Many of our clients have added a linear TV strategy to their formerly primarily audio advertising campaigns in the first half of 2023.
With a broader reach than radio, TV allows for our clients’ messaging to garner higher exposure to a wider range of potential customers. TV also allows for a huge visual impact and makes TV a better vehicle to showcase a product or service with enhanced storytelling executed by actual product demonstrations.
A great example is one of our clients in the home healthcare space. Building on early success with radio campaigns in year one, we added TV to their mix. Over a 36-month period, we added television markets while continuously testing, evaluating, and ultimately scaling to expand into 25 new markets. The addition of TV contributed to an increase in conversions for the client by 300%, and another 47% in 2021. (You can read the full case study here.)
Here’s why it works so well, and how can you make the most of this multi-channel approach.
You Can Reach A Wider Audience
According to Nielsen, linear TV reaches 90% of the US population weekly, and radio reaches 91% of Americans weekly. Doing the simple math, you’re highly likely to not only reach your target audience with a combined strategy but really build that brand recognition.
You Significantly Increase Brand Awareness
By running ads on TV, you can reach a large audience in a short amount of time, which, alone, helps build brand recognition. The combination of audio and visual elements can create an even more memorable impression on viewers.
TV Builds Trust
TV ads can also help boost your credibility as a brand. Seeing your ad on TV can make your brand seem more legitimate and trustworthy, which can be important in a competitive market. Consumers are more likely to trust brands they see on TV than those they only hear on the radio or encounter on digital channels.
TV Enhances Message Recall
When people hear your audio ad and then see your TV ad later, it can help reinforce your message and make it more memorable. This can be especially effective if your ads have a strong visual component, which we can identify and fine-tune with creative testing and optimization.
You Can Improve Engagement with Enhanced Storytelling
With audio ads, you have the benefit of reaching your audience wherever they are, but TV ads can be more interactive and engaging, as they often include visuals and other elements that enhance storytelling to grab the viewer's (already likely captive) attention. By combining both forms of advertising, you can create a more engaging and memorable campaign that resonates with your target audience.
And, here are a few suggestions to get the most out of your campaigns when running TV and audio together:
Test Early, and Use Your Creative Efficiently
With a full in-house creative team, we have been able to quickly repurpose and optimize our clients' ads based on what performed well for radio. As the TV ads begin to run, we can analyze the early results and further optimize each ad to perform best, based on the channel.
Take Advantage of the Combined Targeting Options
Coordinate your TV and radio ad schedules to optimize audience reach. TV reaches a broad audience, while radio provides a more localized reach. By combining both mediums, you can maximize your overall reach and maintain a consistent frequency of exposure to reinforce your message. Consider airing ads simultaneously or strategically staggering them to ensure broader coverage throughout the day.
Measure and Track; Optimize and Refine
Monitor key metrics such as reach, frequency, brand awareness, website traffic, and conversion rates to evaluate the effectiveness of your combined efforts. Continuously analyze the results and gather audience feedback to refine your TV and radio advertising strategy, and adjust your targeting, messaging, and media placement based on the insights gained to maximize the impact of your campaigns.
Work with A Team Who Can Manage Campaigns Across Both Channels
Taking a true multi-channel approach and leveraging both mediums will reinforce our client's messaging and provides a synergistic effect that will improve overall campaign performance.
The individual and collective talents at BMG360 are well-versed in shifting ad budget fluidly from one channel to another channel, pulling a multitude of different levers that results in determining a balance of the best media mix for any campaign.