TV ads are a great way to reach customers. Placing ads during TV programs you’re specific customers enjoy helps you reach the appropriate audience, and millions of people watch television, so you can be specific while still pulling in a large group of interested customers. Most people are in agreement that televisions is a versatile and powerful tool when it comes to advertising.
Why do you think so many advertisers line up at the TV upfronts each May to see which new and returning programs would be best suited for their company’s ads. And why do you think TV execs pull out all the stops to reel those advertisers in? It is a lucrative business.
It doesn’t stop there. There is a way to boost your advertising reach and revenues beyond what television is capable of while still working in conjunction with the power of TV. How is this done? By linking a Twitter advertising campaign to your television one.
In today’s world, people consume television and popular culture online. Through Twitter viewers can engage with their favorite TV shows actively on Twitter, which, for many, enhances the viewing experiences. Think about it. One of the most popular, talked about, buzz generating shows on television right now is ABC’s Scandal. Why? The over-the top scenarios, constant twists and turns, and general juiciness of the plots? Sure, those factor in greatly. But another way Scandal has boosted its popularity is through Twitter. The cast live tweets the episodes and encourages fans to get out there and tweet about the show. Another show that gets a Twitter boost: ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars. By far that network’s most popular and most watched show, PLL using hashtags on screen during the episodes to engage with the viewers and to get Twitter discussions going. Twitter has become such a ubiquitous aspect of the television viewing experience that even Nielsen, known for its behind the times rating system, has begun to incorporate Twitter statistics into its TV viewership ratings. 32 million people tweeted about television last year.
What does this mean for your business? You should be using Twitter. According to Nielsen, US brands that used a Twitter ad campaign alongside their TV ads increased sales 8-16% more than from television alone in November 2013. That’s quite a jump.
Twitter advertising works in three ways:
Twitter Ad Targeting: Start a conversation in your TV ad, then follow it up on Twitter by using your company Twitter handle and hashtags in the ad.
Twitter Conversation Targeting: Twitter has a database that can determine when and where your company’s ads ran, so Twitter knows what TV program was on when your and ran and can use that to determine who the viewers that likely saw your ad were. You can use that information to target specific customer groups. Live tweet the shows or use show related hashtags in your tweet to make sure you reach the right audience.
Twitter Amplify: Bring your TV ad campaign directly to mobile users.
Using Twitter in conjunction with television advertising could be a great way to reach more customers and reach the customers who are more likely to want to buy your product. This will likely boost sales and help your company succeed. As we grow deeper into the digital age, it is certainly an advertising technique well worth checking out.
Image by Esther Vargas on Flickr Creative Commons.