Knowledge
Jun 23, 2026
Rikard Jonsson
Rikard Jonsson is Founder & CEO of Hey Sid and a five-time entrepreneur with a background in B2B SaaS, sales, and brand building. He believes B2B marketing is overcomplicated and writes about going back to basics: visibility, positioning, and consistent presence among the accounts that matter.
Connected TV vs Linear TV: Which Delivers Better Results for B2B in 2026?
TL;DR
CTV reaches households and devices associated with target accounts across streaming platforms programmatically, with CPMs of $20 to $50 and 90%+ completion rates.
Linear TV targets demographics and geographies, not specific companies or inferred roles. Pipeline attribution is significantly harder with linear measurement.
B2B buying groups typically include 6 to 10 stakeholders (Gartner). CTV can reach households associated with buying group members across streaming devices, though delivery is probabilistic, not individual-level.
Streaming surpassed linear TV in total viewing share in July 2022 (Nielsen). CTV is one of the fastest-growing segments of programmatic advertising.
For B2B account-based marketing, CTV enables modeled account-level reach via identity graphs. Linear is suited to consumer awareness at national scale.
CTV Advertising Hub: What Is Connected TV Advertising? A Complete Guide for B2B Marketers | How to Target Specific Companies with Connected TV Ads in 2026
This comparison is for B2B marketing leaders evaluating TV advertising as a demand generation channel. CTV and linear TV differ in targeting precision, measurability, and cost structure. The core difference: CTV lets you target companies probabilistically using identity graphs; linear TV targets demographics and geographies. We will cover targeting, CPMs, measurability, buying complexity, and B2B fit, so you can decide where to allocate budget.
Quick Comparison: Connected TV vs Linear TV
Criterion | Connected TV (CTV) | Linear TV |
Targeting | Company, role, intent-based | Demographic, geographic |
Measurability | Account-level impressions logged | GRP estimates, panel-based |
CPM range | $20 to $50 | Varies by market and format |
Attribution | Modeled account-level (identity graph) | Demographic aggregate only |
Buying method | Programmatic (DSP) | Insertion orders per network |
Best for | B2B ABM, named account targeting | Consumer brand awareness at scale |
Pricing may change. Always check the latest details on the vendor's website.
About Connected TV
CTV is television delivered via the internet. Viewers watch through smart TVs, streaming sticks, and gaming consoles on platforms including Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and thousands of ad-supported FAST channels.
Advertisers buy CTV inventory programmatically through demand-side platforms (DSPs) that connect to streaming publishers. CTV ads can be targeted using data layers similar to digital display: third-party identity graphs, device matching, and modeled firmographic linkages. These linkages rely on probabilistic matching, not direct integrations with LinkedIn or verified company IP data.
CTV is one of the fastest-growing segments of programmatic advertising. Completion rates exceed 90% because most CTV environments do not allow viewers to skip mid-roll ads. DSPs that specialize in B2B CTV include MNTN and tvScientific. Platforms like 6sense launched B2B CTV targeting in late 2025, connecting intent signals to streaming inventory via identity graph matching.
About Linear TV
Linear TV is broadcast or cable television delivered on a fixed schedule. Advertisers buy airtime through insertion orders with networks or cable providers. Targeting is based on program demographics (the audience profile of viewers watching a specific show or channel) and geography (designated market areas, or DMAs).
There is no person-level data, no company-level targeting, and no real-time optimization once an insertion order is placed. Measurement is based on GRPs (Gross Rating Points): a reach-and-frequency metric that tells you how many people in a demographic group saw your ad a given number of times.
Linear TV is effective for reaching large, broad audiences at national or regional scale. For B2B advertisers trying to reach specific companies or job titles, linear TV offers no mechanism to do so.
CTV vs Linear TV: Targeting Precision
CTV: You can target using third-party identity graphs, modeled firmographic linkages, device graphs, and intent data signals from B2B platforms. A B2B advertiser can reach households probabilistically associated with a VP of Marketing profile at a 200-person industrial firm. Role-level targeting on CTV is inferred, not deterministic. Platforms like 6sense connect buyer intent data to CTV inventory, allowing increased ad frequency against accounts already showing in-market signals.
