Selling CTV Advertising to B2B Brands: Ideas and Strategies

Demonstrate That CTV Ads Can Drive Awareness and Conversion

As with many tactics, CTV can support multiple marketing goals. Traditionally, TV ads have been in the category of awareness advertising. There’s no immediate action from these ads that can be absolutely attributable to them.

CTV ads are measurable, which can lead to insights into how the ads work to accomplish objectives. For awareness, there may be no action to take, but you’ll know completion rates, which allude to engagement. Brands could also track spikes in website traffic or searches during the campaign run for more intelligence.

For conversions, CTV advertising can fulfill this by being shoppable. With a custom QR code, viewers can scan it, which can take them to a dedicated landing page for conversion. Consumers are taking this action, with 70% having a positive response to QR-coded ads. It also makes sense in terms of behaviors. Most people have their phones in hand or nearby when watching the bigger screen.

Because B2B purchases can be more complex and have an extended sales cycle, these advertisers need solutions that support multiple phases.

Discuss Targeting Options

What makes CTV ads different from linear TV is targeting. You can build an audience for your B2B clients based on a variety of segments. Here are some examples:

• Where: You can target based on ZIP codes, state or designated market area (DMA). This would be helpful for field service companies like plumbers, electricians or landscapers that cater to commercial clients.
• Who: If your advertisers have a clear picture of their ideal customer profile, it may include demographic data. Business buyers are still people with their own set of motivations and characteristics.
• Why: The third category of targeting is behaviors and interests. These work for B2B decision-makers as much as they do for individuals.

Precise targeting gets ads in front of the right people with relevant information and offers.

Highlight How It Complements Radio Ads

CTV advertising pairs well with radio ads to increase reach and target specific audiences. Radio reaches 85% of business owners each week. It can be a point of engagement that supports recall.

If those same business owners also view CTV advertising with a consistent message and call to action (CTA), it increases their awareness levels. That buyer may not immediately need the product or service, but it plants a seed.

Compare CTV to Traditional TV

B2B brands are linear TV advertisers. A lot of their budgets go here, but it’s a medium with waning viewership. It’s also expensive.

You can find new CTV advertisers to prospect based on auditing the B2B commercials you see locally. These companies may be sticking with their old playbook, unaware of how high-performing streaming ads can be.

Once you have a potential advertiser who you know invests in broadcast TV, it’s time to compare. Things to include would be:

• Targeting capabilities
• Measurement insights
• Costs
• Statistics on viewership of traditional TV vs streaming
• Inventory availability, which is finite for TV but considerable for streaming

Address Common Challenges or Misconceptions

Local B2B companies are aware of CTV but may object based on misinformation about how it works. They may believe it only works for consumer brands, but the data shared above counters this. If you have B2B customers using CTV, you can also share their success.

They may also have concerns about how CTV ads launch. It’s different from programmatic, but there are similarities. Trafficking streaming spots occur with a supply-side platform (SSP), matching ad targeting and criteria to available inventory. The quality of that inventory can vary, so it’s essential to use a trusted SSP.

There’s no extra effort by the advertiser. Their primary responsibility is creative, which can prompt other objections. However, it’s never been easier to develop high-quality video. Get tips for helping customers with video ads here.