The Rise of Hulu Advertising

It’s no surprise that during the pandemic subscriptions to online streaming services skyrocketed – reaching over 1 billion subscriptions for the first time in history. With the rise of streaming services, It’s also no surprise that traditional television, which used to be the most reliable way for marketers to reach audiences, is not what it used to be. 

Now, while the dying out of a once surefire marketing platform can be scary, there’s no need to fear, Hulu Ads are here! Hulu is now the leading ad-supported streaming TV platform for ALL businesses, big and small. Additionally, Hulu claims its ads are 150% more effective than regular TV ads. Change can be hard, but it’s time to hop off the sinking ship that is standard television ads and switch to advertising on Hulu. 

If you’re still not on board this new marketing wave, here are 5 further reasons why you should invest in Hulu advertising for your business.

• Wide reach
  As previously stated, streaming service subscribers hit an all-time high during the pandemic. But, Hulu users have shown they are here to stay even post-pandemic. Hulu is now at 46.2 million paid subscribers and nearly 100 million total viewers – and that number is only continuing to grow as Hulu’s user base is expected to reach over 115 million by 2024. 

Furthermore, unlike many social media platforms, Hulu is not geared towards a specific age demographic or generation. While millennials are Hulu’s biggest age demographic making up 37% of its total viewers, it is still split fairly evenly with Generation Z making up 17%, Generation X 27%, and baby boomers 19%. While Hulu can be effectively used to target younger generations, it is not at all limited to them. 

• Reliable
  One of the best parts about advertising on a streaming service like Hulu is that you reach audiences at a time when they are most attentive. Whether they're locked into their favorite movie or binging a new reality TV show, their gaze is locked on their screen. Even if the viewer were to become uninterested in your ad, they can’t scroll past it as they would on a social media platform – they must finish it to continue streaming content. 

Additionally, Hulu ads are adjusted to the preferences of their viewer. This means your ad will be shown to people who are presumed genuinely interested in your product/service, unlike the more randomized traditional TV ads. Because of this, Ads on Hulu command more attention. 88% more than user-generated content and 56% more than ads on a social platform (51%).

• Creditable
  Not only are Hulu ads reliable, but also creditable. In a recent survey, viewers rated Hulu significantly higher than social media sites when it comes to safety, trustworthiness, and having more premium content. Because viewers trust Hulu, they are more likely to trust your brand’s ad. It’s also helpful that, because Hulu is the leading ad-supported streaming service, reputable, well-known brands are using it to advertise. 

Here’s what Josh Jerret, founder of Quantify Fitness, had to say about advertising on Hulu as a SMB. “Hulu was ideal for us because it allows a small, local brand to potentially be on TV right after a big brand. That brings more credibility to the advertiser…I don’t think a lot of small businesses could afford to do TV advertising without a solution like this”

• Inexpensive
  Hulu, especially in comparison with traditional television, is a much more accessible advertising platform than you might have expected. A major reason for this is that Hulu only charges your campaign after the ad has been 100% watched. So, if a viewer exits off Hulu during your ad, you won’t be charged a penny! Hulu Ad manager also allows advertising budgets as low as $500, so even small businesses with low budgets can give Hulu ads a chance. 

“Getting on TV is a big deal. With Hulu Ad Manager, you can have a minimum budget of $500 and that’s affordable for any small business owner…The number of impressions we can get for our spend is incredible for such an engaged audience” -Maryam Garg (Founder of Modmask)

• Highly Targetable
  Unlike advertising on traditional TV, Hulu allows you to specifically target individual users based on their age, gender, location, interests, and much more. In fact, Hulu Ad Manager guarantees local exclusivity ensuring that your ad will only be shown to users who are in your area of interest. This is huge for small businesses.

Take it from Katheryn Aquino, Chief Operations Officer of Alpha/Omega Coverage Corp, who stated, “I was amazed at how well Hulu was able to narrow down and target our desired demographic. We were able to get specific with location, age, etc. In my opinion, it was definitely a step above social media specificity!” 

This ability for small businesses to pinpoint their desired audience is a major reason why Hulu ads are 150% more effective than regular TV ads at developing recall and 24% better at creating an intent to purchase in viewers.

• Easy to use
  One of the best things about advertising with Hulu is that it’s user-friendly. All you have to do is create your ad, but if you don’t have the time or resources for that you are welcome to use Hulu’s custom video program and they will handle the entire video production for you. After you have your ad made, the rest is in Hulu’s hands – from the encoding to the streaming, Hulu has it covered. 
  
  
• Highly trackable
  Unlike traditional television, Hulu’s ads are highly trackable. Through Hulu Ad Manager, you are able to see immediate results that allow you to closely monitor your campaign status and make changes to it accordingly. 

Here’s what Franchise Marketing Specialist Bill Barrett has to say about Hulu ads and their trackability. “We like the ability to see the campaigns in real-time to break down the number of impressions by day/device/genre of shows. Being able to log into a dashboard at any time to look at performance is something that we have never had before with linear TV campaigns” 

• Complement your other ads 

Streaming service ads, like Hulu, are a great complement to your current marketing strategy. It’s something different, and fresh from the numerous social media ads your new and potential customers have already seen from you. Hulu ads can give your brand the opportunity to show its story through a new lens and diversity your marketing tactics. 

All in all, streaming advertising is the future – for big and small businesses. If you’re looking for a way to spice up your marketing strategy for the upcoming year, look no further than Hulu ads.