NEW YORK—The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today released a new industry guide that discusses the urgency of adopting new standards that will help advertisers better measure ads run on connected TV (CTV).
“The Role of CAPI in Closing the Outcome Gap for CTV,” recommends that the advertising industry adopt so-called “Conversion APIs (CAPI)” that help advertisers determine the effectiveness of their ads on CTV.
CAPIs are a form of "digital bridge" that use server-to-server data sharing to help advertisers determine what ads prompt viewers to take further action after viewing them. Instead of relying on browser cookies or personal tracking, CAPIs let advertisers and platforms securely connect data behind the scenes to measure which ads drive real actions.
Designed for brands, agencies, publishers, and ad tech partners, the report explores how CAPIs can standardize measurement, enable privacy-safe data collaboration, and help the CTV ecosystem deliver performance outcomes like channels such as search and social.
“The industry has been very consistent with advertisers signaling loud and clear that outcomes matter,” said David Cohen, CEO, IAB. “This report is a call to action. Without standardization and implementation of CAPI, CTV platforms will struggle to reach their full potential, and will lose performance budgets to more measurable channels.”
The IAB guide, based on industry research and insights, outlines a clear path for standardized CAPI adoption to help CTV deliver the same accountability and performance measurement advertisers expect from other channels.
Establishing CTV as a Performance-Driven Channel Through CAPI
While CTV is one of the fastest-growing advertising channels, IAB says it remains one of the hardest to measure. CAPI implementation in CTV has been inconsistent due to fragmentation, limited identifiers, and technical barriers. Yet when implemented correctly, CAPI enables secure, server-to-server data sharing that connects ad exposure to outcomes—unlocking smarter campaign optimization. Standardizing this approach across CTV can:
- Create parity between CTV and established performance channels
- Restore advertiser confidence through accurate, privacy-safe measurement
- Unlock cross-channel optimization and faster feedback loops
- Support industry-wide collaboration around data interoperability
“Advertisers want streaming, and they need accountability," said Jamie Finstein, Vice President, Media Center, IAB. “A standardized CAPI is how CTV can deliver both.”
IAB Survey
In preparation for the report, IAB conducted a proprietary industry survey to gain insights from brands, agencies, publishers, and technology leaders of all sizes about what the industry must do next to unlock the full performance promise of CTV.
The findings reveal that while 75% of advertisers using a CAPI are willing to reallocate budgets based on conversion performance, 72% of publishers cite technical complexity as a barrier to adoption. Respondents revealed issues with the CTV ecosystem’s fragmentation, limited identifiers, and lack of engagement signals compared to social and search.
The results reinforced the urgency for collaboration and standardization across the CTV ecosystem. The guide, a strategic imperative, is a call to action for advertisers and platforms to unite around a common framework for data collaboration and outcome measurement, and provides practical guidance for implementing a CAPI across diverse platforms and partners.
The real opportunity lies in establishing a shared framework where platforms align on event taxonomies, consent metadata, and data flows, according to IAB. This alignment will reduce operational complexity for advertisers and make solutions like IAB Tech Lab’s CAPI Standardization Project scalable across the ecosystem. Designed to go beyond simple conversion tracking, IAB Tech Lab’s specification aims to support a wide range of events that advertisers rely on to optimize performance and measure ROI, the organization said.
Finstein concluded, “With this guide, we invite the industry to move forward together. By offering a practical roadmap grounded in data and cross-industry input, IAB aims to accelerate scalable CAPI adoption — ensuring that CTV can meet rising demand for performance, accountability, and trust.”
Click here to access The Role of CAPI in Closing the Outcome Gap for CTV, available for download at iab.com.
