CTV vs YouTube Ads: Which is Better for Lawyers?

Both channels put video in front of potential clients. But the experience, attention, and outcomes differ significantly.

Here's how to think about the choice — and why most firms shouldn't choose at all.

The Core Difference

CTV (Connected TV):

• Big screen, lean-back viewing
• Non-skippable ads
• 95%+ completion rates
• Premium content environment
• $25-35 CPM typical

YouTube:

• Mostly mobile/desktop viewing
• Skippable ads (usually)
• 20-40% completion on skippable
• User-generated + premium content
• $15-25 CPM typical

The fundamental distinction: CTV is television advertising with digital targeting. YouTube is digital advertising that sometimes appears on TVs.

Attention and Completion

CTV Attention Metrics

Metric	CTV Performance
Completion rate	95%+
Screen size	Large (TV)
Viewing context	Lean-back, relaxed
Multi-tasking	Lower
Sound on	Almost always

CTV ads run full-screen, non-skippable, in content people chose to watch. The viewer has committed to watching — they're on the couch, remote in hand, engaged with programming.

YouTube Attention Metrics

Metric	YouTube Performance
Completion rate (skippable)	20-40%
Completion rate (non-skip)	90%+
Primary device	Mobile (70%+)
Viewing context	Active browsing
Multi-tasking	Higher
Sound on	Often off on mobile

YouTube's skippable TrueView ads let viewers skip after 5 seconds. Most do. Non-skippable bumper ads (6 seconds) and in-stream ads perform better but limit creative options.

The Attention Gap

YouTube reaches more people. CTV reaches people more effectively.

A 30-second CTV ad that's watched completely delivers your full message. A YouTube ad skipped at 5 seconds delivers... your logo, maybe.

Effective reach comparison:

• 100,000 CTV impressions × 95% completion = 95,000 completed views
• 100,000 YouTube impressions × 30% completion = 30,000 completed views

You need 3x the YouTube impressions to match CTV's completed view volume.

Cost Comparison

Raw CPM

Platform	Typical CPM	Notes
CTV (premium)	$35-45	Hulu, Peacock, Netflix
CTV (mid-tier)	$25-35	Prime Video, general streaming
CTV (FAST)	$15-25	Tubi, Pluto TV
YouTube CTV	$25-30	YouTube on TV screens
YouTube (general)	$15-25	All devices

YouTube looks cheaper on CPM. But CPM doesn't account for completion.

Cost Per Completed View

Platform	CPM	Completion	Effective CPCV
CTV	$30	95%	$0.032
YouTube (skippable)	$20	30%	$0.067
YouTube (non-skip)	$25	90%	$0.028

When you factor completion rates, the cost gap narrows significantly. CTV's "expensive" CPM delivers efficiently because people actually watch.

Targeting Capabilities

YouTube Targeting

YouTube's Google integration provides sophisticated targeting:

• Demographics: Age, gender, household income, parental status
• Interests: Affinity audiences, in-market audiences
• Custom intent: People who searched specific terms on Google
• Remarketing: People who visited your website
• Similar audiences: Lookalikes of your converters
• Placement: Specific channels or videos

The custom intent targeting is powerful — reach people who searched "car accident lawyer" on Google, then show them video ads on YouTube.

CTV Targeting

CTV targeting varies by platform but generally includes:

• Demographics: Age, gender, household income
• Geography: DMA, zip code, radius
• Behavioral: Purchase data, lifestyle segments
• Contextual: Content genre, daypart
• First-party: Platform-specific data (Amazon purchase behavior, etc.)

CTV can't match YouTube's search intent targeting. But platforms like Amazon (Freevee/Prime Video) offer purchase behavior data that YouTube lacks.

Targeting Winner

YouTube wins on targeting precision, especially for retargeting and search intent signals. CTV wins on attention per impression delivered.

