How Do Companies Track TV Advertising?

by Mike Gonyea

An old lament, still common in advertising circles, goes something like this: "I know half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; I just don't know which half." Television advertising -- because it may or may not work on many different levels -- can be a tricky business. Various factors, including the size of the company, its scope and whether the ad is image-focused or action-focused, determine the most appropriate methods.

TV Tracking Standard-Bearer

For large companies, whose TV ad buys are national or regional in scope, the standard-bearer for tracking audience levels has long been Nielsen Media Research. In addition to gauging how many people are watching a given program, the company also tracks the demographic makeup of the audience. Nielsen tracks traditional viewers and those who watch TV online and with mobile devices.

Supplemental Research Often Required

While Nielsen can determine how many people are viewing a program that includes a given ad, it doesn't evaluate less tangible elements such as the extent to which the ad changed perceptions of a brand or whether it increased consideration among the brand's potential target market. As a result, large advertisers typically conduct their own proprietary studies to supplement the information gathered by Nielsen. This approach can be exhaustive and expensive, and many companies have neither the experience nor the deep pockets needed to utilize it.

Small Business's Have Different Challenges

Many companies are reluctant to take the leap of faith required to enter the world of television advertising, and smaller businesses, or those operating in a narrow geographic area, want to know that their TV ad is producing tangible results. They want assurances that the viewers exposed to the ad are, in fact, influenced by it. Fortunately, for those business owners willing to take the initial leap, there are ways to determine whether a television commercial motivated someone to take action.

TV Tracking Solutions

The best way for smaller companies to track the effectiveness of a TV commercial is to create a virtual paper trail that links the ad to some specific action taken by the consumer. This can be done by embedding a unique URL or phone number into the commercial, both of which allow a business to directly track response to its spot. Utilizing a landing page tied to the commercial, while it provides a way to track a commercial's effectiveness, also affords the business the opportunity to create email sign-ups. A small business also can contract the services of a company skilled at linking the data from TV shows and commercials to audience reactions in social media.

About the Author

Mike Gonyea served as an account manager and strategic planner at a Detroit advertising agency for 20 years. He has covered automotive finance, state and local government and interfaith issues for publications and websites including “The Detroit News,” American Thinker and A Common Word.

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