Results of Samba TV’s Measurement Studies Show TikTok Drove Highly-Engaged Viewers to Other Media Companies Across Broadcast, Cable and Streaming Channels

SAN FRANCISCO - April 27, 2023 –  Samba TV and TikTok released today the findings of a first of its kind partnered study measuring the effectiveness of advertising on the global entertainment platform to deliver awareness and conversion into viewership of shows, movies, and live events.

As the media landscape continues to fragment, content providers are eager to identify the most effective ways to drive “tune-in” beyond traditional television campaigns. To assess the value of TikTok advertising to deliver against the emerging currency of viewership, the company tapped industry-leading data and measurement company Samba TV to commission over 30 independent tune-in studies across a variety of advertisers and program genres to measure the value of TikTok at driving viewership from the small screen to the big screen. 

The findings provide new insights for advertisers into how best they can identify not only incremental audiences, but viewers that are likely to engage more deeply with their content than other acquisition efforts. Samba TV found that 97% of TikTok campaigns contributed incremental tune-ins, driving audiences who were exposed to ads to go on to view the program. On average, TikTok campaigns saw a statistically significant lift in tune-ins of 159%.

Importantly, these were not just casual viewers. TikTok’s campaigns drove highly-engaged viewers who tuned in after exposure to ads on TikTok and logged an average watch time of 86 minutes, a 26% increase in consumption compared to the control group. 

"Our goal at TikTok is to help brands reach, connect, and engage with new audiences in an entertaining and impactful way," said Jorge Ruiz, Global Head of Marketing Science at TikTok. "Our research with Samba TV showcases the power of TikTok's unique value proposition for advertisers seeking to drive new found levels of entertaining and effective engagement."

“Results of our measurement study demonstrate that TikTok can drive conversion for other streaming providers and other entertainment platforms. As the top entertainment destination for Gen Z globally, TikTok is a highly-effective platform for tapping into not only the most engaged young audiences, but also a diverse set of viewers,” said Ashwin Navin, Co-Founder and CEO of Samba TV. “Our work together further showcases TikTok is a top advertising destination for entertainment marketers looking to drive engagement and viewership, as test cases saw triple digit lift on average, kept viewers engaged for longer periods of time, and delivered a strong ROI as a platform for driving eyeballs to their intended destination.”

TikTok selected Samba TV to conduct a series of tune-in measurement studies because of the depth and breadth of measurement capabilities, found to be the most representative in the U.S. In addition to measuring advertisers' campaigns on TikTok, Samba TV also tracked real-time television advertising for that same show or event. The studies found that 45% of TikTok tune-ins were not exposed to the TV portion of the campaign, suggesting that TikTok is an effective channel for reaching viewers who may not watch traditional TV advertising. In fact, Samba TV data found that TikTok campaigns were six times more likely to reach light TV viewers than linear television. In terms of efficiency, TikTok was found to be 1.2x more cost efficient than TV at driving tune-ins, with a median cost per tune-in for TikTok of only $1.06.

About Samba TV

Samba TV has transformed the TV from a pane of glass on the wall to a window into the heart of audiences. We are the global leader in television technology powering real-time insights and audience targeting to enable unparalleled marketing efficiency and effectiveness. Our proprietary first-party data from tens of millions of opted-in televisions, across more than 20 TV brands sold in over one hundred countries, provides advertisers and media companies a unified view of the entire consumer journey. Our independent currency-grade measurement has future-proofed advertising for the next generation, empowering advertisers to connect with their audiences on any platform, across every screen.