Although cable TV viewership is not what it once was – the rise of streaming services and people looking to “cord-cut” has greatly affected this – it remains a strong way for businesses to advertise to consumers in their region.
A recent survey found that TV advertising is more trusted than other advertising mediums. 60 percent of consumers are likely to make purchases after seeing or hearing an advertisement on TV, whereas print ads only influence 45 percent of consumers and online/social media ads only influence around 43 percent.
While cable television has a higher cost than these other forms of advertising, it can also have the greatest reward. The key is to maximize its potential as both a visual and auditory medium. With that in mind, the U.S. Small Business Administration provides some tips for getting the most from your money with cable television advertising.
- Visual Power – Create commercials that take advantage of voice, music, and image elements. This will allow you to better connect with those watching your ads.
- Combine Advertising Mediums – 87 percent of television viewers use a second screen while watching TV, such as a smart phone or tablet. Use this as an opportunity to share your website information or social media accounts as a way to drive more traffic to these mediums.
- Different Versions for Different Mediums – When shooting your commercials, you can use different lengths for different purposes. For instance, your cable television commercial may be 30 seconds, but you could also have a longer version put together for social media purposes.
- Target Viewers – Cable television has the ability to target viewers almost as narrowly as online ads, but it takes a little more effort to find who you’re looking for and to reach them.
