Insights

Video Advertising Statistics 2025: CTV, Programmatic & Market Data

The latest video advertising statistics for 2025. CTV ad spend hits $33B, digital video captures 60% of TV spend, and programmatic reaches $270B.

January 9, 2025

The video advertising industry continues its rapid transformation in 2025. Digital video now commands the majority of TV/video ad spend, CTV maintains double-digit growth, and programmatic buying dominates the landscape. Here's what the latest data reveals for publishers and ad ops teams.

Digital Video Ad Spend: $72 Billion in 2025

Digital video advertising reached $64 billion in 2024, representing an 18% increase from the previous year. The IAB projects this will grow another 14% in 2025 to reach $72 billion—two to three times faster than total media overall.

The most significant milestone: digital video is expected to capture nearly 60% of total TV/video ad spend in 2025, more than doubling its share over the past five years. This marks a fundamental shift in how advertisers allocate television budgets.

Channel	2024 Spend	2025 Projection	YoY Growth
CTV	$23.6B	$26.6B	16%
Social Video	$23.7B	$27.2B	21%
Online Video	$16.6B	$18.6B	17%
Total Digital Video	$64B	$72B	14%

Source: IAB 2025 Digital Video Ad Spend Report

CTV Advertising: Double-Digit Growth Continues

Connected TV rebounded strongly in 2024 with 16% year-over-year growth, driven by live events, sports streaming, and expanded programmatic capabilities. The U.S. CTV market is projected to reach between $26.6 billion (IAB) and $33.35 billion (eMarketer) in 2025.

Key CTV statistics for 2025:

98.4% of CTV ad dollars go to video ads
36% of CTV budgets are reallocated from linear TV
36% come from social media budgets
CTV will reach $46.89 billion by 2028
CTV will surpass traditional TV ad spend ($45.10B) for the first time in 2028

For publishers running video players like Veedmo, the CTV opportunity extends beyond apps—web-based players on smart TVs and streaming devices capture the same premium inventory.

Where CTV Dollars Are Coming From

The growth isn't just new money entering the market. Most CTV investment in 2025 represents reallocation from other channels:

Linear TV: 36%
Social media: 36%
Other digital (display, search, online video): 28%

Programmatic Video: 90% of Display by 2026

Programmatic advertising continues its dominance. In 2025:

U.S. programmatic ad spend will surpass $270 billion
Programmatic captures over 85% of all digital ad spend
Programmatic display specifically exceeds $180.4 billion (92% of digital display)
Social video accounts for 53.7% of programmatic video spending

By 2026, programmatic is expected to represent 90% of global digital display ad spending.

Video Completion Rates by Device

Video completion rate (VCR) remains a critical metric for publishers. The 2025 benchmarks show significant variation by device:

Device	Completion Rate
CTV (Interactive)	85-95%
Tablet	88%
Desktop	81%
Mobile	80%

CTV's dominance in completion rates reflects the lean-back viewing experience. Interactive CTV ads now achieve up to 95% completion—outperforming PC and mobile combined at 62%.

Completion Rate by Ad Length

Ad duration significantly impacts completion:

Videos under 15 seconds: 53% higher completion rate than 30+ second ads
Videos under 1 minute: ~66% completion
Videos 1-2 minutes: ~56% completion

The industry benchmark: a completion rate of 70% or higher is considered good, while below 50% indicates content resonance issues.

Category-Specific Growth Projections

Not all verticals are investing equally in video. The IAB projects these category growth rates for 2025:

Pharma: +19%
Retail: +18%
CPG: +13%

Pharma's strong growth reflects the channel's ability to deliver compliant, targeted messaging at scale—something linear TV struggled to provide.

View-Through Rate Benchmarks

View-through rate (VTR) measures how many viewers watch an ad without skipping. Current benchmarks:

Average YouTube VTR: 31.9% (meaning ~68% skip or ignore)
Good VTR for skippable in-stream: 15-25%
CPG/Health advertisers: 14-21% (short-form), 6-11% (long-form)

Factors that improve VTR:

Captions: Only 22% skip captioned videos vs. 39% without
Interactive elements: 34% higher engagement than standard autoplay
First 5 seconds: Critical hook period before skip becomes available

Key Takeaways for Publishers

Diversify beyond desktop: CTV completion rates (85-95%) far exceed mobile (80%). Ensure your video player supports smart TV environments.
Optimize for programmatic: With 90%+ of display going programmatic, header bidding and VAST/VPAID compliance are non-negotiable.
Shorter ads perform better: Sub-15-second ads achieve 53% higher completion. Consider ad pod configurations that favor shorter formats.
Linear TV budgets are moving: 36% of CTV growth comes from linear reallocation. Position your inventory to capture these dollars.
Interactive ads are winning: 34% engagement lift and 95% completion rates on CTV. Implement SIMID support where possible.

Data Sources

All statistics in this report come from:

Frequently asked questions

How big is the CTV advertising market in 2025?

The U.S. CTV advertising market is projected to reach $26.6B-$33.35B in 2025, with 16% year-over-year growth reported in 2024. CTV is expected to reach $46.89B by 2028.

What is the average video ad completion rate?

Video completion rates vary by device: CTV leads with 85-95%, tablets at 88%, desktops at 81%, and mobile at 80%. Videos under 15 seconds achieve 53% higher completion rates than those over 30 seconds.

What percentage of digital ad spend is programmatic?

In 2025, programmatic advertising captures over 85% of all digital ad spend, surpassing $270 billion in the U.S. By 2026, programmatic is expected to represent 90% of global digital display ad spending.

Is digital video overtaking linear TV?

Yes. Digital video is expected to capture nearly 60% of total TV/video ad spend in 2025, doubling its share from five years ago. CTV ad spending will surpass traditional TV ($45.10B) for the first time in 2028.