presents:
Beyond Broadcast
An Advertiser’s Guide for Reaching
Local News Audiences on Any Screen
Welcome to the New
WTAE AdLab
Where Ideas Spark and
Brands Ignite
We’ve reimagined the AdLab format for 2024, and we’re going on-demand with interactive digital hubs like the one you’ll find below. Our mission hasn’t changed; the AdLab is still a place where marketing decision-makers can come to find ideas and insights that can help finetune their advertising strategies. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy our interactive guide to reaching news audiences on any screen.
What’s in the Guide
How Advertisers Can Reach News Audiences with Diversified Media Plans
Click to explore:
PART ONE
What’s New with News Audiences
Media buyers, planners, and strategists are all too familiar with the jostling and elbowing that can go into securing ad spots during live news broadcasts. Upping the ante on an already competitive landscape, 2024 will bring major elections and with them, major political spending, Cue higher prices, tighter inventory, and headaches.
But, for advertisers, combining strategy with a little creativity comes with the territory. You know the saying, “there’s more than one way to cook an egg?” Well, there are even more ways to reach an audience. The heart of media buying has more to do with capturing eyeballs than a specific spot time.
The people you want to reach are not so regimented that they only watch the 5 o’clock news. Rather, they engage with media throughout their day, bouncing across platforms and devices. Their media habits are as diversified as the opportunities for connection they create.
That’s why we wrote this guide; to explore strategies that reflect the realities of contemporary media consumption and reach those engaged audiences beyond the confines of traditional broadcast.
Q
A
What’s the big deal with news audiences anyways?
These three characteristics:
01 Engagement
TV news audiences are not passive spectators. They tune in to actively seek out information about their local community. They are a dedicated audience base that pays close attention throughout each live news broadcast.
02 | Context
Local TV news covers the events, issues, and developments that directly impact the lives of viewers within a specific region. This relevance allows advertisers to address the needs and interests of the community, creating a more personalized and impactful advertising experience.
03 | Trust
Research shows that local news broadcasts are among the most trusted sources of information in world where information integrity can be murky. When ads run trusted news programs, advertisers gain credibility by association.
Here’s the thing:
Those characteristics don’t only exist in linear TV audiences. We can find the same kinds of people – and in many cases, more – in other pockets of the media landscape.
Understanding the
changes
in News Consumption
Flashback to the time when radio was introduced. It took a bite out of print media’s then-dominant share of the mass media market. Soon, TV followed and there was yet another split.
Today, the pace of media fragmentation is only getting quicker, and audiences have more choices than ever to get their local news updates.
For advertisers, this shift presents an opportunity to cross-pollinate, spreading their brand message across a blend of platforms and
crafting campaigns that blend into their audiences’ fluid media habits.
The Case for Diversified Media Spending
By aligning ad spends with consumers’ ever-evolving media habits, we can unlock a world of opportunities to reach and engage the right people. A strategically diversified media plan enables advertisers to:
Meet Customers Where They Are
Audiences are not confined to traditional TV screens and linear schedules, actively engaging with content from streaming services and social media to podcasts and digital news outlets and beyond. By diversifying their media buys, brands can stay present with consumers, wherever they spend their time with media.
Optimize ROI and Efficiency
A diversified media strategy isn't just about reaching more people; it's also a great way to boost a campaign’s return on investment. Combining a data-driven approach to ad spending with reliable consumer data (like WTAE’s research) powers continuous improvement.
Adapt to Changing Behaviors
As consumer behaviors continue to evolve, so too must ad strategies. Embracing a diversified approach to media spending demonstrates adaptability and agility, keeping brands ahead of the curve and top-of-mind.
Maximize Reach and Engagement
Allocating ad dollars across a variety of platforms can boost both the reach and engagement of a campaign. The right diversified media placements cut through the noise, maintain consistent brand presence, and deliver important messages with precision and impact.
