Effective Audience Segmentation for OTT Marketing

July 23, 2025

Effective Audience Segmentation for OTT Marketing

OTT platforms have changed how we watch shows and movies; but that's not all they're changing. For marketers, these platforms offer a chance to reach specific audiences through ads. Audience segmentation is the process of dividing viewers into groups based on shared traits to create targeted OTT marketing. Here's how to do it effectively.

Effective Audience Segmentation for OTT Marketing

Set Clear Campaign Goals

Start by defining what the marketing campaign aims to achieve, and remember that specific goals guide which audience segments to target. Decide whether to focus on increasing subscriptions, promoting a product, or boosting engagement. Write down measurable outcomes, like “increase viewership by 20% among 18-25-year-olds,” to keep your segmentation activities in sync with your objectives.

Collect and Analyze Viewer Data

Use the OTT platform's data tools to gather information about your viewers, like what shows people watch, how long they stream, and what devices they use. Look at genre preferences, such as who watches comedies or sports, and note viewing patterns, like who are your binge-watchers versus the casual viewers. Combine this with demographic data, such as age or location, that's available through platform analytics, and be sure to clean the data by removing outdated or irrelevant entries so you have a truly accurate picture.

Create Detailed Audience Segments

Once you have some idea of who's watching, divide your viewers into specific groups. Start with demographics, like targeting women aged 18-30 for a rom-com series. Then, add behavioral data, such as focusing on users who watch romance movies at least twice a week. Include psychographic details, like targeting those who follow fashion influencers for a clothing brand ad. A well-designed segment then might be: “young women in coastal cities who stream romance and follow lifestyle content.” Aim for 3-5 distinct segments to cover key audience types without making things so complicated that you're wasting money on over-segmentation.

Use Platform Tools for Precision Targeting

Use the features of your OTT platform to apply your segments. For example, you can set filters that will only show an ad to, say, users who have watched thrillers in the past month. If you're targeting sports fans, select options that will serve them ads during live sports streams or related content. Test geo-targeting for local campaigns, like showing ads to viewers in specific cities, to see if something hits better in one city than another.


Tailor the Ad Content

Design ads that speak directly to each segment's interests. For a segment of young adults who love horror, for instance, you might create a trailer with jump scares and dark visuals. For parents watching family shows, you'll want to use warm, relatable imagery in ads for kid-friendly products. Keep ads short: 15-30 seconds is ideal, as OTT viewers usually skip longer ones if at all possible. Include clear calls-to-action, like “Watch Now” for a show or “Shop Today” for a product.

Getting your ads right makes all the difference, and you need a reliable platform provider to make it happen. Contact Lightcast.com today to learn more and see how we help.