Before digital marketing took over, TV advertising was the most powerful way for home services to reach diverse audiences. Now, with social media and search engines dominating the landscape, many wonder if TV can still compete.
The answer is yes. Big brands still pour millions into TV for a reason. It remains the second most profitable advertising medium in the U.S., with unmatched reach, credibility, and storytelling power, TV continues to evolve and still driving serious results.
In this guide, we’ll break down exactly why TV advertising still works, how it complements your digital strategy, and why it might be the smartest play for growing your home service brand today.
Before we dive in, let’s clear some of the most common misconceptions about TV advertising that often prevent businesses from unlocking the full potential of television.
TV used to be expensive when national primetime slots were the only option. Today, local TV advertising is far more affordable. You can target your city or service area with flexible packages that fit your budget. In many cases, a local TV campaign costs less and performs better than constantly boosting social media posts.
False. While it’s true that younger audiences are often exposed to digital platforms, homeowners, who are your actual customers, still watch TV regularly. Adults or the primary decision-makers for home services spend hours weekly watching news, sports, and entertainment. TV also now includes smart TVs and streaming platforms, expanding your reach even further.
It’s only hard if you do it alone. With the right team, the entire process becomes quick, simple, and stress-free. At Excellent Media, we take care of everything from scripting and filming to editing and ad placement, so you can focus on running your business while we handle the rest. Our streamlined system ensures you get a professional, high-quality commercial ready to air in no time.
With the myths set aside, we can focus on the facts. This section outlines the core advantages of TV advertising and explains why it remains a high-impact strategy for home service brands.
One of the biggest advantages of TV is its ability to deliver immediate, widespread visibility. A single 30-second local commercial can reach tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of households in your target area, all within a matter of hours. This kind of rapid reach is something digital campaigns usually take weeks or months to build. For service-based businesses that need to fill appointment slots quickly or respond to seasonal demand, TV offers unmatched speed and exposure.
TV advertising directly reaches the audience that matters most. By putting your brand in front of homeowners, you’re speaking directly to the people who not only have the authority to make buying decisions but also have the immediate need for your services. Adults aged 55 to 64 are the most active television viewers, and they are often the primary decision-makers when it comes to home service needs. This highly targeted approach is one of the key reasons why TV advertising remains such an effective strategy to increase bookings for home services.
Bigger TV screens are becoming the standard in most households, especially in the U.S., where 55-inch and 65-inch TVs are now the most common sizes. And when it comes to advertising, size does matter. Studies show that the same ad shown on a large-screen TV generates 2.2x higher recall and 1.3x higher purchase intent compared to being viewed on smaller screens, highlighting the impact of screen size on TV ad effectiveness. Bigger screens make ads more memorable and persuasive, giving your message a much greater chance of sticking with potential customers.
Appearing on TV instantly elevates your brand’s perceived credibility. Viewers tend to associate televised businesses with professionalism, financial stability, and market leadership. In a crowded home services market, that perception can be the edge that sets you apart. When potential customers see your business on TV, they’re more likely to view it as established and trustworthy, giving you a strong advantage when it’s time for them to choose a service provider.
Unlike digital ads that compete for attention in a crowded social media feed, TV ads benefit from a distraction-free environment, one major reason behind the rising TV advertising trends. They’re typically viewed on large screens, one at a time, and often cannot be skipped. As a result, viewers devote more focus to each ad.
According to attention studies, people watch an average of 71% of a TV commercial compared to just 30% of a mobile ad. That higher attention rate translates to better message delivery and more effective branding.
TV advertising creates a powerful “halo effect,” increasing brand awareness and trust across all platforms. When someone sees your business on TV and then later encounters your website, social media page, or Google ad, they’re far more likely to engage and convert. This increased brand recognition shortens the customer journey and improves the effectiveness of your digital campaigns, email marketing, and SEO efforts.
While there is plenty of upside, I won’t sugarcoat it, TV advertising comes with its own set of challenges, too!
Unlike digital marketing, where you can start small and scale gradually, TV advertising often requires a significant upfront investment. Producing a professional commercial alone can cost thousands of dollars, not to mention the expense of purchasing airtime. For many small to mid-sized home service businesses, this barrier to entry can feel overwhelming.
However, it’s important to consider this cost in the context of long-term return. Television continues to deliver one of the highest ROIs in advertising, particularly when it comes to brand trust and awareness. With the right TV advertising strategy, that upfront cost becomes a long-term asset, not just an expense.
Still, we get it, the price tag can feel overwhelming. That’s exactly why we created the new Scale Package at Excellent Media. It includes a professionally produced local TV commercial bundled into a complete marketing service. Instead of paying thousands upfront just for one commercial, you get it included alongside web design, SEO, social media management, and more, all in one streamlined package designed to grow your brand across every platform.
One of the most frustrating downsides of traditional TV advertising is the lack of flexibility. Once a commercial is finalized, submitted, and aired, changes are no longer possible without going through the entire production and placement process again. If your pricing changes, business hours shift, or a new promotion rolls out, your ad may become outdated almost instantly.
The best way to prevent this issue is to plan for longevity. We recommend creating evergreen commercials, ads that avoid including time-sensitive information like pricing, limited-time offers, or seasonal details. Focus on brand messaging, service quality, and customer trust, elements that remain relevant throughout the year.
TV ads often interrupt shows and can feel irrelevant, prompting viewers to grab a snack, check their phone, or take a bathroom break. This sad reality can leave businesses feeling like they’ve wasted time and money.
To avoid this, create genuinely engaging ads and place them strategically within programs your target audience is watching. By aligning your message with the right content and delivering it in a way that captures attention, you greatly increase the chances that viewers will stay engaged and remember your brand.
Compared to digital platforms that offer instant feedback and detailed analytics, TV advertising doesn’t offer that level of convenience. You may notice a rise in calls or website visits, but attributing those results directly to a TV spot is more challenging. Without the right tools, it’s hard to determine what’s working and what isn’t.
That said, TV results are far from unmeasurable. By using custom phone numbers, vanity URLs, or dedicated landing pages, you can track leads with reasonable accuracy. Even asking new customers how they heard about you, something many businesses overlook, can offer valuable insights. Pairing TV ads with digital marketing (like Google or Facebook retargeting) can also help amplify results and provide clearer attribution.
While most people assume that TV advertising is dying, the reality is quite the opposite. There’s never been a better time to get in. As more businesses shift their budgets entirely to digital, competition for TV airtime has dropped, creating a rare opportunity for your home service brand to stand out, capture attention, and dominate your local market.
TV advertising does come with challenges, but with the right strategy, the rewards can be substantial. And if it doesn’t perform as expected, you can easily pause your campaign and repurpose the footage across your website, landing pages, and social media, still maximizing your investment.
The most effective approach? Combine TV with digital marketing. This hybrid strategy broadens your reach, strengthens credibility, and ensures your brand appears wherever your customers are looking. In today’s competitive landscape, that kind of visibility is what separates industry leaders from the rest.
If you want to make sure your TV ads actually work, even on your first try, you need the right marketing team to guide you. And the good news is? It doesn’t have to be expensive.
At Excellent Media, we’ve simplified the process for home service businesses to get on TV and get results. We specialize in launching high-impact, cost-effective TV campaigns tailored for local markets. Our Scale Package includes professionally produced TV commercials along with comprehensive marketing support such as web design, SEO, and social media management, all in one integrated solution.
Ready to take your brand to the big screen? Let’s make it happen!
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