Connected TV (CTV) isn’t just an afterthought. It’s quickly becoming a critical part of marketers’ toolkits. In the U.S., streaming now represents a significant share of how audiences watch television. In May 2026, streaming accounted for 48.6% of total TV watch-time in the U.S., according to Nielsen. The advertising opportunity is also significant: 72.4% of U.S. TV viewing was ad-supported in Q1 2025, with streaming accounting for 42.4% of ad-supported viewing.
For marketers, the opportunity goes beyond reaching audiences on the biggest screen in the home. CTV can also help brands connect exposure to action.
Do you want to capitalize on CTV's growth? Cross-screen retargeting is the secret weapon for every CTV marketer. Here’s why: Today’s consumers are multi-screen users. A promo seen on the big screen can be reinforced with a mobile ‘buy now’ offer. A product browsed on mobile can reappear during streaming.
By connecting CTV and mobile experiences within the household, advertisers can reinforce their message and create a clearer path from attention to action. This article breaks down what CTV retargeting is, why it’s so effective, how to level it up with smarter data, and how to get started. Let’s dive in.
At its core, CTV retargeting is the practice of reaching the same user across CTV and mobile devices within the same household. Let’s say someone watches your ad on their CTV, you can then serve a follow-up offer to their mobile device later that day.
In simple terms, you can:
- Retarget Mobile users on CTV: a user downloads your app, browses your app, then sees your ad on their smart TV to finish their purchase.
- Retarget CTV viewers on Mobile: a user sees your TV ad, then receives a reminder on their phone with a CTA: get the app, book the holiday, etc.
The magic happens through household sync and audience mapping. With these tools, platforms like mediasmart can match devices in the same household and help advertisers synchronize CTV ads with connected mobile devices. This not only reinforces your message, but it also drives higher recall and conversions.
Here’s what makes CTV retargeting so powerful:
Users are more engaged with CTV than other digital formats. The ads are full-screen, non-skippable, and part of the viewing experience. Completion rates most of the time exceed 90%, meaning your message is seen in full.
CTV combines the storytelling power of television with the targeting and measurement capabilities of digital advertising. As U.S. audiences continue shifting toward streaming, the opportunity keeps growing. Streaming represented 48.6% of total U.S. TV watch-time in May 2026, highlighting how central streaming has become to television consumption.
Mobile users are primed to click, install, or search. That’s why pairing CTV with mobile creates a high-performing combo. A study by Adjust showed that 29% of app installs (out of 2.7 billion) were assisted by a CTV ad seen earlier in the journey.
Campaigns that sync messages across CTV and mobile see up to 8.7× higher brand recall and 11.2× more consideration, according to LGAds. When users see your message on multiple screens, they remember and act on it.
With mediasmart, you can track it all. From CTV impressions to Mobile app installs, website visits, and even physical store visits using real-time location data. No more black box.
The power of retargeting grows exponentially when you combine it with location intelligence. Here’s how:
Set virtual boundaries around your stores (or your competitor’s) and trigger mobile ads when someone enters the area.
Track foot traffic to your stores, malls, or high-traffic zones. Retarget those users later at home on CTV, or while commuting with DOOH. You can even exclude users who’ve already converted, saving your budget.
Dynamically adjust creatives in real-time based on weather, language, or content preferences. Show cold-weather products when it’s raining. Use regional languages for local CTV placements. Our dynamic creative optimization makes this easy.
If you’re new to cross-screen retargeting, here’s how to get going:
1. Define your goal
Are you trying to increase app installs? Drive web traffic? Bring people into a store? Your strategy starts here.
2. Build your audience
Retarget users based on previous CTV exposure or use first-party data like mobile IDs or location data to create precise segments.
3. Sync your message
Don’t blast the same ad everywhere. Build a story. Use CTV to introduce or reinforce your message, then use mobile to give consumers an easy way to take the next step.
4. Measure impact and optimize in real-time beyond clicks
Clicks are just one part of the story. Use tools like mediasmart to measure incremental store visits, app opens, and assisted conversions, metrics that show real business impact.
CTV grabs the spotlight: big screen, full attention. And retargeting? That’s where things move.
Picture this: someone sees your ad while streaming their favorite show. Later, they’re scrolling on their phone, and there you are again, but this time with a timely offer or a nudge to take action. It’s not just a second impression; it’s a second chance to connect, convert, and close the loop.
CTV gives brands a powerful environment for storytelling, while retargeting helps turn that attention into measurable action. A consumer sees your ad while streaming content on their TV and later receives a relevant message on their mobile device with a simple next step. Instead of treating the CTV impression as the end of the interaction, marketers can use it as the beginning of a more actionable customer journey.
As streaming continues to capture a growing share of U.S. television viewing, marketers have an opportunity to make every CTV impression work harder.
Want to see how it works for your brand? Contact us to start today.