A survey by YouGov reports around two-thirds of UK viewers were unlikely to pay attention to TV ads. Why waste money when viewers are busy making cups of tea or a mid-series snack?
Across the Atlantic, a 2022 study found that nearly one-third of ads play to empty rooms. Not ideal.
This problem is long-standing, but it can be remedied. Reach the right audience, and TV ads remain one of the highest converting forms of advertising in your toolkit.
You need to look at why TV ads fail to engage viewers. You need to boost viewer engagement to keep them glued to the screen and thinking about your product.
Our guide tells you how. Read on to learn more.
Why People Skip TV Ads and How to Avoid It
What was the last ad you skipped and why? Come on, even marketers reject ads they find unappealing; we all have other things to do.
Keep It Short
Long ads can turn viewers off, more so if they have already seen them. 30 seconds has been the default TV ad length for some time, but shorter ads can add punch and help keep viewers engaged. That said, your ad should be smooth, as we’ll see below.
Make It Smooth
Action-packed ads or ads with too much camera movement are exhausting to watch. The viewer needs to concentrate to extract your message, and this is the opposite of what you want. Your ad should be effortless to watch, with as little distraction from your message as possible.
We can call this the window effect. The clearer the glass, the easier you can see through it.
Save Your Brand for Later
Brand mentions at the start can work against you. Save these for later in your ad, once your content has engaged your viewers, and you will find more stay to the end.
Stay Grounded in RealityÂ
Keep it real. Rose-tinted ads full of fake smiles will send your viewers running for the remote. Start grounded, then build up the feel-good factors until you reach your product or service introduction.
Stoke Emotion
No one has time for boring ads. Emotion sells products and logic rationalises it; the same holds true for ads. Use emotive content to ensure your viewers stay focussed on your message.
Facts and stats back up your credibility but save these for after your emotional hook.
Reach the Right Audience
Aim your ads at the right demographics. This can be tricky with TV ads, but tools like OTT services by Finecast can help. These let you target certain ads to certain demographic areas, and if you reach the right audience, you are more likely to succeed with your TV advertising.Â
Unskippable Ads, More Conversions, Greater ROI Today
With the right approach, style and tools, you can create ads which engage your viewers. This improves their TV experience – who likes unwanted ads? – but it also boosts your chances of gaining new customers.
Keep things short, stay grounded in reality and reach the right households. With technology making it easier for people to skip ads, you need to stand out to keep their attention.
Cover Photo by cottonbro
