Skip to content
The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryCTV, Video & AudioPre-Roll, Mid-Roll, and Post-Roll

CTV, Video & Audio

Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, and Post-Roll

Video or audio ads that play before, during, or after the content, respectively; mid-rolls usually earn the highest completion rates.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll are video or audio ads that play before, during, or after the main content, respectively. Placement affects performance: mid-rolls usually earn the highest completion rates because viewers are already invested, while post-rolls often see the lowest. Publishers price and package these positions differently.