Hey there, fellow advertiser! If you are still stuck in the old-fashioned TV world, you may be missing out on a huge opportunity. FAST channels, or free ad-supported streaming television channels, are one of the hottest trends in the streaming industry right now. They offer linear programming that looks like TV, but with more choice, convenience and personalization for viewers.
If you’re an advertiser who is still relying on traditional TV to reach your audience, you may be missing out on a huge opportunity. FAST channels, or free ad-supported streaming television channels, are on the fastest-growing segments in the streaming industry.
They offer linear programming that mimics the TV experience, but with more choice, convenience and personalization for viewers. FAST channels are not only popular among consumers, but also among content creators and owners who can monetize their content and reach new audiences through these platforms.
But what exactly are FAST channels, how can you launch your own and why should advertisers care? In this blog post, we will answer these questions and give you some tips on how to leverage this emerging opportunity and how to create a successful fast channel in 2023.
What are FAST Channels and who offers them?
FAST channels are similar to traditional TV channels, but they are delivered over the internet instead of cable or satellite. They offer a curated selection of content that is organized into playlists or programming grids. The content can be either live or on-demand, and it can cover any genre or niche that you can think of.
Some of the most popular services that offer FAST channels are:
Pluto TV (owned by Viacom CBS):
It has over 300 channels and 40,000 hours of content across genres like news, sports, entertainment, comedy, lifestyle, movies and more.
Xumo (owned by NBCUniversal):
It has over 200 channels and 10,000 hours of content across genres like news, sports, entertainment, kids, comedy, music and more.
Tubi (owned by Fox):
It has over 35,000 titles and 250+ channels across genres like drama, comedy, horror, action, thriller, documentary and more.
Peacock (owned by NBCUniversal):
It has over 20 channels and thousands of hours of content across genres like news, sports, entertainment, kids, comedy, reality and more.
The Roku Channel (owned by Roku):
It has over 190 channels and thousands of hours of content across genres like news, sports, entertainment, kids, lifestyle, movies and more.
IMDb TV (owned by Amazon):
It has over 20 channels and thousands of hours of content across genres like drama, comedy, action, thriller, documentary and more.
Samsung TV+ (owned by Samsung):
It has over 20 channels and thousands of hours of content across genres like drama, comedy, action, thriller, documentary and more.
These are just some examples of the services that offer FAST channels. There are many more out there and new ones are launching every day.
What are the benefits of launching a FAST channel?
Launching a FAST channel can have many benefits for your brand or business. Here are some of them:
Monetize your content:
You can earn revenue from ads that are dynamically inserted into your channel. You can either sell your own ads or partner with an ad network that will do it for you. You can also use your channel to promote your own products or services.
Reach new audiences:
You can expose your content to millions of viewers who are looking for free and easy-to-access entertainment. You can also leverage the distribution and marketing power of the platforms that offer FAST channels. For example, Pluto TV is available on over 100 million devices in the US alone.
Build your brand:
You can create a unique identity for your channel that reflects your vision and values. You can also use your channel to showcase your expertise and authority in your niche or genre. You can also use your channel to engage with your viewers and build loyalty and trust.
Reuse your existing content:
You can use your existing catalog of on-demand content to create your channel. You don’t need to produce new content from scratch. You can simply reorganize your content into playlists or programming grids that fit your channel’s theme and schedule.
Why should advertisers care about FAST channels?
FAST channels offer a unique opportunity for advertisers to reach a large and engaged audience that is looking for free and easy-to-access entertainment. Here are some of the benefits of advertising on FAST channels:
Reach cord-cutters and cord-nevers
FAST channels appeal to viewers who have either cut the cord from traditional TV or never subscribed to it in the first place. These viewers are often hard to reach through other media channels.
According to a study by Comcast Advertising, FAST viewership has doubled since last year and now accounts for 25% of all streaming time.
Target niche audiences:
FAST channels cater to a wide range of interests and preferences. You can target your ads to specific genres or niches that match your brand or product.
For example, if you are selling pet products, you can advertise on a channel dedicated to animals or pets. You can also use contextual advertising to align your ads with relevant content.
