How We Drive TV Tune-In & Streaming Subscribers

Despite a slowdown in TV production caused by the effects of the pandemic, the number of original scripted series on U.S. television in 2020 still totaled a whopping 493, with reality, talk, documentary and daytime likely to have doubled that number if counted. At the same time, Nielsen reported that live plus time-shifted TV reached 80% of adults each week, with those viewers tuning in on average for over 30 hours weekly. And according to The New York Times, time spent consuming TV and video daily increased by double digits for every age group in the past year.

So, with more shows available to watch than at any point before 2018 (when scripted originals totaled 495, second only to 2019’s 532), and appetites for televised programming undiminished (voracious, in fact), how can TV networks and streaming services drive awareness and tune-in for their new and returning series in such a hyper-fragmented landscape?

Here’s the answer: entertainment marketers can utilize our technology -- the most powerful in the industry -- to neutralize the risks of low campaign reach and excessive frequency in order to find their target audience whenever and wherever they’re watching.

And we do mean whenever and wherever. We use predictive calculations to source and market video ads to high-intent audiences across linear and CTV platforms, based on behavioral data we’ve gained from running traditional TV campaigns for over a decade. And with more than 120 networks integrated directly into our ad platform, we rely on precise automation – not inefficient, one-off negotiations -- to get tune-in messaging on the air in mere days.

For us, it’s really all about taking the guesswork out driving viewership. We don’t just target viewers of similar shows and networks by genre, but we also build lookalike audiences from visitors to our clients’ digital properties and then target those folks across linear TV and CTV. We also target viewers watching other shows and networks during the same time slot as well both past-seasons’ viewers and lapsed viewers (if we’re supporting a returning show).

Once the campaign is live, we provide marketers with full transparency via a reporting dashboard that generates insights in near-real-time about the direct correlations between spot performance, actions taken by viewers and ad spend. Those insights are used to make quick optimizations to future iterations so that campaigns stay lean – while as effective as possible.

Of course, tune-in for a series or season premiere is only the beginning of the journey. TV marketers need to drive viewership all season long, so we apply our tech and methodology to acquiring and retaining viewers week over week by, again, using our data to predict future viewing patterns and reaching those most likely to tune in with promos strategically placed across the expanded TV landscape. Then we close the loop by showing who ultimately watched the show after being exposed to an ad, and what the cost-per-converted viewer was.

Finally, whether it’s a linear network with a TV Everywhere app or a standalone streaming service, we know that entertainment marketers must not only drive Live+3 tune-in to specific programs, but also visitors and subscriptions to their sites and platforms. To achieve those goals, we use first-party app data to surgically target audience segments that are more likely to subscribe based on their linear and digital activity.

So, whether it’s about creating buzz and generating early awareness, boosting unique reach prior to a big premiere or reminding past viewers to catch up on episodes they missed via a connected app, Simulmedia has the solution to surviving and thriving in the most competitive media environment that entertainment marketers have ever seen.

Download our Cross-Channel TV Playbook for a detailed guide on how to unlock audiences on both linear and connected TV.

Want to see Simulmedia in action? Request a demo.

Want to learn more? Contact us or email us at advertise@simulmedia.com to take the next step to reaching the audience your programming needs to succeed.