Chapter 9: Exploring Viewers' Engagement With Advertisements on Over-the-Top (OTT) Platforms: A Systematic Literature Review

With the rise of OTT platforms, understanding viewers' behaviour and preferences has become crucial for brands and marketers. Existing research on user behaviour towards OTT platforms is fragmented and inconsistent. While a lot of research is done on OTT-adoption and usage intention, there is very little work done on viewers' engagement and interaction with OTT advertisements. This study fills this gap by evaluating how advertising relevance, distinctive and captivating contents, and Calls-to-Action affect viewers' engagement. Following the Qualitative Synthesis Review Methodology which reviews qualitative research articles systematically and transparently using PRISMA framework, this study takes a systematic and transparent approach to assessing current qualitative research papers. This review using a qualitative review synthesis, presents the first SLR in this specific context, and examines 42 papers published between 2019 and 2023, providing thorough evaluation of the status of knowledge. The findings emphasize the new use of AI-driven recommendations to boost OTT-advertisements’ viewership, necessity of exploring how AI-algorithms and methodologies improve recommendation accuracy and customization. This review will make significant contributions across multiple dimensions, proving invaluable for various stakeholders. The study will advance theoretical understanding by synthesizing and critiquing existing research, serving as a foundation for subsequent empirical inquiries. Methodologically rigorous, it will provide a benchmark for future studies, enhancing research quality. The review's conclusions can be applied by industry professionals, advertisers, and marketers, so they use research's findings to design and develop effective OTT-friendly advertising campaigns that resonate with OTT-viewers and maximize engagement.