Self-Serve CTV vs Managed Service

Self-serve: 10-15% fees, 10-15 hours/week, no search integration. Managed: 15-25% fees, full attribution. Choose based on budget and internal expertise.

You can buy CTV yourself through self-serve platforms. Or you can work with managed service partners who handle everything. The right choice depends on your resources, expertise, and goals.

Self-Serve CTV Platforms

What they are: Platforms where you directly access CTV inventory, set targeting, manage budgets, and run campaigns yourself.

Examples: StackAdapt, Basis (formerly Centro), The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP, direct publisher tools (Roku, Hulu)

How it works:

  1. You sign up for platform access
  2. Upload creative assets
  3. Set targeting parameters
  4. Define budget and bidding
  5. Launch and manage campaigns
  6. Monitor and optimize

Managed Service Partners

What they are: Agencies or platforms that handle CTV strategy, buying, optimization, and reporting on your behalf.

Examples: MNTN, Tatari, full-service agencies with CTV capabilities

How it works:

  1. Partner develops strategy based on your goals
  2. They build targeting and audiences
  3. They manage creative requirements
  4. They run campaigns and optimize
  5. They provide reporting and insights
  6. You review performance and provide direction

Self-Serve Advantages

SELF-SERVE BENEFITS
10-15% platform fees vs 15-25% managed
Real-time direct control over all decisions
Immediate changes without agency delays
Internal expertise building for your team

Savings example: On $50K monthly media, self-serve costs ~$55K total vs. managed at ~$60K.

Self-Serve Disadvantages

SELF-SERVE CHALLENGES
Complex audience building, inventory, frequency management
10-15 hrs/week time commitment for effective management
Basic attribution, often no multi-touch or CRM
No integration with search (75% of viewers search after ads)

Without expertise, you’ll make expensive mistakes. For why search integration matters, see Self-Serve CTV Without Search Fails.

Managed Service Advantages

MANAGED SERVICE BENEFITS
Expertise years of experience, optimization playbooks
Time savings you approve, they execute everything else
Full attribution verified visits, multi-touch, CRM integration
Search coordination CTV + search timing and protection

CTV accounted for 38% of impressions but 63% of attributable conversions when properly measured. You need that attribution to see the true picture. Without it, CTV looks like it doesn’t work when it’s actually outperforming.

Managed Service Disadvantages

MANAGED SERVICE TRADEOFFS
+10-15% management fees on media spend
Less control changes go through account team
Dependency results depend on partner execution
Alignment risk some agencies prioritize their metrics

Decision Framework

Option A

Option B

Choose Self-Serve

Internal expertise available with 10-15 hrs/week. Budget is experimental ($5-15K/month). You want maximum control and complete transparency. Acceptable to learn through mistakes.

Choose Managed

No programmatic expertise on team. Integration matters (CTV + search + CRM). Budget justifies fees ($25K+/month). You want accountability and someone to push when performance lags.

Hybrid Approaches

Some firms combine:

Self-serve for testing: Run small experiments to learn creative/targeting concepts

Managed for scale: Hand proven concepts to managed partner for execution

Self-serve for specific campaigns: Handle simple retargeting internally

Managed for core program: Let experts run primary CTV campaigns

Questions to Ask Managed Partners

  1. “What’s your fee structure?” (Flat fee vs. percentage vs. hidden markup)
  2. “How do you handle search coordination?” (Should be included or integrated)
  3. “What attribution do you provide?” (Verified visits minimum, multi-touch preferred)
  4. “How often do we meet?” (Weekly or bi-weekly at meaningful budget levels)
  5. “What happens if performance lags?” (Clear process for optimization)

For managed service expectations, see the CTV advertising guide.

The Taqtics Model

We operate as a managed service with full integration:

  • CTV + search coordinated
  • Attribution to case level
  • Market exclusivity included
  • Creative production available
  • Weekly performance reviews

Self-serve doesn’t provide the integration that makes CTV effective for law firms.

References