Linear TV: Targeting is demographic and geographic. An advertiser selects programs whose viewership indexes toward a target demographic and buys airtime in the relevant DMA. No company-level, role-level, or intent-based targeting is possible. If your ICP is a Director of Operations at a 50-person logistics firm, linear TV has no mechanism to approximate that profile.
Winner: CTV. B2B buying groups typically include 6 to 10 stakeholders (Gartner). CTV can probabilistically reach households associated with buying committee members. Linear TV cannot approximate company or role-level audiences at all.
CTV vs Linear TV: Measurability and Attribution
CTV: Because CTV is delivered over IP, every impression is logged. Advertisers can model reach at the company or account level using identity resolution, measure view-through rates, and connect CTV exposure to downstream pipeline activity. Platforms report which accounts were likely reached and how many times. This account-level attribution is modeled, not directly observed, but it is significantly more granular than linear TV measurement.
Linear TV: Measurement relies on GRPs, panel-based estimates from Nielsen or Comscore, and post-campaign surveys. Individual-level attribution to pipeline or revenue is not achievable with linear TV. Econometric modeling and market mix modeling can provide directional signals, but the data is demographic and aggregate, not account-level. Advertisers know approximately how many people in a demographic category saw their ad, not which companies they represent.
Winner: CTV. CTV produces modeled account-level reporting; linear TV produces estimated reach within a demographic segment. For B2B teams reporting pipeline contribution, CTV provides substantially more actionable data.
CTV vs Linear TV: CPM and Cost Efficiency
CTV CPMs range from $20 to $50, depending on audience targeting precision, inventory quality, and DSP. Premium inventory, such as live sports on streaming platforms, can reach CPMs above $50.
Linear TV CPMs vary widely: national broadcast primetime CPMs can exceed $30, while regional cable can fall below $10. Nominal CPM comparisons are misleading for B2B: CTV CPMs reflect modeled account-level impressions matched via identity resolution, while linear CPMs reflect estimated demographic reach only.
A $35 CTV CPM that reaches 1,000 modeled impressions against households associated with your target accounts is more efficient than a $15 linear CPM that reaches 1,000 viewers in the correct age and income bracket but from companies you cannot identify.
Pricing may change. Always check the latest details on the vendor's website.
Winner: CTV for B2B. Higher nominal CPMs, but modeled account-level reach via identity graphs makes the effective cost per relevant impression substantially lower than linear for B2B programs.
CTV vs Linear TV: Buying Complexity
CTV: Campaigns are bought programmatically through a DSP or a managed CTV platform such as MNTN or tvScientific. Setup involves audience definition, creative upload (typically 15 or 30-second video), and flight parameters. Most B2B CTV platforms offer self-serve or managed options. Minimum spend requirements vary by platform.
Linear TV: Most linear TV is bought through insertion orders with individual networks or cable operators. Each market requires a separate negotiation. Formats are standardized (30-second spots), but production, trafficking, and scheduling add operational complexity. Addressable and programmatic linear TV buying does exist through MVPDs and advanced TV platforms, but it is not universal and reach is more limited. Cancellation terms can be restrictive, and national campaigns require significantly larger minimum commitments than CTV programmatic campaigns.
Winner: CTV for most B2B budgets. Programmatic buying makes CTV more accessible for mid-market B2B teams than national linear campaigns.
CTV vs Linear TV: Fit for B2B Buying Cycles
B2B buying cycles are long. Mid-market deals typically take 3 to 12 months and involve multiple stakeholders who each form independent impressions of a vendor before a purchase decision.
CTV fits this model. Frequency capping across accounts, combined with programmatic display and LinkedIn outreach targeting the same individuals, creates a coordinated multi-channel presence. Hey Sid's Always On product runs person-level advertising across programmatic channels to maintain presence with named decision-makers throughout long buying cycles. Read more: B2B Programmatic Advertising: Complete Guide.
Linear TV fits single-touchpoint brand awareness. It does not support frequency targeting to specific companies, multi-touch attribution, or integration with sales outreach.
