Marketing

How to Break Out of the Box When Its Comes to Your B2B Marketing Strategy

Connected TV and audio ads are taking B2B advertising from “boring” to boosted

The high schoolers filed into the assembly and as the curtain on the stage opened, a quiet fell over the auditorium. “Today I’d like to talk to you about term life insurance,” said the man in the suit. It was a classic case of “right message, wrong medium.”

If you’re not being thoughtful and strategic about where your message is being shared, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment. It might not be as bad as trying to sell life insurance to a 15 year old, but it might not be much better.

This post is going to walk you through a different approach to B2B marketing and introduce you to some “premium” advertising channels, Connected TV and Audio. Don’t let the word “premium” throw you off, Connected TV and audio ads are highly accessible marketing channels that when activated, can boost your brand awareness and increase your pipeline velocity.

As viewing habits change, so too does the TV landscape. But too many advertisers see CTV advertising as a solution for tomorrow and not today. That’s just plain wrong — it is generating strong results for brands right this second, and anyone not advertising on CTV is missing out.

What is connected TV and audio advertising for B2B?

Today, over 150+ million households are currently available to reach through Connected TV. CTV is considered one of the fastest-growing channels in video advertising and is a great approach that diversifies your arsenals of creative assets and advertising channels. With CTV ads, you can reach customers while they’re watching Hulu or other ad supported streaming platforms, and boost brand awareness and revenue.

It’s not just Connected TV. Nowadays, two out of three people consume more Audio content monthly than any other channel. With Audio ads, you can easily drive search volume by generating interest across non-skippable content.

How to leverage connected TV and audio advertising alongside your ABM strategy

Connected TV and audio ad campaigns are best suited as part of strategies that include awareness and advocacy tactics. For example, always-on campaigns, brand or product awareness, and even retargeting are all ideal plays to include this highly engaging video and audio ad that will increase engagement across all-channels.

Connected TV and Audio advertising are predominantly Brand Awareness channels and the addition of display advertising and backend reporting can help draw a line from uninformed listeners to potential customers.

You can think about CTV and audio advertising as an opportunity to:

  • Easily diversify both your arsenal of creative assets and advertising channels. Advertise at scale. Meaning you can reach customers within your target accounts while they’re watching Hulu or other ad supported streaming platforms.
  • Drive engagement with visually stunning video in the right place and time, especially since this is non-skippable inventory.
  • Maintain brand awareness, educate, or upsell/cross sell. CTV and Audio ads are the perfect complement to traditional display campaigns.

How to get started with connected TV and audio advertising

Connected TV ads run across streamed TV content on platforms like Hulu. CTV is available in both the US and International and providers include Hulu, DirectTV Now, Pluto, Sling, NBC, Fox, Fubo, and more.

Audio ads from Terminus run across audio streaming platforms like Pandora, iHeartMedia, Spotify and more. Audio is available for both US and International audiences (excluding EMEA).

Here are a few ways to get started (and insider’s secret: connected TV is a more affordable approach to TV advertising than what we know to be traditional. Terminus can help you with an iterative approach to get started).

1. Check your existing video and audio assets

Many brands don’t realize they already have the right video and audio assets to run CTV and audio ads. Not an expert? No problem, Terminus has in-house expertise to help you get up and running.

2. Be ready with 15 second and 30 second spots

Connected TV and audio ads typically run for 15 and 30 second durations, and depending on your brand or message, one runtime may drive better performance. Don’t have a 15 second ad? Edit down your 30 second version so you can test each length and determine which is best for you.

3. Follow creative best practices

You can try out different CTAs in your connected TV and audio ads. For example, play around with QR codes or super short vanity URLs that are easy to understand in a TV or audio ad format. CTV ads can use voice overs, so leverage that to quickly and succinctly communicate your key value propositions.

4. Work with Terminus to make this transition easier

Terminus is here to help. In fact, we run Connected TV and audio ads of our own! The CTV and audio landscape can be intimidating and confusing to navigate at first on your own. Terminus is here to ensure you have great placement, content, and support.

Ready to give it a try? If you are a Terminus customer, reach out to your account team today! We want you to experience the revenue-boosting benefits of CTV and Audio firsthand. Not a Terminus customer? Reach out today and help us help you take your B2B marketing from boring to boosted.