Television remains one of the most powerful mediums for building brand awareness and reaching your audience. But national TV advertising can be expensive for small businesses. Local TV advertising offers a cost-effective, targeted solution that can help you reach the right audience, maximize impact, and meet your business goals.
The history of local TV advertising
Local TV advertising dates back to the early days of television in the 1940s, when local businesses began using the medium to reach regional audiences. As TV ownership grew, local stations offered affordable ad spots, allowing small businesses to promote their products and services alongside national brands. Local TV ads became a staple for community businesses, enabling business owners to leverage television’s credibility and impressive reach to connect with the local market and build brand loyalty.
Why TV ads still make sense
Despite the rise of digital platforms, TV remains a powerful way to reach broad audiences. Television allows businesses to deliver impactful, visually engaging messages that resonate with viewers. TV ads also provide access to specific demographics through targeted programming, making them ideal for both mass-market and local campaigns.
Television platforms
When planning your advertising strategy, it's essential to understand the different television platforms available. Each platform offers unique advantages and reaches specific audiences, so choosing the right one for your business will maximize your campaign’s effectiveness.
Linear TV
Linear TV refers to the traditional television format where programs are broadcast at specific times on a set schedule. Viewers tune in to watch shows as they air, making it ideal for advertisers who want to reach audiences in real time, particularly during popular events like live sports or prime-time shows. Linear TV includes both broadcast and cable channels.
Broadcast
Broadcast television includes the major networks—such as ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX—that are freely available to anyone with an antenna. These TV networks reach a wide, diverse national audience and are often the go-to for ads on the networks' local affiliates, especially in smaller markets. Broadcast TV offers high visibility and the opportunity to connect with viewers during news segments, popular series, and community-focused programming.
Cable
Cable TV provides a more segmented audience through specialized channels such as ESPN, HGTV, and CNN. While cable often requires a subscription, it allows advertisers to target niche audiences based on the types of shows or genres viewers follow. Cable TV ads allow businesses to focus on their regional audience without the high costs associated with most national ad campaigns.
Connected TV (CTV)
Connected TV (CTV) allows viewers to stream content on demand via internet-connected devices such as smart TVs, Roku, and Amazon Fire Stick. CTV blends the best of digital and TV advertising, offering precise targeting options and the ability to reach cord-cutters who no longer rely on traditional TV. In addition, connected TV ads are often non-skippable, ensuring higher viewer retention and engagement.
Benefits of local TV advertising
Local TV advertising continues to be a powerful tool for businesses looking to grow and build their brand. By being strategic with TV ads, you can reach a well-defined audience, improve your credibility, and create an impactful multimedia experience. Here’s a closer look at the benefits.
Targets a precise audience
Local TV advertising allows you to focus on a specific audience, ensuring your message reaches the right people. You can target viewers based on demographic data, location, and interests for highly focused ad campaigns that resonate with the people most likely to engage with your brand.
Whether you're trying to reach viewers in your local area or target a particular demographic segment within your region, the precision that comes with local TV spots ensures your advertising dollars are well spent.
Offers cost-effective options
Many stations offer cost-effective options tailored to small and mid-sized businesses. You can choose from various formats and pricing structures that fit your budget, whether short 15-second spots during high-traffic times or longer 30-second ads during off-peak hours.
By selecting your time slots and targeting your audience effectively, you can maximize your return on investment without overspending. Additionally, many local stations offer bundled advertising packages that include online or social media support, giving you a broader reach for a lower overall cost.
Boosts your credibility
Being on television inherently lends your business a level of authority and professionalism that’s hard to achieve through other advertising channels. This credibility boost can help local businesses looking to engage audiences and establish a strong reputation in their community.
A well-produced TV commercial shows that your business is established, reputable, and ready to meet the needs of its audience. This exposure level helps solidify your brand as a trusted local presence.
Creates a multimedia experience
Combining compelling visuals, audio, and storytelling allows you to convey your brand’s message in a memorable way that’s difficult to replicate through other formats. TV advertising lets you tap into a broad range of sensory experiences. In a world where consumers are bombarded with information, the ability to stand out with a dynamic multimedia approach gives local TV advertising a distinct edge.
Challenges of local TV ads
While local TV advertising offers many advantages, it's important to understand the challenges that come with this medium. Knowing these obstacles allows you to plan strategically.
Competition with second screens
Viewers are no longer solely focused on their television when watching programs. Second screen usage refers to the practice of using a mobile device or another screen while watching TV. Many people now simultaneously browse the internet, scroll through social media, or send texts on their mobile devices while the TV is on in the background. This divided attention makes it harder for local TV ads to capture and hold viewer interest.
To combat this, advertisers may need to consider integrating their linear TV advertising campaigns with digital platforms or encourage immediate engagement through a call to action that pulls attention back to the main screen.
Lack of flexibility
If your messaging needs to be updated mid-campaign—whether due to new promotions, pricing changes, or market shifts—it’s not as simple as editing an online ad or updating a social media post. Planning ahead and committing to a clear, evergreen message in your TV spots can help mitigate this challenge.
Difficulty matching viewers to buyers
Unlike digital advertising, where you can precisely track clicks, engagement, and conversions, TV advertising doesn’t provide the same level of direct data on viewer behavior. It's difficult to match unique viewers directly to a purchase or action.