VS
Addressable
Incremental Audiences
Before delving into tactics to reach TV news audiences using cross-channel campaigns, let’s first establish goals to anchor those efforts. The tactics presented in this guide are designed to meet one or both of these objectives:
GOAL ONE
Efficiently Maintain or Increase Frequency with Addressable News Audiences
An addressable TV audience refers to a specific group of viewers who can be targeted within a campaign. This targeting can reflect their demographic, behavioral, geographic, or media consumption characteristics.
Loyal and engaged viewing habits are the hallmarks of these TV news audiences, so frequency (or the number of times an audience encounters an ad) is achievable with this addressable audience, but the cost to achieve it fluctuates with supply and demand. The challenge in reaching these individuals becomes one of cost and media buying efficiency.
This is where off-the-air ad placements can offer strategic advantages. Whether used in conjunction with linear TV ads or employed during political windows, the approaches presented later in this guide serve a dual purpose. They not only bolster the frequency of brand exposure but also present a cost-effective strategy.
GOAL TWO
Expand Incremental Reach with Lookalike Audiences
An incremental reach ad strategy aims to extend a campaign's reach beyond the initial target audience, reaching additional viewers who were not exposed to the original campaign.
There are people who simply cannot be reached with traditional TV. Whether they’ve cut the proverbial cord or simply don’t have a schedule that puts them in front of a TV during a news broadcast, they still are viable targets and in many cases, still consume news elsewhere. To reach and influence them, brands need an incremental reach strategy that extends beyond linear TV news.
Achieving a broader reach not only enhances brand awareness but also fosters increased engagement, making incremental reach tactics
invaluable assets in the advertiser's toolkit.
Remember those three reasons advertisers seek out local news audiences?
They apply across any screen:
01 | Engagement
Digitized news combines immersive storytelling, real-time updates, and on-demand access to news content, which together fostering deep engagement among viewers. Viewers to engage with stories at their own pace, leading to prolonged exposure to advertisements. Interactive features such as live chats, comment sections, and social media integration enhance user engagement on news websites and streaming platforms, providing advertisers with additional opportunities to connect with an attentive and active audience.
02 | Context
Digital news allows viewers to engage with content that is precisely aligned to their interests and preferences, delivering personalized news experiences that are highly applicable to their lives and spending habits. The on-the-go nature of digital news consumption means that the ads that are integrated into news content on websites and streaming platforms are seamlessly woven into the viewer's experience, enhancing their applicability and resonance.
03 | Trust
Trusted news brands like WTAE maintain their credibility and integrity in the digital space, providing viewers with reliable, up-to-date information that fosters trust and loyalty. Advertisements appearing alongside trusted news content on websites and streaming platforms benefit from the same halo effect of credibility they experience on air, gaining the trust of viewers who value the integrity of the news source.
Audiences turn to digital platforms for their daily dose of information. Streaming news platforms and news websites have emerged as key destinations for accessing breaking news, in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia content. By embedding ads within these platforms, advertisers can incorporate their message into the news experience.
News Dot Com
TV stations’ websites, apps, and social media pages are their digital extensions. As such, they present opportunities to extend advertising reach and maintain frequency. With flexible inventory options ranging from display ads, homepage takeovers, and pre- and mid-roll video ads, advertisers can make a splash with local audiences on these sites.
Audience Engagement
Maintain engagement in a familiar environment. Captivate your target audience with display ads and pre- and mid-roll videos.
Efficient Media Spending
TV stations’ digital properties may offer more cost-effective solutions compared to on-air pricing. This is a great way to maintain frequency with TV audiences and forge new connections with incremental audiences - without breaking the bank.
Measurement and Reporting
Utilize the digital nature of ads for precise performance measurement. Ensure that your advertising dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, and adjust accordingly.
7,818,204 average monthly site sessions
1,785,239 average monthly video views
61% of users visit the site daily
Streaming News is News
As viewers continue to replace or augment linear TV with digital streaming, streaming providers offer prime opportunities to expand advertising reach and frequency with the additional bonus of targeting capabilities. Streaming offers:
Incremental Reach
Streaming TV news platforms offer access to a broader audience beyond traditional TV viewership, tapping into shifting consumer preferences towards on-demand and personalized content experiences.
