Hey! We wanted to spend a little time talking about why we choose to advertise on certain platforms. Digital marketing is crazy broad, and there are tons of different avenues you can choose to spend your marketing budget on. Often when we are building out marketing plans, we utilize some combination of our top platforms. This is because they work! Really well!
Today we will be diving into digital streaming and our top 2 favorite channels to advertise on in 2024 – YouTube and Hulu/Disney+!
YouTube
YouTube’s dominance in digital-streaming is undeniable. With 70% of the U.S. population (approximately 238 million users) actively engaged on the platform, it’s second only to Facebook in terms of active users. But what’s truly remarkable is the engagement level: 62% of these users visit daily, 92% weekly, and an impressive 98% monthly.
Why YouTube Leads Our Strategy
- Unmatched Cost Efficiency
- Average CPM (Cost Per Thousand Views) of $8.50 over the past year
- Significantly lower than competitor platforms, which often start at $20+ CPM
- Flexible budgeting options that work for businesses of all sizes
- Precise Targeting Capabilities
- Target based on demographics
- Leverage user Google & YouTube search history
- Match content with viewer interests
- Geographic targeting for local businesses
- Behavioral targeting based on viewing patterns
- Retarget users who have visited your site or watched your content
- YouTube TV Integration One of YouTube’s most compelling advantages is its integration with YouTube TV. This feature allows advertisers to:
- Place ads on live streaming television
- Reach cord-cutters watching traditional TV content
- Appear during major sporting events
- Show up during popular shows and prime-time content
- Maintain the same cost-effective CPM rates
- Video Marketing Momentum With 91% of businesses reporting video use in their 2024 marketing strategies, YouTube provides the perfect platform to capitalize on this trend. The platform’s versatility allows for various ad formats:
- Skippable and Non-skippable In-stream Ads
- Bumper ads
- Discovery ads
- In-feed video ads
Hulu and Disney+
While YouTube excels in user-generated content and broad reach, Hulu and Disney+ dominate the premium streaming space. Here’s why they’re essential to our marketing mix:
The Power of Premium Streaming
- Massive Combined Reach
- Hulu: 51.1 million subscribers
- Disney+: 153.6 million subscribers
- Combined platform integration
- Significantly larger than competitors (Sling: 2 million users)
- Strategic Advantages
- Non-skippable ad formats
- Premium content environment
- Younger demographic reach
- Traditional TV-like viewing experience
- High engagement rates
Cost Comparison Across Streaming Platforms (CPM)
- HBO Max: $40+
- Peacock: $30-$40 ($10k/mo minimums)
- Disney+: ~$32
- Hulu: ~$28
- Paramount+: Starts at $25, Increases based on targeting
- YouTube: ~$8.50
Why This Strategy Works in 2024
The Shifting Television Landscape
Traditional cable TV continues its decline, with subscribers dropping to 68.7 million in the U.S., representing a 4.9% year-over-year decrease. This shift makes streaming platforms increasingly valuable for reaching cord-cutters and younger audiences.
Platform User Base Comparison (in millions):
- YouTube: 238
- TikTok: 180
- Disney+: 153
- Prime Video: 119
- Netflix: 84
- Hulu: 51
- Twitch: 44
- Apple TV: 18
Budget Flexibility
Both platforms offer remarkable flexibility in terms of budget allocation:
- YouTube campaigns can start with minimal budgets
- Hulu campaigns can begin at $500 monthly
- Both platforms scale effectively with larger budgets
- No wasted impressions due to precise targeting
Strategic Implementation Tips
- Cross-Platform Integration
- Use YouTube for broader reach and awareness
- Leverage Hulu for targeted, premium audience engagement
- Coordinate messaging across both platforms
- Track cross-platform performance metrics
- Content Optimization
- Create platform-specific ad formats
- Adapt messaging for each platform’s audience
- Test different ad lengths and styles
- Monitor and optimize based on performance data
- Budget Allocation
- Start with YouTube for cost-effective reach
- Add Hulu for premium audience targeting
- Scale budget based on performance metrics
- Adjust allocation based on campaign objectives
Looking Forward
As we continue through 2024, these platforms’ effectiveness will likely increase as:
- More viewers transition from traditional TV
- Targeting capabilities improve
- New ad formats emerge
- Platform integration creates new opportunities
The combination of YouTube’s broad reach and cost-effectiveness with Hulu’s premium environment and engaged audience provides a powerful marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes.
Also – we are always looking for the next best option. If you have questions about these platforms or another platform you don’t see on here, reach out!