While local TV stations can provide insights into audience demographics and general viewing habits, pinpointing how many viewers convert into customers is more of a challenge. This lack of detailed data can make it tough to gauge return on investment or refine your approach based on real-time performance.
Five steps to build a local TV advertising strategy
Local TV advertising can be a powerful tool to grow your business, but a well-structured strategy is essential to maximizing its effectiveness. From defining your goals to tracking your results, these 5 steps will help you build an effective advertising strategy.
Step #1: Define your goals
Before launching any local advertising campaign, defining your objectives is crucial. Are you aiming to drive traffic to your store or website, promote a specific product, or boost sales in a particular region?
If your goal is to build brand recognition, your ad may focus more on storytelling and emotional appeal. On the other hand, if you’re promoting a limited-time offer, your messaging should be direct, with a strong call to action that encourages viewers to take immediate steps.
Step #2: Set your budget
Local TV advertising costs can vary. Your budget will depend on several factors, including the ad length, the number of times it airs, and the ad's time slot. Prime-time slots, for example, tend to be more expensive but offer higher viewership.
When planning your budget, consider both the cost of airtime and the expenses involved in producing your ad. A high-quality, professional ad is essential to making a good impression on viewers. Once you know the budget for your ad spend, you can decide how to allocate your resources across different time slots, channels, and platforms.
Step #3: Produce the ad
Your TV ad is the heart of your campaign, so it’s crucial to produce something that resonates with your audience. Here are a few tips for creating a powerful and effective local TV commercial.
Keep it simple
Viewers are bombarded with messages from different brands, so simplicity is key to making your ad stand out. Focus on one core message communicated clearly and quickly. Avoid overloading your ad with too much information. Instead, zero in on what you want viewers to remember about your brand or offer.
Appeal to emotions
Whether through humor, nostalgia, or compassion, ads that tap into viewers’ emotions tend to perform better and leave a more lasting impact. Emotional appeal can make your ad more relatable and encourage viewers to form a positive association with your brand. For example, a local restaurant might show a family enjoying a meal together to evoke warmth and community.
Make it memorable
Making your commercial memorable will increase the likelihood that viewers will think of your brand after seeing the ad. Even in a short 30-second spot, you can create moments that stick with your audience. Consider using local references, humor, bold visuals, a catchy jingle, or strong storytelling to make your ad stand out.
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Step #4: Choose your ad placements
Consider your target audience’s viewing habits—what times of day they watch TV and what kinds of shows they are likely to tune into. If you're targeting families, placing your ad during family-friendly programming in the evening may be more effective than running it during late-night shows.
You’ll also need to consider whether to focus on one local station or spread your campaign across multiple stations. Diversifying your placements can help you reach a broader audience.
Step #5: Track your campaign performance
Finally, tracking your results will help you determine if your ads achieve the desired outcomes. You can refine your strategy and improve future campaigns by identifying areas where adjustments may be needed by focusing on the following metrics.
Reach
Reach measures how many people saw your ad. Local TV stations can provide data on the total number of viewers and audience demographics for the programs during which your ad aired. This metric is important for understanding the scope of your campaign and ensuring you're reaching your target audience.
Cost per impression
Cost per impression is another key metric that helps you evaluate the efficiency of your campaign. This calculates the cost of reaching each viewer and allows you to compare the cost-effectiveness of different placements and time slots, helping you optimize your budget for future campaigns.
Ad recall and brand awareness
Perhaps the most critical metric is whether viewers remember and associate your ad with your brand. Ad recall surveys conducted by local stations or through external research firms can measure how many people recall seeing your ad and how strongly they associate it with your business. Additionally, tracking brand awareness before and after your campaign can help determine your ad's effectiveness.
TV advertising trends
As the media landscape continues to evolve, so does the world of TV advertising. Staying on top of current trends can help businesses make the most of their advertising efforts. Here are 3 key trends in TV advertising today.
Addressable ads
Addressable TV ads allow advertisers to deliver tailored content to specific households, making TV advertising more personalized. Businesses can use data on demographics, location, and even viewer interests to ensure their message reaches the right audience. Targeting your message brings TV advertising closer to the precision of digital marketing, allowing for more relevant ads and higher conversion rates.
Free ad-supported streaming television (FAST)
With the rise of streaming platforms, free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) is becoming an increasingly popular way to reach cord-cutters and younger audiences. Unlike traditional cable, FAST channels deliver TV shows and movies without requiring a subscription, with ads generating revenue instead.
In addition, many free ad-supported streaming TV platforms offer local content, including news, sports, and community-focused programming. Integrating ads into FAST platforms can help brands stay visible to audiences who have moved away from traditional linear TV. For example, a makeup brand targeting Gen Z shoppers may want to prioritize streaming options rather than broadcast TV.
Cross-platform campaigns
Cross-platform campaigns combine traditional TV ads with digital marketing like social media ads to create a cohesive message across multiple channels. This approach not only helps advertisers capture attention across different devices but also allows for better tracking and engagement. By integrating TV spots with social media, websites, and mobile apps, businesses can create a more dynamic and holistic marketing experience.
In conclusion
A local TV advertising campaign is a powerful, cost-effective way to grow your business and build your brand. By reaching the right audience in your community, you can boost visibility, drive sales, and establish long-term success.