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Differences Between TV And YouTube Ads & How To Decide

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April 12, 2025
read time
9 min 10 sec
Lorenzo Nicolini
Lorenzo Nicolini
CEO at Moonb
Differences Between TV And YouTube Ads & How To Decide

Creating video advertisements can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re unsure where to start. If you’re stuck on how to make a commercial video, you’re not alone. With so many options, such as TV and YouTube ads, knowing which is best for your business can be tough. In this blog, we’ll break down the differences between TV and YouTube ads, so you can decide which is best for your next commercial.

Moonb can help you reach your advertising goals. Our educational video production services can help you make a commercial video that meets your audience's needs.

Understanding TV And YouTube Ads

Man Holding Camera - TV and YouTube Ads

TV and YouTube ads offer powerful opportunities to reach audiences. How you use them depends on what you’re trying to achieve. TV is still the heavyweight champion when it comes to reach. It’s been around since the 1940s and connects with more than five billion people globally. 

That’s why big brands still invest billions in TV ad campaigns, especially when they want to reach a wide, general audience quickly.

YouTube Advantage

YouTube is the modern disruptor. With 2.5 billion active users growing fast, it offers a level of targeting and interactivity that TV can’t match. It’s where younger viewers spend their time, and brands can:

  • Engage directly with niche communities
  • Drive clicks
  • Track conversions more effectively

The numbers tell a compelling story. YouTube brought in over $8 billion in global ad revenue in Q1 2024 alone, and its users are actively watching billions of videos daily, through mobile devices.

Engagement & ROI

What makes YouTube especially appealing is that 70% of viewers say they’ve purchased something after seeing a YouTube ad. That’s a strong ROI signal for marketers who want more than just awareness. They want action.

TV ad revenue is still huge, with $85 billion in 2023, accounting for over a quarter of global ad spend. But there’s a flip side: 52% of consumers tune out TV ads. YouTube’s mobile ads are 84% more likely to grab viewer attention.

Strategic Choice

It comes down to your goals if you’re deciding where to put your ad dollars. Want broad awareness and credibility for a major product launch? TV still has muscle. YouTube’s probably the better move, if you want to:

  • Target specific audiences
  • Track performance
  • Create interactive experiences

Many brands are finding success by combining both using:

  • TV for reach 
  • YouTube for precision

Why Moonb IS Your Trusted Partner For TV And YouTube Ads

Moonb is a trusted partner for TV and YouTube ads because we understand that video content needs to do more than just look good. It needs to perform. What sets us apart is our ability to combine creative storytelling with strategic execution, all within a flexible, collaborative model that fits the fast pace of modern marketing.

We Make Working Together Easy

From the start, we make it easy for teams to work with us. Our seamless integration with tools like Trello, Slack, and MS Teams, Weekly strategy calls keep everyone aligned, and our contract-free approach gives you the freedom to scale production up or down as needed:

  • No long-term commitments
  • No red tape

We Tailor Our Creative Approach To Your Goals

Creatively, we’re all about tailoring the visual style to your brand. Whether you want something polished and professional or bold and attention-grabbing, and to suit your goals, we’ll shape the:

  • Tone 
  • Pacing 

Our background in animation and motion graphics lets us tell your story in a way that’s both memorable and highly adaptable across platforms. That’s especially important for TV and YouTube, where you often need multiple versions of the same ad to meet different:

  • Time limits
  • Formats
  • Campaign objectives

We Welcome Feedback And Make Revisions Easy

We also make feedback easy and welcome it throughout the process. Our editing workflow is designed for quick iteration, so you can:

  • Test
  • Tweak

Optimize your ads without slowing down. And because we specialize in post-production, we’re ready to update visuals or swap out voice-overs quickly, even mid-campaign.

We’re Your Creative Partner

Brands work with Moonb because we’re not just vendors but a true creative partner. We bring the expertise, flexibility, and collaboration needed to produce video content that doesn’t just look great, but drives results.

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Differences Between TV And YouTube Ads

Laptop Showing Youtube - TV and YouTube Ads

Target Audience and Reach: Connecting with the Right People

The first key difference between video ads and TV commercials is the ability to connect with a specific audience. Video ads can target a particular audience based on:

  • User demographics
  • Interests
  • Behavior

Knowing that this targeting is available, you can use more specific messaging in your video ads to reach ultra-specific audiences, which may improve your:

  • Engagement rates 
  • Conversions

Broad Reach

TV commercials are broadcast to a broad audience. While you still have some targeting considerations, like the demographics of different networks or programs, you won’t see the same granularity available with video ads. TV commercials may not resonate with some viewers because they’re not the right target audience for your content.

Cost-Effectiveness: Getting More Bang for Your Buck

Consider the pricing models for:

  • Video ads 
  • TV commercials

Video ads are more cost-effective than commercials, especially for:

  • Small businesses 
  • Startups with limited budgets

Cost Contrast

These cost differences apply to the production and the cost of distributing the final video. TV commercials tend to be lifestyle productions, which may include:

  • Actors
  • Multiple locations
  • Other details that expand the scope of your shoot

While video ads can technically be any content style, they tend to be product or brand videos that aren’t as expensive.