Leverage programmatic buying:
FAST channels use programmatic auctions to sell their ad inventory. You can use the same ad-buying tools that you use online to buy ads on FAST channels. You can also benefit from real-time data and analytics to optimize your campaigns and measure your performance.
Enjoy lower costs:
FAST channels offer lower costs per impression (CPM) than traditional TV or other streaming services. You can also save on production costs by using existing creative assets or creating simple ads that fit the streaming format.
How to advertise on FAST channels in 2023?
Advertising on FAST channels is not as complicated as it may seem. Here are some steps that you need to follow:
Define your campaign objectives and budget:
You need to decide what you want to achieve with your campaign and how much you are willing to spend. You need to consider factors like reach, frequency, awareness, engagement, conversion and retention. You also need to research the market and the competition to set realistic and measurable goals.
Choose your platforms and channels:
You need to select the platforms and channels that offer FAST channels and that match your target audience and campaign objectives. You need to consider factors like availability, popularity, content quality, audience size and demographics. You also need to compare the costs and benefits of each platform and channel.
Create your ads and creative assets:
You need to create ads that are suitable for the streaming format and that capture the attention of your audience. You need to consider factors like length, size, resolution, sound, message, call-to-action and branding. You also need to make sure that your ads comply with any legal or contractual obligations.
Launch your campaign and monitor your results:
You need to launch your campaign using the programmatic tools that each platform or channel provides. You need to make sure that your ads are delivered correctly and that they reach your target audience.
You also need to track your results using the data and analytics that each platform or channel provides. You also need to optimize your campaign based on your performance and feedback.
How to launch your own FAST channel in 2023?
Launching a FAST channel is not as hard as it may seem. Here are some steps that you need to follow:
Define your channel’s theme and target audience:
You need to decide what kind of content you want to offer on your channel and who you want to reach with it. You need to consider factors like genre, niche, tone, style, format and demographics.
You also need to research what kind of channels already exist in your space and how you can differentiate yourself from them.
Create your channel’s name and logo:
You need to come up with a catchy name and a memorable logo for your channel. You need to make sure that they reflect your channel’s theme and identity. You also need to make sure that they are not too similar to other existing channels or trademarks.
Curate your channel’s content:
You need to select the content that you want to feature on your channel. You can use your own content or license content from other sources. You need to make sure that the content is relevant, engaging and high-quality.
You also need to make sure that you have the rights to use the content on your channel and that you comply with any legal or contractual obligations.
Organize your channel’s schedule:
You need to create a programming grid for your channel that defines when and how often each piece of content will be played. You need to consider factors like time zones, peak hours, seasons, holidays and events. You also need to create playlists that group similar or related content together.
Integrate your channel’s ads:
You need to insert ads into your channel that will generate revenue for you. You can either sell your own ads or partner with an ad network that will do it for you.
You need to make sure that the ads are relevant, appropriate and non-intrusive. You also need to make sure that you comply with any legal or contractual obligations.
Distribute your channel’s stream:
You need to deliver your channel’s stream to the platforms that offer FAST channels. You can either do it yourself or partner with a service provider that will do it for you.
You need to make sure that the stream is compatible, reliable and secure. You also need to make sure that you comply with any technical or operational requirements.
Grow your FAST Channel with Gizmott
FAST channels are a growing phenomenon in the streaming industry that offer a new way of consuming and monetizing content. They are also a new opportunity for advertisers to reach a large and engaged audience that is looking for free and diverse entertainment.
If you want to advertise on FAST channels in 2023, you need to follow some steps that involve defining, choosing, creating, launching and monitoring your campaign.
If you need help with any of these steps, you can contact us at Gizmott. We are a leading provider of programmatic solutions that enable you to advertise on FAST channels with ease and efficiency.
We can help you with:
• Platform and channel selection
• Campaign management and execution
• Ad creation and optimization
• Data and analytics
• Security and compliance
We can also help you integrate your ads with popular services like Pluto TV, Xumo, Tubi, Peacock, The Roku Channel, IMDb TV, Samsung TV+ and more.
If you are interested in advertising on FAST channels in 2023, get in touch with us today and let us help you make it happen.