Insights
October 17, 2025
Is TV Advertising Worth It? A Real Cost-Benefit Analysis for SMBs
The real answer depends on your goals, budget, and what you're comparing it to
Table of Contents
For decades, TV advertising was the gold standard for building brands, establishing trust, and reaching customers at scale. That hasn't changed. What HAS changed is that TV advertising is now accessible to businesses of all sizes, starting at just $50.
The question isn't whether TV advertising works. It does. The question is how to make it work for your specific business.
Why TV Advertising Is Worth It
TV delivers something no other advertising channel can match: presence on the most trusted screen in the home.
It builds awareness like nothing else. Your ad reaches people in their living rooms, on the biggest screen they own, during their relaxation time. This creates familiarity and recognition that digital ads scrolling past in a feed simply can't match.
It establishes instant credibility. When you appear on TV, people assume you're established and trustworthy. "I saw them on TV" carries weight. It's psychological shorthand that signals legitimacy, whether you're a new business or a local institution.
It creates emotional connection. TV is a storytelling medium. You have 30 seconds of full attention, with motion, music, and voice. That's enough time to make someone feel something about your brand, not just see your logo flash by.
It makes all your other marketing work better. This is the secret power of TV: the halo effect. When someone has seen your TV ad, your Google ads convert better, your social posts get more engagement, and your salespeople close faster. TV lifts everything.
It builds trust over time. For any business where trust matters (and that's most businesses), TV accelerates the trust-building process. People who have seen you on TV multiple times feel like they know you before they ever walk through your door or visit your website.
The ROI of Brand Building
"But what's the ROI?"
This is the most common question about TV advertising, and it deserves a clear answer.
TV is brand advertising. Like sponsorships, billboards, or PR, its primary job is building awareness, trust, and preference over time. The ROI shows up in ways that are real but different from click-to-buy digital campaigns:
Higher close rates. Prospects who have seen your TV ads are warmer when they contact you. They already trust you. They're not price shopping as aggressively.
Better lead quality. TV attracts customers who are looking for a business they can trust, not just the cheapest option. These customers tend to be more loyal and more valuable over time.
Increased word of mouth. "I saw their ad on TV" becomes something customers mention to friends. Your advertising does double duty.
Stronger brand equity. Over time, consistent TV presence builds a brand asset that compounds. You become "the" business in your category in your market.
The metrics that matter:
Do more people recognize your brand?
Are customers mentioning they saw your ad?
Is your website traffic increasing during campaigns?
Are your digital ads performing better?
Is your close rate improving?
If these numbers are moving, TV is delivering value, even if you can't tie a specific impression to a specific sale.
What the Data Shows
The research on TV advertising effectiveness is overwhelming.
94%+ completion rates. CTV ads have completion rates above 94%. Compare that to social video where users scroll past in 1.7 seconds. When people see your TV ad, they actually watch it.
4x higher brand recall. TV advertising generates four times higher brand recall than digital video ads, according to multiple studies. People remember what they see on TV.
Most trusted advertising medium. Consumers consistently rate TV advertising as more trustworthy than any digital channel. "I saw them on TV" carries credibility that "I saw their Instagram ad" doesn't.
Proven halo effect. TV advertising lifts performance across all other channels. Your Google ads convert better, your direct mail works harder, and your salespeople close more when prospects have already seen you on TV.
Modern TV Advertising: Not Your Grandfather's Medium
Some business owners hesitate because they think of old-school broadcast TV with its massive budgets and shotgun targeting. That's not what we're talking about.
Today's TV advertising means streaming. Connected TV (CTV) delivers your ads on services like Hulu, Peacock, Tubi, and Pluto TV, watched on smart TVs and streaming devices. This is where audiences have moved, and this is where your ads run.
The targeting is precise. Unlike broadcast, CTV lets you target by geography (your local market), demographics (your ideal customers), interests (relevant to your product), and viewing behavior. You're not paying to reach everyone. You're reaching the people who matter.
The budgets start at $50. No six-figure commitments. No media buyers. No long-term contracts. Start with $50 and scale based on results.
The creative is handled. Platforms like Adwave use AI to generate professional TV commercials from your existing assets. You don't need a production budget.
The audience is massive. Americans now spend more time streaming than watching cable. This isn't a niche channel. This is where attention lives.
How to Get Started
Ready to see what TV can do for your business? Here's the smart approach.
Start with $50-100. There's no reason to over-invest before you see how it works. A small test budget is enough to learn.
Run for at least 2 weeks. TV builds awareness over time. A single day won't show you anything. Two weeks of consistent exposure will generate real signals.
Watch for these signs:
Website traffic increases during your campaign
Customers mentioning they saw your ad
Brand name searches increasing in Google Analytics
Better engagement on your social posts
Improved close rates on leads
Then scale what works. Once you see positive signals, increase your budget. TV rewards consistency and frequency.
Every Business Benefits from Brand Building
Some businesses think TV isn't for them because they're "too small" or "too niche." But every business benefits from being known and trusted.
Local service businesses (plumbers, dentists, lawyers, restaurants) benefit enormously from being the name people think of first when they need what you offer. TV makes you that name.
E-commerce businesses might think they only need performance marketing, but the brands winning in e-commerce are the ones people trust enough to buy from without comparison shopping. TV builds that trust.
B2B businesses might think their audience doesn't watch TV, but decision-makers are people too. They watch streaming content. And they're influenced by the same trust signals as everyone else.
New businesses especially benefit because TV accelerates the credibility-building process that would otherwise take years.
The common thread: every business needs awareness, credibility, and trust. TV delivers all three faster than any other channel.
The Bottom Line
Is TV advertising worth it?
Yes. For building brand awareness, establishing trust, creating credibility, and making all your other marketing work better, TV is unmatched. The data proves it. The results show it.
The only question is whether you're ready to see what it can do for your business.
Create your first TV ad in minutes. Launch a campaign for $50. See what happens when your business shows up on the biggest screen in the house.
The brands that win are the brands people know and trust. TV is how you become one of them.