Many think of TV advertising as something for consumer brands: detergent, cars, chocolate bars. Anyone doing B2B tends to think of advertising as LinkedIn, trade shows, or Google. What's easy to overlook is that the decision-makers you want to reach in B2B sit in front of the television in the evening just like everyone else. And that streaming advertising can now be targeted so precisely that it works for B2B too, right down to job title.
This article shows why streaming advertising is interesting for B2B companies, how targeting works, and which two use cases pay off especially well, from reaching decision-makers to recruiting.
B2B decision-makers are viewers too
The most important point first: your B2B audience is made up of people, and these people stream. According to a survey by market research firm Forrester, nearly 40% of business decision-makers use television daily, including to stay up to date on industry and business topics. That's a significant share of exactly the people you want to reach.
On top of that, streaming has long become part of everyday life. 87% of people aged 16 and over use it (Bitkom), and most of that happens on the television in the living room. The decision-makers, specialists, and buyers you want to address are right in the middle of it. More on the market environment is in the overview of streaming in Germany.
The advantage: targeting down to job title
What actually makes streaming advertising useful for B2B is precision. Classic TV advertising reaches everyone, including the millions of viewers who will never be a fit for your B2B offering. That's exactly why TV never worked for most B2B companies.
With streaming advertising, you target precisely. Alongside region and interests, targeting can also be done by job title, among other things. That way you reach, for example, people in commercial management roles, in a specific industry, or with a particular professional interest profile, instead of losing budget on the broad mass. The mass medium television becomes a channel that also works for narrow B2B audiences.
Use case 1: reaching decision-makers
The most obvious use is addressing your target customers. You put your brand and message on the big screen, where decision-makers are relaxed and attentive, instead of getting lost among dozens of emails and feed posts.
The lever is job title. If you sell accounting software, for example, you deliver your spot specifically to people in roles like accountant, finance manager, or tax specialist. If you offer production machinery, you address operations or production managers. That way your advertising lands with exactly the roles that decide on a purchase, not with the broad mass.
This works especially on awareness and trust. A B2B provider that's present on television comes across as established and credible, which matters especially for offerings that need explaining and for long decision paths. By the time your sales team calls, or your name shows up in a tender, the brand is already known. The spot doesn't replace sales, but it prepares the ground.
Use case 2: recruiting and employer branding
The second use case is often underestimated: hiring. The fight for skilled workers is harder for many B2B companies than the fight for customers, and the most interesting candidates aren't actively looking at all. They have a job, but are open to something better. Classic job ads barely reach them.
Streaming does. And here too, job title is the key: if you're looking for nursing staff, you deliver your spot specifically to registered nurses in your region. If you need electricians, you address exactly that trade. So you don't deliver your employer message randomly, but precisely in the role, region, and audience where your ideal candidates live, and during their free time, when they're relaxed. A short spot showing what it's like to work at your company works better than any text ad. Employer branding on the big screen was long reserved for large corporations, streaming now opens it up to mid-sized employers too.
And if you're missing a video for recruiting or customer outreach: onescreen supports creative production with the help of AI, noticeably faster and more cost-efficient than classic production, built from existing materials like images and logos.
The impact: big screen, full attention
What works in B2C works the same way in B2B: your ad runs full screen on the television, with sound and non-skippable, in a high-quality environment. You don't get that kind of attention in a crowded LinkedIn feed or inbox. Why a streaming contact is worth more than a quick impression is shown in the overview of the premium quality of streaming advertising.
Who this is worth it for
Streaming advertising in B2B pays off especially when you have a clearly defined audience, say a specific industry, role, or region, when you want to build brand awareness, or when you're competing for skilled workers. The entry point is low: via onescreen, campaigns start from EUR 1,000, you book yourself through the Ad Manager and control audience and budget to your own specifications. This matters especially for smaller and mid-sized providers, more on that in the article on streaming advertising for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Want to know how to reach your B2B audience or your ideal candidates through streaming? Book a demo, and we'll show you the possibilities in 30 minutes. Or get started directly in the Ad Manager.
Conclusion
Streaming advertising isn't purely a B2C tool. Because the audience can be narrowed down to job title, the big screen becomes usable for B2B too, both to reach decision-makers and to win skilled workers. Anyone with a clear audience finds a channel in streaming that combines attention and credibility while staying affordable.
FAQ
Does streaming advertising work for B2B too? Yes. B2B decision-makers stream like everyone else, and according to Forrester nearly 40% of business decision-makers use television daily. Through precise targeting you reach them without losing budget on the broad mass.
Can I target by job title or industry? Yes. Besides region and interests, streaming advertising can also be targeted by job title, among other criteria. That way you reach specific roles or industries instead of paying for the entire audience.
Can I use streaming advertising for recruiting? Yes. You deliver your employer message precisely in the region and audience of your ideal candidates, including passive candidates who aren't actively job hunting. A short spot about your company works better than a plain text ad.
Is B2B streaming advertising expensive? No. Via onescreen, campaigns start from EUR 1,000, with no commitment. You book yourself and control budget and audience according to your own specifications, a low entry point even for mid-sized B2B companies.
I don't have a spot. How do I get a video? onescreen supports spot creation with the help of AI, cheaper and faster than classic production, based on existing materials like images and logos. This applies equally to customer outreach and recruiting.