2022 was a transformative year for the broadcasting industry. As media teams and service providers have settled into new routines and working practices, evolving consumer trends and technological developments have driven vast innovation across the sector.

Although providers continued to enjoy growth in revenues throughout the year, changes to viewing habits resulted in providers adopting new distribution models to reach audiences in different ways. Changes to the cost of living undoubtedly hit the SVoD market, as consumers increasingly cut back on unnecessary purchases. Recognising the sign of the times, many streaming giants opted to introduce ad-supported options, giving viewers access to the content they love for a lower price – in return for advertisements. As a result, AVoD and free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, and the introduction of SAVoD tiers, have been gaining momentum.

A [Very] Brief History

Advertising in broadcast isn’t a new thing. However, as the SVoD market boomed in the 2010s, consumers were revelling in the opportunity to watch their favourite shows and movies without the interruption of, quite honestly, irrelevant advertisements. Although they came at a price, subscription platforms were the ideal choice for viewers. Then competition got fierce, and prices started to rise, so viewers began to think “actually, I don’t mind sitting through an advert if I can save a couple of ££s.”

And we come full circle. Only this time, advertisers are equipped with the tools needed to target their ads. It’s a win-win: the audience is exposed to short, yet relevant, commercials and advertisers are reaching their target market and increasing revenues as a result.

What’s Next? 2023 and beyond…

 The industry can be unpredictable at times and viewing habits can change in a flash. This upcoming year promises to deliver more innovation and developments to respond quicker to changing trends. We recently highlighted the importance of flexible approaches in enabling broadcasters to adapt as consumer demands dictate, and this will remain a key consideration in years to come.

The use of data and analytics will help advertisers reach their target audience more efficiently, and as providers make better use of the data, the overall effectiveness of ad campaigns will grow. Targeting specific audiences based on their interests and demographics will lead to improvements in monetisation models.

Integrated ad campaigns will also grow in popularity. Using a multiplatform approach will allow advertisers to reach their target audience across a variety of platforms and devices. As long as you know who your target market is, there are opportunities to reach them, regardless of how and where they are consuming content. Greater integration throughout the industry will provide new possibilities for collaboration and consolidated offerings. Tools such as our Airtime Designer will allow providers to maximise opportunities for planning integrated ad campaigns.

And finally, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and metadata will play an increasingly important role within the advertising sector. Not only will it improve workflow efficiency and automation for broadcast companies, but it will also help advertisers target consumers and drive revenue.

Organisations are becoming more agile, embracing new models which add value to workflows and allow them to remain competitive in the media landscape. BTS provides systems for single and multichannel broadcasts, helping broadcasters with long term planning and advertising sales without restriction. Developed as a modular system, users can tailor the BTS system to their needs, adding the specific features needed to manage a channel management and/or ad-sales operation.

Get in touch to learn more.