Buying TV Ads: Where, How, and How Much It Costs in 2021

Co-authored by Christine Michel Carter and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: January 5, 2022 References

Are you hoping to take your business or product to the next level? If so, TV ads might be the perfect way to get you from point A to point B. Not to worry—we’ve answered all your frequently asked questions, so you can figure out the best option for you and your advertising needs.

Question 1 of 6:

Where do I buy TV ads?

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Contact the station directly. When you work directly with a station, you’ll know which TV programs your ad runs alongside. However, it can require some extra work, depending on how many people you’d like to see your ad. If you want to reach a large audience, you’ll need to negotiate with multiple networks to get your ad out there.^{[1]
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Research source} Visit the websites of the stations you’d like to work with, and look for a sales representative or advertising manager you can contact.
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Work with a streaming service. Companies like Hulu, Pluto TV, and Sling TV work with a lot of different TV stations and channels, and make it easy to reach a lot of people at once. However, streaming services don’t let you choose the individual shows and programs that your ads run with.^{[2]
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- These ads will be broadcasted by the streaming service, not an individual channel or station.
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3
Use a demand-side platform (DSP). A DSP is a third-party ad management product that makes it easier to publish your ad across many different avenues, including TV, social media, search engines, and video advertising channels.^{[3]
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Research source} However, you’ll need to pay an extra fee to use a DSP service.^{[4]
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- Some popular DSPs are Basis, Google Marketing Program, The Trade Desk, and Criteo.^{[5]
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Question 2 of 6:

How much does it cost to run a TV ad?

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Most TV ads are charged on a cost-per-thousand (CPM) model. Unfortunately, TV advertising isn’t super cut-and-dry; instead, the total cost ultimately depends on when you’re airing the ad, where you’re airing the ad, the current demand for ad space, and how many potential viewers there will be. With a CPM model, you’ll pay a set rate for every 1,000 people who view your ad.^{[6]
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- The more populated a city is, the higher the CPM will be. For instance, the CPM for Los Angeles is about $35, while the CPM for Kansas City is about $14.
- For example, if you bought a 60-second ad in the LA area that reached 1,000,000 people, you’d probably pay around $35,000.
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Broadcast channels typically have a lower CPM than cable channels. Broadcast channels are stations that you can get just about anywhere, while cable channels usually cost extra. Because of this, ads for local broadcast channels tend to be cheaper than cable ads.^{[7]
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- While you can schedule an ad on a national network, it definitely won’t be cheap. On average, a national, 30-second ad costs around $115,000.
- In general, more viewers will see ads on a broadcast channel. However, cable ads make it easier to target a specific group of people.^{[8]
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Question 3 of 6:

How long does my ad have to be?

Most ads are somewhere between 10 and 60 seconds. Most TV stations are happy to accept ads that are 10, 15, 30, or 60 seconds long. However, keep in mind that longer TV spots will be a bit pricier than shorter ones.^{[9]
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Question 4 of 6:

What other cost factors should I consider?

Factor in production costs to your budget. Before you send your TV ad to a station or network, you’ll need to create it first. That’s where production costs come in! If you make your ad independently, your ad production might only cost around $2,000. However, if you work with a professional agency or production team, your ad production could easily cost between $10,000 and $20,000, and possibly even more.^{[10]
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Question 5 of 6:

How do I buy ads if I’m on a budget?

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Invest in remnant advertising. This type of advertising is way more flexible than most advertising packages, but probably won’t get you prime TV slots. Instead, remnant advertising offers discounts by broadcasting your ads when there’s room in the schedule.^{[11]
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- For example, you might buy an “auto-fill” package that runs your ad 50 times per week between 6 AM and 12 AM.
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Ask the TV station for extra perks. Officially known as a “value adds,” some stations might offer some free web advertisements in addition to your TV ad package. Before committing to any deals, see what kinds of value adds are available first.^{[12]
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- Advertising agencies can help clue you in on what value adds are available for certain stations.
3
Buy your ads in bulk. TV stations like planning their ad schedules in advance. In fact, some stations sell budget-friendly ad packages, as long as you’re willing to book 10-13 weeks of ads at once. Talk to the station and see what kinds of options are available for your budget.^{[13]
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Question 6 of 6:

What other discounts are available?

Look into co-op advertising. If your business sells a product made by another company, that company might give you some money for your ad. See if there are any special requirements for these co-op funds—to qualify for the money, the ad in question might have to run during a certain time slot, or get replayed a certain number of times.^{[14]
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Expert Q&A

Question

When should I buy TV ads?

Christine Michel Carter
Global Marketing Expert
Christine Michel Carter is a Global Marketing Expert, Best-Selling Author, and Strategy Consultant for Minority Woman Marketing, LLC. With over 13 years of experience, Christine specializes in strategic business and marketing consulting services including market analysis, organizational alignment, portfolio review, cultural accuracy, and brand and marketing review. She is also a speaker on millennial moms and black consumers. Christine holds a BS in Business Administration and Art History from Stevenson University. She is a leader in multicultural marketing strategy and has written over 100 articles views for several publications, including TIME and Forbes Women. Christine has worked with Fortune 500 clients such as Google, Walmart, and McDonald’s. She has been featured in The New York Times, BBC News, NBC, ABC, Fox, The Washington Post, Business Insider, and Today.

Christine Michel Carter

Global Marketing Expert

Expert Answer

Think about your marketing calendar as you're planning your ads. For instance, if you tend to get a lot of customers around the holidays, don't plan a big marketing push for February.