Six Steps to Creating a TV Campaign That Wows

TV allows for large reach and drives both digital and in-person traffic. It can also be a pricey investment, so a business considering their first TV campaign needs to be strategic with their creative and their ad dollars. Considering creating a TV campaign? Here are six steps to get you started.

1. Define your goal

If you’re investing in creating and distributing a TV ad, you want to define success well before you start filming. Are you hoping to generally build awareness, or reach a specific target like increasing app downloads? Once your marketing goal is clear, your creative team will design a spot to achieve precisely that goal.

2. Incorporate your creative strategy

Now that your goal for your TV spot is clearly defined, creative should be designed to support that goal. Everything should lead towards a strong call to action such as, “Download the app today!” If the viewer responds to the call and downloads the app, make sure the branding matches the TV spot so the viewer is confident they’ve downloaded the correct app. The TV spot, the website, the app and any other assets should all be clearly part of the same brand.

3. Start with a broad audience

If this is your first TV ad, don’t use your website analytics to define your target audience. TV is a different medium, and what you thought you knew about your customers may not apply here. More focused buys are more expensive, so for your first campaign start with a broad audience. Pay close attention to audience response to invest smartly in future campaigns.

4. Capitalize on search habits

Chances are, your viewers have their smartphones at their sides when they see your TV ad. When your ad airs, you want to be ready for viewers to find your site and engage with your brand. You can capitalize on this behavior by synchronizing your paid search with your TV air times. Pay for your site to appear first in search results in the minutes after your commercial airs. This not only improves your click-through rates and ultimately conversions, it also optimizes your search spending.

5. Prepare for success

Is your website able to handle the influx of visitors it will see after your ad airs, or might it crash? Is your customer service team ready to handle a spike in phone calls after your number airs? Failing to prepare for success isn’t humble; it’s a lethal mistake. Evaluate your technical and support systems before you release your marketing masterpiece to the masses.

6. Measure analytics

How will you know if your TV ad is working? As with other marketing channels, you need analytics. Track direct response metrics like number of website visits or coupon codes used to determine whether the ad drove traffic to your site. Marketing mix modeling and gross rating point are other metrics you can use to determine your return on investment. Use that data to shape future TV campaigns.

If you’re ready to take your video marketing strategy to the big screen, say hello and let us help you get started today.

About Us

Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.