Winner: CTV for B2B buying cycles that require repeated, measurable exposure to specific buying committees over 3 to 12 months.
Who Should Choose Connected TV
B2B marketing teams running account-based marketing programs who need to reach named decision-makers at target accounts across their home streaming devices.
Companies with defined ICPs and target account lists who want to extend programmatic presence beyond display and social.
Mid-market B2B teams looking for measurable TV-format reach without national broadcast commitments.
Demand generation teams who want to coordinate TV-format ads with LinkedIn outreach and content as part of a multi-channel sequence.
Read more: B2B Display Advertising Channels, Targeting, and ROI Guide | B2B Advertising Channels and Strategy: What Works.
Who Should Choose Linear TV
Consumer brands running national awareness campaigns where demographic reach at scale is the goal.
B2B companies with very broad ICPs (any company in a given industry or region, regardless of size or role) for whom demographic targeting is sufficient.
Brands sponsoring live sports or tentpole programming where contextual association has strategic value.
Organizations with large broadcast budgets and a tolerance for panel-based measurement over pipeline attribution.
Verdict
For B2B marketers, CTV is the more measurable option. It reaches households associated with target accounts via probabilistic identity matching, logs impressions, and integrates with programmatic buying infrastructure you already use for display. Linear TV reaches a broad demographic audience with no company-level targeting and no account-level reporting.
If your goal is to reach buying committees at named accounts over a multi-month buying cycle with modeled account-level measurement, CTV is the format that gets you closer. Linear TV cannot approximate that.
Book a demo to see how Hey Sid runs person-level programmatic advertising, including CTV-format reach, against named buying committees.
FAQ
What is the difference between CTV and linear TV?
Connected TV (CTV) delivers video ads over the internet to viewers watching streaming platforms on smart TVs, streaming sticks, and other connected devices. Linear TV delivers ads through traditional broadcast or cable on a fixed schedule. The key functional difference for advertisers: CTV allows programmatic audience targeting including company-level and role-level data, while linear TV targets demographic segments and geographic markets only.
Can CTV be used for B2B advertising?
Yes. B2B advertisers can use CTV to probabilistically reach households associated with target companies, using third-party identity graphs and modeled firmographic linkages. Role-level targeting is inferred, not deterministic. Platforms like MNTN and tvScientific specialize in B2B and performance-focused CTV campaigns. 6sense launched B2B CTV targeting in late 2025, connecting intent signals to streaming inventory via identity graph matching.
How does CTV compare to linear TV on CPM?
CTV CPMs typically range from $20 to $50 for B2B-targeted inventory. Linear TV CPMs vary from below $10 for regional cable to above $30 for national primetime. Nominal CPM comparisons are misleading for B2B: CTV CPMs reflect verified account-level impressions, while linear CPMs reflect estimated demographic reach. For B2B teams with target account lists, effective cost per relevant impression is lower with CTV despite the higher sticker price.
Is linear TV advertising still relevant in 2026?
Linear TV remains relevant for consumer brands running national awareness campaigns at scale. Streaming surpassed linear TV in total viewing share in July 2022 (Nielsen), and that gap has continued to widen. For B2B advertisers, linear TV has limited utility because it cannot target specific companies, buying roles, or account-level audiences, and it does not produce the impression-level data needed for pipeline attribution.
What is OTT vs CTV?
OTT (over-the-top) refers to video content delivered via the internet, bypassing traditional cable or broadcast distribution. OTT spans all device types: mobile, desktop, tablet, and TV. CTV (connected TV) refers specifically to the television screen category: the internet-connected TV on which OTT content is viewed. In advertising, the terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same environment. CTV inventory is living-room screens only; OTT includes all internet-delivered video regardless of device.
Sources
Nielsen, "Streaming Claims Largest Piece of TV Viewing Pie in July"
Hey Sid, "B2B Display Advertising Channels, Targeting, and ROI Guide"
Hey Sid, "B2B Advertising Channels and Strategy: What Works"
CTV Advertising Hub: What Is Connected TV Advertising? A Complete Guide for B2B Marketers | How to Target Specific Companies with Connected TV Ads in 2026
