If you’re thinking about advertising on TV, chances are you are also thinking about the costs involved. So, what does TV advertising cost? Let’s break it down a bit so and you an accurate answer to that question.

It all comes down to when and where your ad is going to air.

You may often hear people talk about “packages”. Don’t be fooled – This is simply the total cost for however many commercials your buying. TV ads are sold one way, and one way only: “by the airing”.

Not “by the day, or by the station” or any other strange “package” that some may claim to have in their back pocket.

Every time an ad airs, the register dings for that TV station. Period. It’s always a good idea to know what you are paying “per airing”. Once you know this, you can get an idea on what you will need to budget for the complete advertising campaign.

The lowest cost option for TV advertising would be zoned cable advertising. This is where your TV commercial airs in a small, select geographic area of a city on select networks. The cost per airing in this type of set-up could be anywhere from $1 per airing to $25 in a major city in a large zone on a major cable network.

The second lowest cost option is cable advertising across an entire city or what is known as an “interconnect”. This is a geographic area made up of multiple zones that cover a larger footprint than a single “zone”. The cost per airing this way, will be very dependent on the size of the city along with the network and time of day your ads are scheduled to air. Costs vary quite a bit here and could fall anywhere from $10 to $100+.  If you would like to get a definitive quote for your area, please contact us direct.

The third lowest cost option would be local broadcast TV advertising on networks like CBS, NBC, ABC or FOX. Again, the rates will vary quite a bit depending on when and where your ads air and the size of the audience. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 per spot for daytime talk shows, all the up to over $1000+ for prime time shows and highly rated news programming. If you would like to get a quote on what this type of TV advertising costs, please contact us direct.

National TV Advertising is the most expensive option of all. Rates here also very quite a bit based on the size of the audience your message will reach. Some smaller cable networks can be as low as $250, while a slot on major network shows can fall in to the hundreds of thousands of dollars per airing.

Where and when your ad should air really depends on your individual needs and the budget you have to work with. We can help you come up with a strategy for reaching your target customer frequently on the shows they are likely to be watching!