Distribution Costs

On the distribution side, a large budget is often required to air commercials on national networks. According to Statista, the average cost of a 30-second TV commercial in the US in 2019 was $104,735, lower than the average cost just a few years before ($134,048 in 2017). 

While some ultra-expensive placements likely skew that average, it still shows that national TV advertising isn’t an option for most brands.

Platform Control

Video ads can be distributed on platforms like:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Amazon
  • Other websites with video-enabled ads

With these distribution channels, you’ll also have more control over starting and stopping the campaign as your budget evolves. On most platforms, you can set a max budget that the ad delivery system will consider as it places your content.

Engagement and Interactivity: Using Interactive Elements to Reach Your Audience

Regarding engagement and interactivity, video ads have a clear advantage. To engage their audience, marketers can use interactive elements such as:

These features make the ad more interesting and memorable to the viewer, and they can be measured to monitor the campaign’s success.

Passive Viewing

TV commercials rely on viewers’ passive watching, which may not provide the same level of engagement. While some viewers may immediately Google the brand or commercial they saw on the screen, it’s a less seamless experience than engaging directly within the ad.

Audience Experience: Who’s the Boss?

TV ads tend to be interspersed within a channel’s program, taking over the entire screen and audio, which can lead to a more immersive experience. They also give viewers little control, potentially leading to ad fatigue or annoyance if there are too many ad breaks within a single program slot.

YouTube ads, especially skippable ones, offer more control to the viewer. While this means some viewers may skip the ad, those who choose to watch are likely more engaged and interested in your message. Interactive ad formats on YouTube, such as shoppable ads or call-to-action overlays, can lead to:

  • Direct engagement 
  • Action from the viewer

Measurability and Tracking: Getting the Data You Need to Improve Campaign Performance

One of the most significant advantages of video ads over TV commercials is their:

  • Measurability 
  • Tracking capabilities

To measure their campaign’s effectiveness, marketers can track their:

  • Ads’ views
  • Engagement
  • Watch time
  • Conversions
  • Other metrics 

Data Insights

Using these analytics tools, they can determine which ads are performing best, which elements seem to contribute to that success, and what can be adjusted in future iterations. They can:

  • Test lots of versions of a particular video campaign 
  • Pause or discontinue variations that aren’t performing

These tweaks allow for continuous improvement over time.  TV commercials provide less detailed data, making measuring their impact on the target audience difficult.

Production Techniques: The Difference in Production Quality Between Commercials and Video Ads

The production techniques for TV commercials and video ads will differ. TV commercials tend to have a bit less variety, and by nature, they’re better for brand building and driving awareness than generating conversions.

Video ads are more versatile. Marketers can use many different types of ads in their video strategies, including:

  • Product demos
  • Explainer videos
  • Customer testimonials

Funnel Placement

Each type has its own place in the marketing funnel, with some tailored to building awareness and others designed to drive viewers to act.

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Choosing Between TV And YouTube Ads For Your Business

Man Working - TV and YouTube Ads

Choosing between TV and YouTube ads comes down to one big question: who are you trying to reach? Your audience should drive that decision more than anything else. If your target market is over 35, TV can still be a wise investment. 

That demographic tends to watch traditional television more than younger age groups, and advertising there can give your brand a strong, established feel. It’s also great for campaigns where these are top priorities:

  • Reach 
  • Brand awareness

YouTube Focus

Google suggests allocating at least 25% of your video ad budget to YouTube, because people across all age groups are spending more time on digital platforms, and YouTube has become part of the daily media diet. 

YouTube gives you a lot more flexibility. It's more cost-effective, allows you to target specific interests or demographics, and offers real-time feedback with data you can act on. That’s why it’s such a popular option for smaller businesses that:

  • Want to be nimble with their marketing efforts 
  • Make sure every dollar counts

Blended Strategy

This isn’t necessarily an either/or situation. Mixing both channels can reinforce your message, especially if you want to create a full-funnel strategy. TV builds credibility and reach, while YouTube helps you:

  • Retarget
  • Personalize
  • Drive measurable action

It’s all about knowing:

  • Your audience
  • Your budget
  • Your goals

Strategic Scaling

If you’re trying to grow fast with tight resources, YouTube can help you get there. If you’re scaling up and need to reach millions with impact, TV might still be part of the playbook. And if you can afford it, running both in tandem is often where the real magic happens.

Start a 3-day Free Trial to Take Your Content to the Next Level with Our Educational Video Production Service

Moonb is a video marketing agency that offers corporate video services. Our flexible, subscription-based model combined with our expertise in creating compelling video content positions us as the ideal partner for companies looking to elevate their marketing and educational initiatives through the power of video. 

Moonb stands out as a superior alternative to:

  • Traditional video agencies
  • Freelancers
  • In-house production teams

Free Trial

Start a 3-day free trial with our corporate video services to take your content to the next level. 

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How successful is video marketing?

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