Screen and Context

The TV Screen Advantage

CTV ads appear on the largest screen in the house. This matters for:

• Credibility: TV advertising signals legitimacy
• Visibility: Larger creative canvas
• Attention: Harder to ignore than mobile
• Environment: Premium content adjacency

YouTube's Screen Reality

Despite YouTube CTV growth, most YouTube viewing is mobile:

• 70%+ of YouTube watch time is mobile/desktop
• Mobile viewing often happens with sound off
• Smaller screen = less visual impact
• Easier to scroll away or multitask

YouTube CTV (YouTube on TV screens) delivers better attention but represents a minority of YouTube inventory.

Use Case Comparison

When CTV Wins

Brand building: You want people to remember your firm name when they need a lawyer. CTV's completed views and TV-screen presence build recognition more effectively than skipped mobile ads.

Market awareness: Launching in a new market or building presence against established competitors. CTV's frequency and completion create awareness YouTube skips undermine.

Premium positioning: Your brand matters. Appearing alongside prestige content (Hulu originals, NFL games) signals quality in ways YouTube pre-roll doesn't.

Older demographics: Adults 45+ over-index on streaming TV and under-index on YouTube. CTV reaches them where they actually watch.

When YouTube Wins

Retargeting: Someone visited your website. Now show them video ads across YouTube. This warm-audience targeting drives high intent at reasonable cost.

Search intent: Reach people who searched legal terms on Google. Custom intent audiences let you target based on demonstrated need.

Younger demographics: Adults 18-34 live on YouTube. If your practice serves younger clients, YouTube reaches them.

Budget constraints: At $5K/month, YouTube goes further than CTV. Lower CPMs and flexible budgets make testing accessible.

Direct response: YouTube's click-to-website capability supports direct response campaigns. CTV is pure awareness with no click path.

The Integration Argument

Smart firms don't choose — they integrate.

How They Work Together

CTV builds, YouTube converts:

• CTV creates broad awareness in your market
• YouTube retargets website visitors with video
• Warm leads see consistent messaging across screens

Frequency across screens:

• Viewer sees CTV ad on their TV
• Same viewer sees YouTube ad on their phone
• Multiple touchpoints reinforce the message

Funnel coverage:

• CTV: Top of funnel (awareness)
• YouTube custom intent: Mid-funnel (interest)
• YouTube retargeting: Bottom-funnel (consideration)

Budget Allocation Example

For a $30K monthly video budget:

Channel	Allocation	Purpose
CTV	$20K (67%)	Brand awareness, market presence
YouTube retargeting	$5K (17%)	Convert website visitors
YouTube custom intent	$5K (17%)	Reach legal searchers

This approach uses each channel's strength: CTV for attention-rich awareness, YouTube for targeting precision.

Platform-Specific Considerations

YouTube CTV

YouTube on TV screens (via smart TVs, streaming devices) delivers CTV-like attention with YouTube's targeting. If you're choosing between platforms:

• YouTube CTV: Better targeting, Google data integration
• Traditional CTV: Better content adjacency, broader streaming reach

YouTube Shorts

6-second vertical videos reaching mobile-first audiences. Different creative requirements, different metrics. Worth testing for younger PI demographics.

CTV Sports

Live sports on streaming (NFL on Peacock, UFC on Paramount+) commands premium attention. YouTube can't match live sports inventory.

Measurement Differences

CTV Attribution

• View-through website visits
• Branded search lift
• Direct traffic increase
• Halo effect on other channels

CTV attribution is modeled and estimated. You won't see "clicked ad → called" tracking.

YouTube Attribution

• View-through conversions
• Click-through conversions
• Website visit tracking
• Google Ads integration

YouTube's Google integration provides clearer attribution paths, especially for website-focused campaigns.

The Bottom Line

Choose CTV when:

• Brand building is the primary goal
• Completion rates matter more than CPM
• Premium content adjacency has value
• Audience skews 35+
• Budget supports $15K+/month

Choose YouTube when:

• Retargeting website visitors
• Reaching legal searchers (custom intent)
• Budget is limited (under $10K/month)
• Audience skews younger
• Direct response metrics required

Choose both when:

• Budget supports diversified video ($25K+)
• You want full-funnel coverage
• Building awareness while capturing intent
• Maximizing frequency across screens

The channels aren't competitors — they're complements. CTV builds the awareness that YouTube converts.

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Planning your video advertising strategy? Let's discuss channel mix for your specific goals and budget.