There was a time when there was nothing more effective than a cable commercial. Even commercials on small, local channels were often expensive to run, due to the sheer amount of people watching. Today, many people have cut the cord on cable. That means the equivalent to a standard cable commercial is a streaming ad.

Running Ads on a Streaming Platform

Streaming platforms sell ads for ad breaks just like cable companies do. On a streaming platform, you can create an advertiser's account and then upload your commercials. You then pay to have your commercials run on the platform for specific audience demographics and at specific times.

The Advantages of Running Ads on a Streaming Platform

Compared to regular cable commercials, streaming platforms give you a lot more information and freedom. On a streaming platform, you select the audience that you want to see your ads. On cable, you have no control: it's just the general cable audience.

Streaming platforms also charge much less for their ads, and they give you valuable information regarding who clicked on your ads, whether people watched the full ads, and who responded to the ads best. 

Streaming Platforms vs. Cable Television

One of the major benefits to streaming ads over cable television ads is the cost. Streaming ads charge less: some of them only charge if the audience engages with (clicks on) the ad. Television ads can cost thousands (or even millions) of dollars.

Despite this, streaming platforms have a significant amount of reach. Many people use streaming platforms today for all of their television, news, and entertainment. 

Making the Most Out of Streaming Ads

There are a number of streaming platforms out there. To make the most out of streaming ads, you should:

• Try out different platforms to see which performs best. You can produce a test run of the same ads on different platforms to compare results.
• Target specific demographics. Send out the same ads to different demographics to see which ones perform the best when presented to which audience.
• Test out different time zones. Unlike traditional banner ads, streaming ads are impacted more heavily by time, because people watch shows at specific times.

By taking out streaming online marketing ads for your business, you can reach out to a specific audience demographic. Many people are streaming video today, and you have an audience who will often be willing to watch through at least part of your ads.