How Brands Can Reach Consumers Who Watch TV Everywhere

How many consumers watch more than 3 hours of traditional TV daily? AudienceSCAN reports that it’s just over 30%. That’s just one segment of the expanding TV universe. Today, consumers watch TV everywhere. And tvScientific notes that “consumers are using TV as a full-​funnel action-​driving channel.” This behavior gives your accounts a bigger opportunity to reach more buyers.

How are consumers watching TV?

Today’s consumers have many ways to enjoy their favorite TV content based on how programmers provide it. The tvScientific study shows the viewing behavior breaks out as follows:

• Mix streaming/​live TV 34%
• Only streaming 34%
• Mostly streaming 15%
• Mostly live 13%
• Only live 6%

As streaming apps grow more popular and consumers watch TV everywhere, they’re incurring higher costs. To reduce expenses, more consumers are accepting various level of ad-​supported tiers. For 77% of surveyed consumers the move to ad-​supported subscriptions is about affordability. But 41% of consumers say ads on TV are not a showstopper for them. This is great news for your accounts.

What are consumer attitudes about TV ads?

The data shows that only 43% of Gen Zers have ad-​supported streams. But at the same time, 47% of viewers say TV ads get their attention more than what they see on a phone.

Around half of viewers believe TV ads are “premium” and “credible.” These beliefs fuel brand trust (42%.) And when consumers see an ad on TV first and then on social, brand trust is 43%.

How does TV rank in generating consumer awareness?

One of the toughest challenges your accounts face is increasing awareness. Consumers must be aware of a product or service before they make a purchase. They are accustomed to using multiple information sources as they research brands, products and services. tvScientific research indicates three sources have about the same amount of influence:

• Social media 25%
• Search 24%
• TV 23%

It’s heartening to know that TV is standing up well against other formats. But TV time and attention can be fragmented.

How do consumers watch TV?

New consumer behavior leads to the question of where your accounts should allocate their ad budgets. Around 68% of consumers say they watch their content on smart TVs. This is especially true for baby boomers.

While roughly 54% of consumers view content on mobile devices, the number is much higher for Gen Zers. 62% of these younger consumers are happy to watch programming on their phones. Many of them might not own a TV.

Given the constant access consumers have to content, it’s rare to capture their undivided attention. Researchers label this viewing behavior “dual screening,” and well over 50% of consumers are doing something else while watching TV.

Gen Zers have grown up in a world of many screens. Nearly all are on social media or texting during TV time. But baby boomers are far less likely to engage in that kind of behavior.

Overall, the dual-​screen behavior leads to good outcomes for marketers. The ability to look for more information about an advertised product or service brings a prospect further down the sales funnel.

How do TV ads drive purchases?

Around 30% of all U.S. adults have taken action after seeing a traditional TV ad in the past month, reports AudienceSCAN. For streaming TV ads, the number rises to 41.1%. The next actions taken are even more important. For example, 61% of consumers go online to research the advertised product or service. And over 41% purchase the product.

As analysts note, TV is “a direct driver of purchase behavior.” TV can “accelerate conversion.” Consumers watch TV everywhere, but they also access other media formats. Remind your accounts that they need to complement their TV advertising with a responsive website and social presence to build credibility and familiarity. It is through these channels that consumers may make a purchase.

What content drives consumer recall?

Your accounts can increase the impression they make on consumers by using the right kind of content. tvScientific researchers point out that 77% of consumers recall humor, while 26% feel the same about emotional storytelling.

And marketers can move from top of funnel to bottom of funnel quickly by offering a discount. Over half, 52%, of consumers respond to this tactic.

As consumers watch TV everywhere, marketers have multiple opportunities to reach them. But they must back up their TV ads with content on other platforms. And their messaging must be humorous and their offer compelling.

Image by Vitaly Gariev on Pexels.