netflix’s influence is found around the world. As of Q1 2024, there are 82.66 million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada, 91.73 million in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, 47.72 in Latin America, and 47.5 in Asia Pacific. With so many users on the platform, it’s no surprise that another Statista study found a majority of consumers also feel Netflix has the best original content, when compared to CBS, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu. 

The time spent on Netflix also continues to increase. In 2024, the average U.S.-based adult spends a little over an hour (around 62 minutes) on the platform, up incrementally from 2023. 

On the platform, you’re most likely to reach Gen Zers, Millennials, and Gen Xers. But that doesn’t mean you should leave out older audiences. In fact, 20% of U.S.-based Baby Boomer respondents use Netflix at least once a week, while 14% use it at least once a day, according to Statista. 

Now, as Netflix continues promoting and refining their ad-supported tiers, viewers may have the opportunity to find their new favorite show at a reduced rate — and brands can have a better chance of reaching them with CTV ads. 

Roku Users

From the exponential growth to the hype for Roku City, we can’t skip over Roku in a CTV/OTT discussion. 

In Q1 2024, Roku viewers around the world watched 30.8 billion hours of content — up from 21.9 billion in the third quarter of 2022. And Statista found that Roku players and devices make up a quarter of the ways people connect their TVs to the internet, which means a ton of people are plugged in (get it?) to the Roku landscape. 

According to eMarketer, the Roku Channel (the brand’s CTV/OTT app) will have 83.4 million U.S. viewers in 2024. And this number is expected to continue rising, with the same study estimating the number of viewers will reach 91 million by 2027. 

YouTube Users

That’s right — YouTube is everywhere, even on CTVs and OTT devices. Globally, the platform ranks second as the biggest social media platform, with more than 2.5 billion monthly active users. And, according to Statista, U.S. adults spend an average of 48.7 minutes per day watching content on the platform, giving advertisers ample opportunities to connect with viewers. 

Speaking of viewers, who exactly are these YouTube users? This study found that as of January 2024: 

• 15.5% of viewers are 18-24
• 21.3% are 25-34 
• 17.2% are 35-44 
• 12.5% are 45-54 
• 9.8% are 55-64 
• 9.2% are 65+ 

With a wide range of audiences on YouTube, advertisers can connect with different audiences on the same platform. Plus, with YouTube Shorts (their answer to other short-form video platforms) on the rise, there are more YouTube ad placements to keep in mind. 

Read on: Creative Tips for Connected TV (CTV) and OTT Video Ads

5 Key Takeaways 

1. Use CTV ads to connect with your audiences. A majority of households in the U.S. have at least one CTV device, so ads on this platform are a great way to connect with different audiences. 
2. Don’t overlook older audiences. Recently, MNTN reported that nearly half of U.S. adults aged 65+ are CTV users, so don’t count out CTV when looking to reach Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation! 
3. Use YouTube to reach a wide range of demographics. Thanks to the varying content available, you can use the platform to reach viewers of all ages. 
4. Amazon Prime Video users remember digital ads. We won’t call it a superpower (maybe we could?), but Amazon Prime Video users remember the ads they’ve seen at a higher rate than the average viewer, so keep this platform in mind for brand awareness and similar objectives. Plus, video streaming service ads are the second most popular format — just behind social media — where viewers recall the digital advertisements they’ve seen over the last four weeks. 
5. Keep an eye out for new advertising opportunities. From Amazon’s ad tier to Netflix’s expansion of its ad offerings, there are new advertising opportunities popping up all the time. To make the most of your marketing strategy, keep an eye out for relevant offerings that will help you connect with your audience. 

Create Engaging CTV Ads With QuickFrame

CTV advertising has proven itself as a powerful digital marketing tool that’s creating a significant (and still growing!) opportunity for marketers and advertisers. In fact, according to MarketingTech, “…currently, 64% of businesses are running direct response campaigns on CTV.” The same report shared that nearly all companies (98%) believe CTV advertising will be bigger than mobile advertising.

With this potential impact in mind, your business is likely considering running ads on CTV. But your first roadblock might be the ad creative itself. You might think making these ads seems difficult, costly, and time-consuming. Traditionally, you’d be right.
But we’re here to change that. From awareness to acquisition (and every objective in between), the QuickFrame platform connects you with video makers and production teams who are ready to deliver high-performing video marketing content built for every channel, audience, and campaign. Contact us today to get started!