Today, 89% of viewers have streaming services with ads, with many reporting it’s because of the value that ad-supported models offer when it comes to accessing great content at more affordable prices.1 With viewers further embracing ad-supported video as the way to access the content they love, it’s more important than ever to understand what they expect from their streaming ad experiences.
What better way to do this than to ask viewers themselves. The FreeWheel Viewer Experience Lab, along with Dynata, conducted custom research to discover the sentiment of today’s viewers and uncover insights on the role advertising plays.
Here is what viewers in the U.S. said is working, what needs improvement, and where the greatest opportunity lies for streaming TV advertising.
WHAT’S WORKING:
Live events
When it comes down to it, content is what drives audiences’ satisfaction with streaming; 74% of viewers say they enjoy the availability of content they like to watch.1 And with 46% of fans saying they signed up for a service recently to watch a specific sport or sporting event, streaming is delivering against a big appetite for live sports.2
But live events on streaming bring added complexities including unexpected surges in viewership, lagging internet, and more, which can all negatively impact the viewer experience if not executed properly. With more live sports content moving to streaming, leading players in the industry are rolling out standard protocols to ensure the infrastructure can support smooth delivery.
And it’s working. Research found that live viewers are +21% more likely to say ads fit in seamlessly with content than the viewers of episodic content and only 12% report experiencing delays or lags when watching live content on streaming.1
As live events and sports on streaming become the norm, the industry must continue to invest in the technology and delivery systems so that the viewer experience remains positive.
WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT:
Ad repetition and relevancy
Ad repetition continues to be an issue, especially in streaming where it’s +24% more likely for AVOD subscribers than traditional TV viewers, with 45% of subscribers saying they see the same ad multiple times in one break.1 This can happen when advertisers don’t enable frequency capping, especially if working across multiple platforms. To address this, advertisers and publishers should work with their partners to enable smarter frequency capping, which will benefit both viewers and the brands themselves.
Targeting on streaming has advanced, but many viewers still feel ad relevance hasn’t fully caught up, signaling clear opportunities for improvement already underway. When ads miss the mark, they can feel disruptive, but increasing relevance can change that quickly: relevant ads drive 2X more engagement and stronger consumer action.3
Solutions like contextual alignment, or aligning elements of the ad creative with the program content, are privacy-centric tools that help brands boost relevance, resonance, and results.
WHERE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY:
AI beyond creative development
As AI becomes more embedded in people’s lives, viewers report being open to it playing a role in their ad experiences. While two-thirds say they are open to AI helping to decide which ads are shown during content, fewer are open to the technology being used to actually create the ads they are seeing.1
There continues to be a bit of hesitance from audiences – as well as advertisers – when it comes to AI, but it’s up to the industry to ensure these innovations are delivering real value, not only to make TV advertising more accessible to advertisers, but to make it more trustworthy for viewers.
The success of streaming depends on the voice of the viewer
While viewers are generally satisfied with their streaming today, both advertisers and publishers have important roles to play in ensuring that the industry is delivering the best possible ad experiences. This will not only allow audiences to continue enjoying the content they love but will better enable brands to connect with them through high-quality, impactful moments.
To learn more about how U.S. viewers feel about today’s streaming ad experiences, download the full report here.
Sources:
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- FreeWheel Viewer Experience Lab, Voice of the Viewer: How Ad Experiences Impact Streaming for U.S. Viewers, March 2026.
- Comcast Advertising, Behind the Remote: A Deep Dive into Sports Viewership and Fandom, June 2024.
- FreeWheel Viewer Experience Lab, Making the Ad Experience More Relevant, January 2024.
