Glossary/CTV, Video & Audio/Instream Video
CTV, Video & Audio
Instream Video
Video ads that play inside a video player before, during, or after video content the viewer chose to watch.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Instream video refers to video ads that play inside a video player before, during, or after the video content a viewer chose to watch, known as pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll. Because viewers have intentionally started the content, instream ads typically achieve higher attention and completion rates than outstream formats.