CTV vs Social Media Ads: Lets Explore What Works Best for Your Healthcare Brand

Let’s get real. Healthcare marketing isn’t about likes or follows anymore. It’s about driving real action—appointments booked, checkups completed, and trust built.

So when it comes to digital channels, which works better: CTV vs social media ads?

Short answer: CTV builds stronger, long-term engagement.

But let’s break it down.

Here at Adomantra, we've been in the digital trenches for years, witnessing the ebb and flow of marketing trends. We've partnered with numerous healthcare organizations, navigating the complexities of online marketing—from regulatory hurdles to the ever-evolving patient journey. And what we're seeing is pretty clear: CTV advertising is opening up a whole new level of meaningful connection that often surpasses the fleeting interactions on social platforms.

Let’s explore why Connected TV is winning the race!

The Rise of Connected TV in Healthcare

CTV—Connected TV—is redefining how healthcare marketers reach patients and caregivers. Whether it’s through Smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire Stick, or platforms like Netflix and Hulu, CTV brings TV content directly through the internet, bypassing traditional broadcast channels.

Why Should Healthcare Marketers Care?

CTV isn’t just another screen—it’s a full-screen, lean-back experience. Viewers are more engaged, and unlike digital banner ads or even mobile videos, CTV content is unskippable, high-impact, and immersive.

This format is particularly powerful for healthcare messaging, which requires attention, credibility, and emotional connection.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

• Over 230 million Americans use Connected TV, and the number is growing (Statista).
• CTV ads have a 95% video completion rate, indicating high viewability (Innovid).
• CTV consistently outperforms mobile in video completion rates, often exceeding 90% (Mountain Research).
• CTV advertising leads to higher brand recall, with studies reporting up to 20% lift (Simulmedia).

In an industry where trust and clarity are critical, CTV advertising offers the kind of storytelling canvas that brands need. 

What Does Success Look Like?

A recent CTV campaign, managed by Adomantra, illustrates the potential.

A prominent healthcare network aimed to increase awareness around its advanced cancer treatment programs. The goal wasn’t just reach—it was relevance, retention, and resonance.

Through a combination of:

• Audience targeting powered by health behaviour data,
• Custom creatives optimised for lean-back viewing, and
• Precise attribution modeling across devices,
   

We helped the brand achieve:

• 28% lift in brand recall among a CTV-exposed audience
• 32% higher completion rate compared to prior mobile campaigns
• A significant uptick in search activity around the treatment centres within two weeks of the campaign

The campaign didn’t just push a message—it influenced intent and behaviour.

Social Media in Healthcare: Still Relevant, But…

Social media marketing is still part of the puzzle. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook allow for quick reach, storytelling through reels, and patient testimonials.

But there’s a downside.

Scroll fatigue is real.

People mindlessly swipe past posts. And healthcare ads often face strict approvals or algorithm limitations. According to WordStream, healthcare ads average a 0.90% click-through rate on Facebook.

Plus, misinformation and ad blockers make it hard to build trust.

So while social media ads for hospitals work for brand awareness or community building, they often lack the deep engagement CTV offers.

CTV vs Social Media Ads: Who Engages Better?

Let’s talk about healthcare ad engagement. Not views. Not likes. Meaningful interaction.

Did you know

• CTV campaigns delivers stronger brand lift than social media
• 52% of viewers take action after seeing a CTV ad (Magnite)
   

Compare that to Instagram Stories where retention drops after 2–3 slides.

Example: We helped a hospital chain run a CTV-first campaign for heart health awareness. The result?

• 34% lift in appointment bookings
• 3.2x video completion rate vs. Instagram
• 40% rise in branded search traffic
   

This shows how patient engagement through ads on CTV is not just possible—it’s scalable.

Let’s Talk Performance and Cost

Yes, CTV costs more. But what’s your ROI?

Traditional CPMs on Facebook may be low, but so is the attention span. You pay less, but you get less.

CTV lets you deliver:

• Unskippable storytelling
• Retargeting across devices
• Geo-specific messaging
   

Digital marketing for healthcare providers must focus on channels that offer high-quality engagement—and CTV delivers.

When Social Works Better

Not all campaigns are alike. If you’re:

• Running local health camps
• Launching new health products
• Sharing educational short videos
   

Then social media is still valuable.

The trick is knowing how to combine both.

At Adomantra, we often use CTV to build trust, then retarget on social media to convert. This funnel works brilliantly across healthcare categories.

Adomantra Knows What Works

We’ve worked with many healthcare brands. From hospital launches to health app promotions, we bring:

• Cross-platform expertise
• Compliance-first creative
• ROI-focused execution
   

Whether it’s storytelling via healthcare video advertising trends, or campaign performance via integrated planning, we do it all.

Want proof? Here’s what we’ve delivered:

• 5x increase in appointment bookings for a diagnostic chain
• 2x retention on patient wellness videos via CTV
• 50% drop in cost per lead by integrating Connected TV healthcare campaigns

That’s how Adomantra turns insight into impact.

Final Verdict: Which Is Better?

Best ad platforms for healthcare will always vary by campaign goals.

Think of CTV as your brand trust builder, and social media as your conversion amplifier.

Together, they make your healthcare campaign complete.

But if you’re only choosing one to drive real engagement?

CTV wins. Every time.

Ready to Scale Smarter?

Let’s stop chasing vanity metrics. Let’s drive performance that matters.

Talk to Adomantra. We combine strategy, storytelling, and scale to help your healthcare brand grow.

We’ve done it for others. We can do it for you.