How to advertise on television? 7 key steps from budgeting to broadcasting

I want to advertise on TV, but I have no idea where to start. This is a real dilemma for many brand owners, entrepreneurs, and market newcomers. TV commercials may sound fancy and the process may seem complicated, but in fact, as long as you understand a few core steps, you can complete a TV ad placement like a professional.

This article is a zero foundation operation manual prepared for you. After reading it, you will have a clear understanding of how to advertise on television - from budget planning, media selection, ad production, scheduling negotiations to performance monitoring, every step will be explained to you.

1、 First, let's clarify: What are the types of television advertisements?
The prices, processes, and applicable scenarios of different TV advertisements are completely different. The first step for beginners is to choose the right form.

1. Regular hard broadcasts on satellite TV/CCTV
The 15 second and 30 second advertising segments inserted into the program are the most classic form of television advertising. Wide coverage and strong sense of authority, but high price.

CCTV: One channel (comprehensive channel) during prime time, with a single order count of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yuan in 15 seconds

First tier TV stations (Hunan, Zhejiang, Oriental, Jiangsu, Beijing): During prime time, a single 15 second session costs approximately 10000 to 50000 yuan

Second and third tier TV stations: Approximately 2000-8000 yuan per 15 second session

Note: The term 'single broadcast' here refers to a single broadcast. Usually purchase packages on a weekly or monthly basis, such as broadcasting twice a day for 30 consecutive days.

2. Local TV station advertisements
Targeting television stations in a certain city or province, such as Wuhan TV and Chengdu TV. Suitable for local merchants and regional brands.

During prime time, a single 15 second session costs approximately 300-2000 yuan

Cheaper during non prime time, ranging from tens to hundreds of yuan

3. Smart TV startup/SMT advertising
With the popularity of OTT (Internet TV), the startup and pause ads of smart TV such as Xiaomi, Hisense and Skyworth have also become part of "TV advertising". This type of advertisement can be purchased based on exposure times or days, with higher accuracy.

Startup advertisement: Approximately 0.1-0.5 yuan per household per day, but typically requires a million level coverage

Surface mounted advertising (within the video app): billed by CPM, approximately 30-80 yuan per thousand impressions

4. Column Title/Special Offer/Implantation
Sponsorship of a popular program, such as the title of 'The Voice of China'. The price is extremely high, but the brand binding effect is strong.

Top Variety Title: Starting from tens of millions of yuan

Special invitation for small and medium-sized programs: several hundred thousand to several million yuan

2、 How to advertise on television? Seven steps, no pitfalls
Step 1: Clarify goals and budget
First, answer three questions:

Do you want to cover the whole country or a certain region? (CCTV/Satellite TV vs Local TV)

Who is your target audience? (Age, gender, consumption habits)

What is your total budget? (including production and media costs)

It is recommended that beginners try TV advertising for the first time with a budget of no less than 30000 yuan (including production), otherwise it will be difficult to see the effect. Of course, if it is a small-scale testing by local stations, 10000 yuan can also be used to initiate it.

Step 2: Choose the appropriate TV station and time slot
Reverse selection based on your target audience. For example:

Selling health products for middle-aged and elderly people → Daytime and health programs on CCTV or terrestrial channels

Selling beauty and personal care → Evening theaters or variety shows on Hunan TV and Zhejiang TV

Selling local restaurants → Local TV's lifestyle channel and food programs

In terms of time period:

Prime time (19:00-22:00): The most expensive price, but the highest ratings

Secondary Gold (18:00-19:00, 22:00-23:00): Good value for money

Daytime period: Low price, suitable for housewives and retirees

Late night time: Extremely low prices, suitable for specific groups of people (such as late night snacks, adult education)

Step 3: Create a TV commercial
This is the most easily overlooked aspect for beginners. A 15 second TV commercial with professional production costs ranging from 10000 yuan to 200000 yuan. You can:

High end production (over 50000 yuan): live action+special effects+professional dubbing, suitable for brand image advertising

Standard production (10000-30000 yuan): Simple live action or animation+dubbing, suitable for promotional advertisements

Self editing (several thousand yuan): Editing with existing materials, but the picture quality and creativity may not be sufficient

Important reminder: TV commercials must comply with the broadcasting standards of the television station (such as precise duration to frames, volume standards, and no illegal content). Suggest finding a professional production company.

