Author: Shaff Fundraising Group
To effectively engage their audiences today, nonprofits have to stay ahead in the digital space. Connected TV (CTV) advertising is a tool that can help nonprofit organizations, including higher education and independent schools, connect with donors on a deeper, more targeted level. This post will explore the benefits of CTV and how it can be integrated into your nonprofit’s fundraising and engagement strategy.
What is CTV Advertising? CTV refers to any television connected to the internet, enabling access to streaming platforms like Hulu, YouTube, and others. Unlike traditional TV advertising, CTV allows you to target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and even behaviors. For nonprofits, this means you can reach potential donors, prospects, friends and members with precision, delivering compelling stories where they are most engaged.
The Shift to CTV
The shift towards CTV in the US has been dramatic. In 2023, cable TV subscribers dropped to 72.2 million from 98.7 million in 2016. Why? Because 82% of American adults say streaming entertains them more than cable TV. It’s not just about cutting the cord—it’s about gaining control over what, when, and how we watch.
Why CTV is a Game-Changer for Nonprofits:
Precise Targeting:
CTV advertising allows nonprofits to deliver highly personalized messages to specific donor segments, based on data like age, location, and past giving behavior. This precision ensures your message reaches those most likely to engage with your cause.
Higher Engagement Rates: Since CTV ads are more relevant to the viewer, they often have higher completion rates compared to traditional ads. With more people completing your ad, the chances of converting viewers into donors increase.
Real-Time Analytics: CTV offers the advantage of real-time performance data. Nonprofits can track how many people watched the ad, how long they engaged, and if they took action (e.g., visiting your donation page). This data can be used to optimize future campaigns.
Cost Efficiency: Unlike the traditional scattergun approach of TV ads, CTV allows nonprofits to target the right audience, reducing wasted ad spend and ensuring each dollar is maximized for impact.
How Can Nonprofits Leverage CTV Advertising?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Share powerful stories: Use CTV ads to showcase the impact of your organization's work and inspire viewers to donate.
Promote fundraising events: Raise awareness about upcoming fundraising or engagement events and encourage viewers to participate.
Highlight volunteer opportunities: CTV ads can be a great way to recruit volunteers who are passionate about your cause.
Integrating CTV Into Your Fundraising Strategy: To fully leverage the power of CTV, nonprofits need to align their digital and traditional marketing strategies. Here are some steps to consider:
Develop Compelling Visual Content: Donor stories, impact videos, and calls to action that resonate with your target audience are essential for CTV success.
Start Small, Then Scale: Test CTV with a portion of your budget and use real-time data to refine your approach.
Collaborate Across Platforms: Ensure your CTV ads work in harmony with your other digital campaigns for maximum reach and engagement.
Get Started: Explore Connected TV Advertising for Nonprofits
Start with a Strategy
Before you spend anything, you should develop a strategy that aligns with your goals. Here’s a recommended approach:
Define your objectives: Are you aiming for brand awareness, lead generation, or direct sales? Be specific.
Identify your target audience: Who are you trying to reach? Get as detailed as possible about their demographics, interests, and viewing habits.
Set clear KPIs: Decide how you’ll measure success. It could be:
Impressions: The number of times your ad is displayed
Completion Rate: The percentage of viewers who watch your entire ad. This is typically high for CTV ads.
Cost Per Completed View (CPCV): The cost for each viewer watching your ad.
Brand Lift: Measures changes in brand awareness, perception, or purchase intent after viewing your ad.
Reach and Frequency: Number of unique viewers who saw your ad and how often.
Website Visits: Increase in traffic to your website after running the CTV campaign.
Conversion Rate: The percentage of viewers who take a desired action after seeing your ad.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): The revenue generated compared to your ad spend.
Foot Traffic (for brick-and-mortar businesses): Increase in-store visits attributed to your CTV campaign.
Align with other marketing efforts: Your CTV campaign shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. Think about how it fits with your overall omnichannel strategy, whether it is focused on donor relations, advancement communications, a capital or comprehensive campaign, or an annual giving effort like Giving Day.
2. Choose Your Platform
3. Select the Platform For Your Needs
Here are your main options:
Smart TV manufacturers: Think of VIZIO and Samsung. These are the actual TV brands that have built-in streaming capabilities. They offer ad inventory across their native apps and sometimes partner channels.
Streaming devices: Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire are popular choices. These are external devices that connect to TVs to enable streaming. They provide ad opportunities across their platforms and partner apps.
Video streaming services: Hulu and Peacock offer advertising options. These are the actual content providers where viewers watch shows and movies. They offer ad inventory within their content streams.
Demand-side providers: Platforms like Madhive and MediaMath offer a broader reach. These technology platforms allow you to buy ad inventory across multiple CTV sources and provide broader reach and more advanced targeting options.
Over-the-top (OTT) aggregators: Platforms like SpotX, FreeWheel, and Magnite aggregate ad inventory from multiple streaming services and devices. They offer a single point of access to diverse CTV inventory.
4. Create Compelling Content
CTV ads need to grab attention and engage viewers quickly. Whether you opt for a 15-second spot or a more interactive 30-second ad, the content should resonate with your audience and reinforce your brand message.
5. Set Your Budget and Bidding Strategy
CTV advertising can be cost-effective, but you need to be strategic about your spending:
Start with a test marketing budget: This allows you to gather data without breaking the bank.
Choose your bidding model: Options include CPM (cost per thousand impressions), CPC (cost per click), or CPA (cost per acquisition).
Allocate budget across platforms: If you use multiple platforms, divide your budget based on performance and audience reach.
Set frequency caps: This prevents ad fatigue and ensures you’re not wasting impressions on the same viewers.
6. Monitor and Optimize
The real power of digital advertising comes from its measurability.
With CTV, you can track your ads' performance in real time using KPI benchmarks. Use this data to tweak and refine your ads, shifting resources to the highest-performing platforms or adjusting your message to increase viewer engagement.
Use real-time data to your advantage:
Track key metrics: Monitor impressions, completion rates, and conversions.
Analyze viewer behavior: Look at engagement patterns and drop-off points.
Adjust in real-time: Many platforms allow you to optimize campaigns on the fly.
Test and learn: Try different creative versions, targeting options, or bid strategies.
Connect online and offline data: Use attribution tools to understand the full impact of your CTV ads.
Conclusion
CTV advertising provides nonprofits a unique opportunity to reach and engage potential donors in ways traditional advertising cannot. By incorporating CTV into your fundraising strategy, your organization can increase its reach, improve engagement, and drive more donations.
Ready to explore how CTV can elevate your nonprofit’s efforts? Shaff Fundraising Group is here to guide you every step of the way.
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Shaff Fundraising Group is a consulting firm specializing in fundraising, marketing, and analytics. We take pride in our independent approach, free from technology affiliations with SaaS and other companies. This allows us to provide objective, solutions-oriented support to our client partners and the broader fundraising and engagement community.