TV advertising for small business, made possible.

Can a small business really advertise on TV?

Yes. Traditional TV meant buying ad slots on a whole channel, often with high minimum spends, long lead times and no way of knowing who actually saw your ad. That ruled out most small businesses.

Streaming TV works differently. Australians now watch a lot of their TV through streaming apps on smart TVs: catch-up TV, subscription services and live sport. Ads in those apps are bought per impression, so you can:

• reach only the people and places that matter to your business,
• spend as much or as little as suits you, and
• see exactly how your ad performed.

The result looks the same to your customers: a full-screen TV ad in a premium show. It just costs a fraction of what traditional TV did.

Why TV works for small businesses

• Instant credibility: "As seen on TV" still means something. Showing up between premium shows makes a small brand look established.
• Attention: TV ads play full-screen, usually with the sound on, to people who are relaxed and watching.
• Standing out locally: most of your local competitors aren't on TV, so being there sets you apart.
• Works with what you already do: TV builds awareness, so your search ads, social and word of mouth all work harder.

Targeting: reach your customers, not everyone

The biggest change for small businesses is targeting. Instead of paying to reach all of Australia, you can focus your budget on:

• Location: a state, a city or the region around your store or service area.
• Age: the age groups most likely to buy from you.
• Interests and viewing habits: for example, sport fans, food lovers or home renovators.
• Timing: the weeks around a launch, a sale or your busy season.

For example, a café group in Brisbane could run its ad only in Brisbane, to people aged 25 to 54, in the four weeks before a new menu launch.

Streaming TV and online video: use both

The same video ad can run in two places:

• Streaming TV (CTV): on the big screen, in broadcaster and streaming apps. Best for impact and building awareness.
• Online video: on trusted Australian news, sport and lifestyle sites, on phones and laptops. Best for extending reach and driving people to your website.

Most small business plans use a mix, so people see you on TV at night and again on their phone the next day.

How much does it cost?

There's no fixed price. Streaming TV and online video are priced on how many times your ad is shown, and the cost depends on your audience, locations and timing. The key point for small businesses is that you don't need a traditional TV budget.

With Video Co., most brands start with a test campaign: one clear goal, a focused city or region, and a budget big enough to see real results before you decide whether to scale up.

What if I don't have a TV ad?

You don't need a big-budget TVC. A clear, well-made 15- or 30-second video is enough. Many small businesses start with a video they've already made for social media or their website. If you don't have one yet, get in touch and we'll talk you through the options.

A few tips for a great small-business TV ad:

• Show your brand name and logo early, and again at the end.
• Stick to one clear message, such as a product, an offer or a reason to choose you.
• Finish with a simple next step: your website, a search term or your location.
• Make sure it works with the sound on and off.

How to get started

1. Build your plan: tell us about your business, audience, locations and budget in our plan builder. It takes a few minutes.
2. Get your indicative plan: see where your ads could run and how we'd reach your customers, instantly.
3. Go live: we set up and run the campaign for you, and report on how it's tracking.