How To Lift Performance Across all Marketing Channels with TV Ads

TV ads don’t only work on TV; other marketing channels may also win! The phenomenon of the positive impact of TV advertising that influences other marketing channels and enhances their effectiveness is called the Halo Effect. Sometimes, only one push caused by a TV ad may boost the performance of different marketing channels (search, social, etc.). Brands may gain +360% in web traffic and +439% in conversions after starting to run a TV ad campaign. Let's talk about how TV advertising drives broader marketing success.

How a TV Ad Creates the Halo Effect

In 2025, digital performance campaigns dominate budgets. Marketers chase quick sales and immediate results, using short-term metrics to define success. However, to truly win, advertisers need to think beyond isolated tactics and consider the bigger picture.

TV ads — both traditional and streaming — create a halo effect by extending its broad reach and emotional impact beyond the screen. They strengthen brand awareness, build credibility, and amplify the effectiveness of other marketing channels. When consumers see a brand on TV, it legitimizes the brand in their minds, making them more likely to engage with digital ads, search for the brand online, or visit a website.

Think of TV as the first domino in a chain reaction. It sparks brand recall, increases purchase intent, and shapes consumer perception in a way that makes every other marketing effort work harder.

The next steps for TV-exposed audiences:

• Direct website visits.
• Branded search activity on Google, Bing, etc.
• Higher engagement with social media ads (Meta, YouTube, etc.).

With tools like the TV+ platform, TV ads can be as measurable as digital, but TV isn't just about direct response — it enhances the performance of all other touchpoints.

How we measure TV impact: Incremental Lift Studies and Pixel Tracking

The halo effect of TV ads is not just words; it's real numbers. At Simulmedia, we use Incremental Lift Studies and Pixel Tracking to show how linear and CTV exposure influences consumer behavior across multiple channels.

Incremental Lift Study: How It Works

Incremental Lift Studies help advertisers determine the true effect of TV campaigns by comparing those who were exposed to an ad with a statistically identical unexposed control group. This methodology isolates the direct impact of TV on:

• Website visits – how many additional visitors come to the brand's site after seeing a TV ad?
• App installs – Tracking increases in downloads and registrations.
• Conversions – Identifying the lift in purchases or sign-ups driven by TV exposure.

By using synthetic control groups, advertisers can remove external factors and focus purely on what TV advertising contributed rather than what it simply touched.

Pixel Tracking and Attribution

Simulmedia TV+ Pixel enables brands to track users' post-TV exposure and analyze where website traffic originates. By identifying referral sources, advertisers can see how TV primes consumers to engage across digital touchpoints, including:

• Paid and organic search (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc...) – TV increases branded search activity, leading to more website visits.
• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms) – TV-exposed audiences are more likely to engage with paid social campaigns.
• Direct traffic – Consumers visit brand websites directly after being exposed to TV ads.
• Other digital referrals – TV ads drive incremental lift across industry-specific websites.

Key Benefits of TV+'s Incremental Lift Measurement

Simulmedia's approach provides a data-backed view of how TV enhances marketing effectiveness:

• Optimized media planning – Identifies which networks, dayparts, and creatives drive the most conversions.
• Cross-channel insights – Proves how TV boosts performance across search, social, and direct website traffic.
• No additional cost – Incremental Lift Studies are included with Simulmedia's TV+ platform, making it easy for advertisers to measure impact without extra investment.

Regardless of industry, TV consistently enhances digital marketing effectiveness. Here are some average numbers that we received after providing Incremental Lift Studies for some of our customers from different industries that show how TV ads improve traffic and conversions.

• Business Services → +16% in website traffic, +62% in conversions.
• Moving & Storage → +62% traffic lift, +80% incremental conversions.
• Pharma → +360% increase in web traffic, +439% incremental conversions.
• Consumer Electronics → +179% in traffic, +138% in conversions.
• CPG (Food & Beverage) → +60% in traffic.
• Retail & E-commerce → +66% in overall traffic.

Case Study: TV's Impact on Digital Engagement for Healthcare Brand

A leading healthcare brand sought to measure how its TV campaigns influenced digital traffic and engagement. While the company observed an increase in website visits during the campaign, it needed precise measurement to determine whether these conversions were directly attributable to TV exposure or influenced by other marketing efforts.

Challenge

The brand aimed to understand the incremental impact of both traditional and streaming on website traffic and referral sources. Specifically, they wanted to analyze how TV exposure influenced consumer behavior across search, social media, and direct website visits and which medium—linear TV or CTV — drove the strongest impact.

Solution

The company leveraged Simulmedia's Incremental Lift Study and Pixel tracking to track attributed website visits from users exposed to TV ads. The study identified referral sources and measured engagement within a 14-day attribution window, isolating TV-driven conversions from other marketing activities.

Results: How Linear TV and CTV Drove Website Visits

The findings confirmed the halo effect of TV advertising, demonstrating how linear TV and CTV work together to enhance digital performance, but with distinct impacts:

Linear TV Attributed Referrals

CTV Attributed Referrals

Key Takeaways

• TV exposure fuels branded search – Nearly half of all website visits after TV exposure came from Google, proving that TV ads stimulate active consumer interest and increase search volume.
• Linear TV was the strongest driver of direct website traffic, showing that traditional TV still plays a major role in brand engagement for healthcare brands.
• CTV reinforces digital engagement, increasing branded search activity and social media interactions at a meaningful scale.
• Multi-touch attribution in action – Some visitors engaged with social media ads after seeing a TV spot, demonstrating how TV strengthens digital marketing performance across channels.