Advertising on Hulu

November 20, 2020 RJ Huebert

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As a digital marketing professional, it’s my job to stay up to date on the latest and greatest marketing channels, and today I’m tackling advertising on Hulu. For those that aren’t aware, Hulu is an online streaming service with free and premium versions. You can find broadcast TV shows, record programming like the DVR, and also stream live sports (“Hulu has live sports,” remember that jingle?) But one thing is for sure, running ads on Hulu is starting to get very popular.

Hulu’s website has some eye popping stats:

92 million ad-supported viewers
47% are cord cutters (no longer have cable at home)
33 is the median age

Do you know what stands out to me? There’s a HUGE audience that watches digital programming on a device, and most likely at home. And this audience is easily accessible.

Hulu delves deeper into advertising and shares:

Products like the Ad Selector give viewers choice and control over the type of ad they want to see resulting in 70% higher lifts than the average campaign on Hulu.

Non-disruptive ads like the Binge ad deliver relevant messaging to viewers at the right time and place in their stream, increasing unaided brand awareness by 24% and ad recall by 25%.

With GatewayGO viewers can take immediate action on a brand’s offer without ever leaving the couch. In fact, 6 in 10 viewers like that they can discover and act on deals with GatewayGO.

While traditional TV advertisements may seem unapproachable, or likely very expensive, one business owner had her own thoughts.

Kathryn Aquino, from Alpha Omega, an insurance brokerage, said “One day when I was watching Hulu I saw a local ad, and I was really surprised! I thought Hulu advertising was only large, national brands, but that experience made me realize there was an option for smaller scale businesses like us.”

Of the targeting capabilities: “I was amazed at how well Hulu was able to narrow down and target our desired demographic. We were able to get specific with location, age, etc. There are so many options to choose from. There was some demographic overlap, but it’s good that we can see our ideal client among the demographic filters. In my opinion, it was definitely a step above social media specificity!”

As with anything marketing related, you never really know “what will work” unless you try it and track results. Always track spend, clicks, impressions, click thru rate, conversions, and return on ad spend. It just may turn out that advertising on Hulu is right for you!

If you’d like to chat about your digital marketing strategy, marketing channels, or Hulu advertising, please reach out to HBT Digital Consulting.

RJ Huebert

RJ Huebert is the founder and managing principal of HBT Digital Consulting, a Pittsburgh-based business. A digital marketing professional, he specializes in search engine and social media marketing for B-to-C companies looking for lead generation and online optimization. He is also the co-race director for three Tampa Bay 5K events called The Great Mother’s Day Race, The Great Father’s Day Race, and The Great Gay 5K. The races have had over 12,000 participants and have raised over $7,000 for local charities since 2012. Previously, RJ was the marketing director for a world-wide market research firm, and has held management roles in verticals including healthcare, banking, and for-profit education. Helping local business succeed online is his daily passion, launching 5K events gives him joy, and contributing to the Pittsburgh business scene inspires him. RJ earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh and Master of Arts from the University of South Florida, focusing on Strategic Communication Management. Currently, he sits on the American Marketing Association Board of Directors - Pittsburgh Chapter. He resides in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife Taylor, chocolate Lab Coco, and a Jack Russel Terrier named Rosie.