Opportunities for Engagement
Immersive and interactive ad formats on streaming TV news platforms provide unique opportunities to captivate viewers and drive higher levels of engagement and brand recall.
Cost-Effective Solutions
Advertising on streaming TV news platforms can offer more cost-effective solutions compared to traditional TV spots, allowing for potentially more favorable rates and precise targeting and measurement capabilities.
Want more insights into the world of streaming ads? Check out WTAE’s Video Series: The Who, What, Where, Why and How of OTT Advertising, hosted by industry expert, Chris Martinez:
PART THREE
The Creative Approach
Your Audience wants content, not ads
Let’s revisit the three reasons advertisers seek out local news audiences one
more time,
this time, through the lens of a content marketing strategy
01 | Engagement
By blending their content into users’ online experiences, advertisers can capture attention with compelling visuals and storytelling. Interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and user-generated content foster deeper engagement with branded content, encouraging users to actively participate and share their experiences. The constant stream of content allows advertisers to engage with audiences in real-time through timely and relevant messaging that sparks conversations and encourages interaction.
02 | Context
Distributing branded content in the digital realm unlocks targeting capabilities that deliver highly relevant and personalized advertisements to segmented groups, split by interests, behaviors, and demographics. Sponsored and social content can be integrated into users' feeds on social media platforms in a way feels native to the platform, making it more intuitive, applicable and resonant with the audience.
03 | Trust
Content marketing builds trust by consistently providing valuable, authentic, and relevant information to the audience. This positions brands as knowledgeable and reliable leaders within their respective industries. Through educational content, engaging storytelling, and transparent communication, content marketing fosters connections with the audience, earning their confidence over time.
Brands can use content strategies alongside their TV plans to establish themselves as thought leaders, problem solvers, and trusted advisors. Embedding this content within both the linear TV realm and the digital world where audiences already spend their time can have a profound impact, amplifying reach, driving engagement, and ultimately driving business outcomes.
Is Content Marketing the
antidote
Banner Blindness on Display:
An augmented-reality screenshot shows a heat map representing where viewers’ eyes focused an eye-tracking experiment. The takeaway? Web users are practically ninjas when it comes to ad avoidance. Learn more about banner blindness here.
for Ad Avoidance?
Unlike traditional advertisements that interrupt a user's experience, content marketing focuses on providing valuable, relevant, and engaging content that naturally attracts and retains audience attention. Better yet, when it aligns with user interests and preferences, it's more likely to be consumed willingly rather than actively avoided.
Native advertising spending is soaring as marketers realize the benefits in the face of audience attention metrics and challenges, including:
- Banner blindness
- Low engagement
- Customer demands
- Ad blockers
- Budgets
content,
Your customers want
not ads.
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.”
- Seth Godin, entrepreneur and marketer
84%
of people expect brands to create content.
615
mm
devices have installed ad blocker technology.
71%
of consumers don’t want to be sold. 71% of readers say they were turned off by content that seems like a sales pitch,
40%
of respondents want emails from brands to be more informative than promotional.
84%
of millennials don’t trust traditional ads
Does action speak louder than data? YOU are still here, engaging with our content. That says something, doesn’t it?
Tell me about Social Content
Be the News with Native Content
Multiscreen native advertising (sometimes called sponsored content) offers brands a unique opportunity to integrate their message directly into the news narrative. By positioning their brand within a trusted news outlet, advertisers can leverage the credibility and authority of the news to resonate with audiences. Whether it's through sponsored articles, videos, or interactive features, sponsored content enables brands can embed themselves within the news ecosystem in a non-disruptive and authentic manner on any screen and be a valuable contributor to the conversation.
