CTV vs Social Media Ads for Law Firms

CTV: 56% attention, lean-back viewing, brand building. Social: 30% attention, scroll-past behavior, retargeting. Different roles, not competitors.

Both CTV and social media reach large audiences. But they reach people in very different states. Different expectations. Different outcomes.

The Fundamental Difference

Option A

Option B

CTV: Lean-Back Viewing

Living room environment. Large screen, full attention. Sound on by default. Relaxed, receptive state. TV credibility context.

Social: Scroll-Through Mode

Mobile/desktop. Small screen, partial attention. Sound often off. Active, scanning state. Feed content context.

These different viewing states affect how your message is received.

Attention Comparison

CTV ATTENTION
56% attention rate Source: Decentriq
94-96% completion rates Source: IAB/Innovid
Sound-on default environment
Full message delivered every time
SOCIAL ATTENTION
1-3 sec to capture attention
Common scroll-past behavior
Sound-off typical viewing
Thumb-stop required to engage

CTV delivers your complete message. Social fights for fragments of attention. For PI firms where trust and credibility win cases, that difference matters.

Credibility Comparison

Option A

Option B

CTV Credibility

“I saw them on TV” carries weight. Television remains prestigious. Implies established, legitimate firm. Living room presence = credibility. Association with premium content.

Social Credibility

Social ads are… ads. Everyone advertises on social. Less prestige differentiation. Can feel intrusive. Lower trust environment.

For law firms where trust matters, CTV’s credibility advantage is significant.

Targeting Comparison

FactorCTVSocial (Meta)
LevelHouseholdIndividual
GeographicZip code precisionAddress-level possible
BehavioralAuto loans, workers’ comp, etc.Interests, demographics
Reach90% of U.S. householdsMassive user base
Privacy impactLess affectedReduced precision

Both offer sophisticated targeting. Social was historically stronger; privacy changes have narrowed the gap.

Cost Comparison

FactorCTVSocial (Meta)
Pricing modelCPMCPM or CPA
Typical CPM$35-50$8-20
Completion95%Varies widely
Cost per completed view$0.035-0.05Higher effective

Social CPMs are lower, but attention and completion rates affect effective cost.

Role in Marketing Mix

Option A

Option B

CTV Role

Primary awareness channel. Brand building. Demand creation. Television credibility. Full message delivery.

Social Role

Retargeting CTV audiences. Lower-funnel reinforcement. Specific campaigns (mass tort). Creative testing. Audience building.

How They Work Together

1

CTV Creates Awareness

Build broad awareness with TV-quality creative

2

Identify Exposed Households

Track which households saw your CTV ads

3

Retarget on Social

Show social ads to CTV-exposed households

4

Reinforce Across Devices

Multiple touchpoints build recognition

5

Capture When Ready

Convert when they’re ready to act

CTV-exposed households are 40% more likely to visit your website. Social retargeting can push that higher. See our multi-channel retargeting guide for implementation details.

Budget Allocation

BudgetCTVSocial
Under $20K/monthConsider social or save for CTV minimums
$20-40K/month80% CTV, 20% social retargeting
$40-75K/month75% CTV, 25% social
$75K+/month70% CTV, 30% social + other

CTV should generally be primary for law firms seeking awareness.

When Social Works Better

Use Social For

  • + Retargeting specific audiences
  • + Mass tort with specific demographics
  • + Very limited budget
  • + Testing creative concepts
  • + Building email/lead lists

Specific Social Uses for PI

Retargeting: Show ads to CTV-exposed households, reinforce across devices, lower cost frequency building

Mass Tort Recruitment: Specific demographic targeting, lead form integration, cost-effective for defined populations

Community Building: Organic presence, engagement (not lead gen), brand personality

Common Mistakes

MistakeProblem
Social instead of CTVUsing social as primary awareness when CTV is more effective
No retargetingRunning CTV without social follow-up, missing reinforcement
Same creativeCTV creative on social (or vice versa) doesn’t work
Ignoring soundCTV is sound-on, social is sound-off. Creative must adapt

The Bottom Line

For PI law firms:

CHANNEL ROLES
CTV primary awareness, TV credibility, full message
Social supporting role, retargeting, specific campaigns
Together coordinated multi-touch system

Prioritize CTV for brand building. Use social to extend and reinforce.

References