TV advertising was long seen as a playground for the big players. Anyone who wanted to run a spot needed a six-figure budget, an agency, and a lot of lead time. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), that was simply out of reach. Streaming has turned this around. TV advertising is now accessible for SMEs too.
Why that is can be traced to three barriers that used to keep the channel closed. This article goes through them one by one and shows how streaming resolves each. For the deeper topics like cost, impact, or the comparison with an agency, we point to a dedicated article each time.
Barrier 1: the budget
The first barrier was the price. Classic TV advertising with a large channel usually starts in the five to six figure range, because you buy national reach whether you need it or not. For an SME with a limited marketing budget, that was never an option.
Streaming turns this around. Because you no longer buy an entire airtime slot but targeted contacts reached, you start with a manageable amount. Via onescreen, campaigns start from EUR 1,000, with no commitment and no minimum runtime. You can start small and only increase once it pays off. How the pricing breaks down in detail is covered in the TV advertising price guide.
Barrier 2: wastage
The second barrier was the lack of precision. In classic television, you pay for all viewers, including those far outside your region or audience. For a business that only has customers within fifty kilometers, that's wasted money.
Streaming advertising can be targeted digitally, much like with Google or Meta, just on the big screen. You reach your audience precisely by region, down to the postal code, and by traits like age and interests. That way you only pay for people who are relevant to you. For SMEs with a regional or narrow focus especially, this is the biggest difference.
Barrier 3: the forced reliance on an agency
The third barrier was the effort. Classic TV booking ran through an agency, with a long lead time and little control of your own. For a small team without a media department, that was a real barrier.
Today you book yourself through a self-service platform, in a few steps, and keep your hand on budget, audience, and runtime. An agency becomes an option, not a requirement. Which path fits better and when is compared in the article onescreen Ad Manager or Agency.
Even the last practical hurdle, a missing video ad, doesn't have to stop you. 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.
What remains: the impact of television
Accessible doesn't mean weaker. Your ad runs in the same high-quality environment as those of the big brands, full screen on the television, with sound and non-skippable. For smaller brands, that's doubly valuable, because presence on the big screen signals credibility and makes the brand feel established.
How strong this environment's impact really is, and why a streaming contact counts for more than an impression in the feed, is a topic of its own. The article on the premium quality of streaming advertising gives the overview.
Conclusion
Streaming advertising has removed the three old barriers for SMEs: the high budget, the wastage, and the forced reliance on an agency. What remains is the impact of television. Anyone advertising regionally or with a clear audience finds a channel here that was closed for a long time and is now open with a manageable budget.
Want to know what this looks like for your business? Book a demo, and we'll show you the possibilities in 30 minutes. Or get started directly in the Ad Manager.
FAQ
From what budget does streaming advertising make sense for SMEs? Via onescreen, campaigns start from EUR 1,000 per campaign, with no commitment and no minimum runtime. You can test small and scale up on success. Classic TV advertising, by contrast, usually starts in the five to six figure range.
Can I target my advertising regionally? Yes. You target streaming advertising precisely by region, down to the postal code, and by audience. That way you reach exactly the people in your catchment area, instead of paying for nationwide reach.
Do I need an agency? No. Through a self-service platform like onescreen, you book yourself and keep control. An agency is an option, not a requirement.
I don't have a video ad. Is that a problem? No. onescreen supports spot creation with the help of AI, cheaper and faster than classic production, built from existing materials like images and logos.
Is the advertising just as effective as classic TV advertising? Yes. Your ad runs full screen on the television, with sound and non-skippable, in the same high-quality environment as ads from the big brands.