Native Brand Storytelling
Integrate branded content within the editorial context of a publication or platform, and create engaging narratives with a storytelling approach. Through articles, brands can tell memorable stories that align with the publication's style, help readers intuitively structure meaning within complex information, and inspire buying actions. Interactive media hubs take this a step further by providing immersive experiences compliment the unique content.
The Hearst StoryStudio is a full-service content marketing agency that offers cost-effective creative solutions with scalable, guaranteed readership. Our content strategy is based in art and supported by
data. In a nutshell, we create insight-driven
storytelling and ensure it is read by your audience.
Hearst’s Very Local Brand Studio brings brands to
life on the screen with both offers professional video production services and a strategic content distribution planning team. From ideation to final edits to launch
and distribution, the Very Local Brand Studio captures brands best stories with the creative finesse
needed to stand out.
Long-Form Documentary-Style Video
Native video marketing provides brands with a platform to tell captivating stories and connect with their audience with sight, sound, and emotion. By producing high-quality video content that delves into real-life narratives, brands can engage viewers in an immersive storytelling experience that resonates emotionally and intellectually. These documentaries offer brands the opportunity to showcase their values, mission, and impact, fostering authenticity and building trust.
Winning in the Social Sphere
Social media usage dominates the digital landscape. There were 4.26 billion social media users worldwide, and in recent years that number has only grown. In fact, there are projected to be 6 billion social media users by 2027. What does this prevalence mean for advertisers? It provides near countless opportunities to insert their brand and their stories in the daily media habits of highly-targeted audiences.
Expanded Reach and Accessibility
Social media platforms provide access to a vast and diverse audience, extending beyond traditional news viewership demographics. With users accessing news content on social media throughout the day, advertisers can reach audiences anytime, anywhere, and on any device.
Targeting and Measurement
Social media platforms offer advanced targeting capabilities based on user demographics, interests, and behaviors, so advertisers can deliver highly relevant and personalized advertisements to their target audience. Additionally, comprehensive measurement and analytics tools enable advertisers to track the performance of their campaigns in real-time, optimize their strategies, and maximize ROI.
Engagement and Interaction
Social media fosters real-time engagement and interaction with news content, so advertisers can actively participate in discussions surrounding breaking news events. Interactive features such as comments, likes, and shares enable brands to spark conversations, drive user engagement, and increase brand visibility.
DID YOU KNOW
WTAE
has over 597,000
followers on Facebook
Effective Social Media Placements
A solid understanding of your target audience is the bedrock of an effective social ad placement strategy. Learn which platforms they use and develop a robust suite of creative that matches the ad specs for each. With the creative set, it’s time to delve into what is perhaps the best part of social media advertising: targeting.
With a hand-picked mix of social placements and ad types, Hearst AnyScreen Social service packages together the tools brands need to thrive in the social space. Offering data-rich and easy-to-read results reporting, you’ll gain insights into your creative performance, impressions, reach, clicks, and more with industry-leading white glove service. Learn more.
Final Thoughts
The traditional boundaries between broadcast, digital, and social media have blurred, presenting both challenges and opportunities for advertisers. As we've explored in this e-book, the shift in news consumption habits, coupled with the proliferation of digital platforms and social media networks, has fundamentally transformed how audiences engage with content and how advertisers can reach them.
From the trusted broadcasts of local TV stations to the dynamic world of streaming news platforms and the immersive experiences of social media, advertisers have a wealth of opportunities to connect with audiences in meaningful ways. By understanding the unique value pillars of engagement, applicability, and trust, advertisers can tailor their strategies to resonate with audiences across these diverse
platforms, building brand affinity and driving business outcomes.
As we navigate this new media landscape, it's clear that
success lies in embracing a diversified approach to media
spending, leveraging the strengths of each platform to
maximize reach, engagement, and ROI. Whether it's
embedding ads within native content, harnessing the power
of long-form documentary-style videos, or stopping the
scroll on social media, advertisers have the tools and
resources to craft compelling stories that capture
the attention of new audiences, wherever they may be.
