In a previous post, we cover six of 12 powerful marketing channels that essentially rent you their audience so you can market to them. Today we will look at six more marketing channels that rent you access to their audience.
Here is a list of six more marketing channels where you can rent access to an audience for a fee.
Commission Sites
Online stores like Amazon, training platforms like Udemy, and even multisided platforms like eBay all create a kind of gravity that attracts an audience with a purpose. In exchange for a commission, these sites will give you access to their audience to sell to. In addition to online platforms, some retail stores and consignment shops will sell your product in exchange for a percentage of the sale.
Broadcast media
Network TV, cable channels, streaming video, and radio all use their content to attract a particular audience and then rent you access to them via commercials. Programming is designed to attract a kind of demographic. For example, local newscasts attract an undifferentiated but localized audience. Hell’s kitchen, by contrast, draws a national audience that likes to cook.
Network TV stations like CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX have a mix of national and local advertisers. While the majority of ads are for national brands, most programming stations reserve a few spots for local advertisers. Some programs produced locally tend to reserve spots exclusively for local business, for example, the morning or late night news. However, the content does a poor job at differentiating an audience except by location.
Cable channels cater to national audiences only but tend to be a bit more focused based on viewer interest for the content they provide. For example, Disney caters to a young audience or families with younger children while The Blaze caters to a conservative-leaning audience. While network TV attracts an audience through individual programs the entire line up of programming at cable channels attracts a specific type of audience and specific programs can then further refine that audience even further. For example, the outdoor channel attracts the outdoor enthusiast so advertising a 4×4 vehicle would make sense for any program. However, a fishing show attracts a more specific type of audience that enjoys fishing, so an ad for a boat makes even more sense.
Streaming video sites like YouTube cater to anyone with an internet connection and often include pre-roll ads before displaying your selected content. While streaming video sites do not generally have commercials, a specific channel such as one that caters to dual sport motorcycle riders will often do paid product reviews of equipment and apparel.
Radio in the AM and FM bands cater to a local audience based on the power of their signal. Internet stations by contract, like, IHeartRadio extends the audience to all points of the globe with internet access.
Direct mail
Many companies like InfoUSA allow you to upload your message and select an audience and they do the rest. Others will sell you a list of names and addresses that you can add to your owned category of channels. Lists are customizable based on demographic information. However, the lists you buy are not prospects that have opted-in to receive content from you. Therefore, your content is often considered junk mail. When you buy a list, technically, the contact is now owned by you, but since it is address based, it will cost you postage each time you conduct a mailing.
Telemarketing
Similar to direct mail, telemarketing services develop lists based on demographics. You can either buy the list and make cold calls yourself or hire a firm to do it for you.
Banner
Many mobile apps and online line tools have a freemium version that is supported by banner ads or pop-ups.
Affiliate
Sites like Commission Junction and Rakuten () allow you to connect with affiliates to whom you are willing to pay a commission to in exchange for them marketing your product to their audience. Many affiliates exist to review your product and convey its virtues to their audience and include a call to action with a special link to send them to your site to make the purchase. These channels include paying influencers and celebrities to promote your product.
How can you incorporate more of the 12 marketing channels where you can rent access to an audience to drive more prospects to your business?
