Wurl, a leader in the streaming TV industry, published its latest iteration of The CTV Trends Report – a collection of data-driven insights into the forces shaping the connected TV (CTV) industry. This quarter’s report includes historic metrics on Session Lengths, Hours of Viewing, Ad Load, and Ad Fill Rates, uncovering key trends and opportunities for both content owners and advertisers to drive better business outcomes on the biggest screen in the home.
As CTV solidifies its position as a prominent force in media – now accounting for 41% of total TV time – the challenge for streamers and publishers has shifted to sustaining engagement and driving continued growth in the face of ongoing changes in media consumption. At the same time, with ad-supported models gaining traction and streaming TV set to be the fastest-growing ad spend category this year, advertisers are increasingly seeking to optimize their CTV strategies to drive greater ad effectiveness while streamers seek to enhance, rather than detract from, the viewer experience. Wurl’s latest report underscores this notable period of change and opportunity within the streaming ecosystem, with insights on how content owners and advertisers can capitalize on the industry’s momentum.
Key findings from this quarter’s report include:
- Session Lengths continue to plateau: While the Average Session Length grew in the fourth quarter of 2024, it has yet to fully recover from mid-2023 declines (Q3 2023 saw Average Session Length decrease by nearly 16% compared to the year before). Keeping audiences engaged for longer remains an opportunity, and a challenge, for publishers and streamers.
- Hours of Viewing (HOV) hold steady: Q1 2025 is on track to see a modest 3% increase in HOV versus last quarter. Still, overall momentum has slowed in recent years despite a surge in content and growth in streaming audiences overall.
- Ad Load has stabilized: Ad Load continues to sit at around 9 minutes per hour on CTV, significantly lower than the 15-minute Ad Load seen on linear television. As ad-supported models – and specifically FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) – continue to gain momentum, there’s room for streamers and publishers to reap additional revenue through increased monetization.
- Ad Fill Rates continue to be impacted by the surge in supply: Ad Fill Rates are trending lower overall as CTV supply outpaces advertiser demand. Better data strategies and innovative advertising techniques will be key in driving improved monetization and ad delivery.
“The CTV market is maturing and how viewers consume content is changing,” said Dave Bernath, General Manager, Americas at Wurl. “While streaming TV has established itself as a primary viewing destination, it hasn’t reached its full potential – with overall growth leveling off in terms of both time spent and monetization. 2025 will be a year of reckoning for many – publishers and streamers must seek new ways to reach, engage, and monetize viewers, while advertisers need to rely on better data and targeting strategies to drive more effective outcomes.”
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