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The streaming revolution isn’t just changing how we watch our favorite shows (anyone watching the new season of Squid Game?); it’s transforming how B2B brands can reach their target audiences.
While consumer brands were quick to jump into Connected TV advertising, B2B marketers have largely watched from the sidelines, assuming the channel was too broad for their targeting needs. But that’s changing.
As viewership continues to surge and traditional cable subscriptions decline, Connected TV advertising has evolved into a sophisticated channel that delivers the precision B2B marketers require. The narrow audience capabilities of Connected TV are creating new opportunities to reach business buyers where they’re spending their time — on their favorite streaming platforms.
What is Connected TV and Over-the-Top (OTT)?
OTT refers to any video content streamed over the internet rather than through traditional cable or satellite providers. Think of all the ways people consume video content today:
- Settling in for an evening of Netflix shows
- Catching up on Hulu during lunch breaks
- Streaming live sports through YouTube TV
Connected TV specifically refers to large screen devices you may be using to watch OTT, such as Smart TVs. Whether viewers are watching ad-supported streaming services, using free platforms, or catching their local news through connected TV apps, Connected TV advertising can reach them in a highly targeted way.
Unlike traditional TV advertising, which often requires broad geographic buys that can waste significant budget, Connected TV uses first- and third-party data for precise audience targeting.
For instance:
- A consumer brand might use Connected TV to display ads only to viewers within a five-mile delivery radius of an oil change shop.
- A restaurant chain could target their existing customer database by matching customer information to household IP addresses, ensuring their latest promotion reaches proven patrons.
While the cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) may be more expensive than traditional TV advertising, the ability to eliminate waste through precise targeting typically delivers superior ROI. Instead of paying to reach an entire metropolitan area, you’re investing only in reaching the viewers most likely to become your customers. This efficiency makes Connected TV particularly attractive for brands that need to be strategic with their advertising investments.
The Challenge of Using Connected TV for B2B Brands
While Connected TV’s targeting capabilities are impressive for consumer brands, B2B marketers face a unique set of challenges when trying to use this channel.
Most OTT platforms and providers build their targeting around consumer-centric factors like household demographics, viewing behaviors, or geographic location. What they don’t offer is the ability to target by professional attributes like job title, seniority level, or department — the information B2B marketers need most.
This limitation creates a significant efficiency problem. Let’s say you’re selling enterprise software to CTOs at mid-sized companies. Using standard Connected TV targeting capabilities, you might be able to target households in areas with high concentrations of technology companies, or viewers who consume technology-related content. But for every actual CTO you reach, you’re also paying to show your ads to countless viewers who have no influence over enterprise technology purchases — quickly draining your advertising budget.
For B2B brands, this means that standard Connected TV targeting approaches aren’t enough — you need a more sophisticated strategy to ensure your ads reach the actual decision-makers you’re trying to influence.
How to use Connected TV for B2B
Connected TV advertising has evolved far beyond its early days when it was primarily the domain of big brands with million-dollar TV commercial budgets. Today, B2B marketers can use this powerful channel with surgical precision, thanks to the combination of intent data and professional targeting capabilities.
Instead of casting a wide net, successful B2B brands start with a precisely defined audience built from two critical data layers:
Professional Targeting
- Focus on specific job titles and functions that matter for your solution
- Target decision-makers based on seniority levels
- Reach professionals within your ideal customer profile (ICP)
Intent Signals
- Identify companies actively researching solutions like yours
- Track digital breadcrumbs like whitepaper downloads, product comparisons, and webinar attendance
- Focus budget on accounts showing genuine buying signals
6sense + LinkedIn for the Win!
6sense + LinkedIn is a powerful combo that can help you target specific personas in in-market accounts with Connected TV ads. Launching a campaign is straightforward but requires attention to detail.
First, make sure you have high-quality video assets ready to go. Connected TV demands higher production values than typical social media content, with specific requirements for bit rate and video quality to ensure optimal playback across streaming platforms. For detailed specifications, check LinkedIn’s technical requirements.
Keep your videos concise — the sweet spot is around 15 seconds. Viewer attention tends to drop beyond the 20-second mark during ad breaks.
Here’s an example:
Once your content is ready, set up a “Brand Awareness” campaign in LinkedIn Ads following these steps:
- Define location parameters
- Select relevant job functions and titles
- Layer in the 6sense audience segment you want to target
- Exclude competitors and other irrelevant audiences
Your ads will appear across major streaming platforms like Hulu, Netflix (ad-supported tiers), and smart TV apps from certain manufacturers. While you can’t always choose specific platforms, this broad distribution ensures maximum reach within your targeted professional audience.
This simple strategy takes Connected TV from a brand awareness channel to a precision targeting tool that aligns with B2B buying cycles. You get the emotional impact and high engagement of television advertising while ensuring your message reaches the right viewers at exactly the right time in their buying journey.