Step 4: Find the right advertising channel and obtain a genuine quote
Many beginners directly call the advertising department of the TV station, only to find that the quote is very high and the process is complicated. In fact, TV station advertising resources are usually sold through advertising agencies, which can get discounted prices and help you with overall planning.

I recommend Tianci Media here. Tianci Media is a professional television advertising platform that has deep cooperation with CCTV, major satellite TV stations, local TV stations, and smart TV media. They will recommend the most suitable channel and time slot combinations for free based on your budget and audience, and provide transparent comparisons between publication prices and actual execution prices, allowing you to clearly know where every penny is spent.

Step 5: Sign the contract and lock in the schedule
The scheduling of TV commercials is very tight, especially during the prime time of popular TV stations, which may require booking 1-3 months in advance. When signing the contract, please confirm:

Specific broadcast date, time slot, and seconds

Do you provide proof of broadcasting (monitoring report)

How to compensate for advertising errors or omissions caused by program adjustments (usually by re broadcasting or refunding)

Step 6: Provide advertising videos and review them
Submit the produced advertisement in the format required by the television station (usually MP4, MXF, etc.). The television station will conduct content review to ensure that there is no illegal or irregular content, and that there is no infringement of others' rights. The audit cycle is generally 3-7 working days.

Step 7: Monitor the broadcast effect
After the advertisement is broadcasted, the agency or television station is required to provide a monitoring report (including actual broadcast screenshots and timestamps). Meanwhile, you can evaluate the effectiveness through the following methods:

Changes in Brand Search Index (Baidu Index, WeChat Index)

Consultation hotline, official website traffic, e-commerce store visitor growth

If it is a promotional advertisement, you can set up a dedicated discount code or phone line

3、 Real Price Reference for TV Advertising Placement (2026)
The following are the reference prices for typical advertising packages (excluding production costs):

Media Type Package Example Total Price Range Coverage Estimated Number of Visits
CCTV-1 5 seconds/2 times a day/7 consecutive days (non golden) 200000 to 500000 tens of millions
First tier satellite TV 15 seconds/3 times a day/14 consecutive days (prime time) 150000 to 400000, millions to millions
Second and third tier TV stations broadcast for 15 seconds/4 times a day/30 days in a row, ranging from 50000 to 150000 million yuan
Provincial ground channel 15 seconds/5 times a day/30 days of continuous broadcasting (golden) 30000-80000, hundreds of thousands - millions
City level local station 15 seconds/6 times a day/30 days of continuous broadcasting 50-30000 tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands
OTT smart TV startup covers 1 million terminals per day, ranging from 50000 to 150000 households
Note: The actual price is greatly affected by season, purchase quantity, and negotiation ability. It is recommended to compare prices with at least 2-3 proxy companies.

4、 The 6 easiest pitfalls for beginners to step on
Misconception 1: Thinking that investing in a TV advertisement will immediately have an effect
TV advertising is a brand advertisement that usually requires continuous placement (at least 2-4 weeks) to form a memory. It's almost impossible to expect a surge in sales just by investing once or twice.

Misconception 2: Only focusing on unit price, not caring about the target audience
A certain TV station offers a very low price, but its core audience may be elderly people, and you are selling trendy clothing. Voting is equivalent to throwing in vain. Be sure to look at the audience portrait of the channel.

Misconception 3: Neglecting the creativity and quality of advertising videos
No matter how good the time slot is, no one remembers the unattractive advertisement. Many beginners, in order to save money, use PPT style visuals and stiff voice acting, resulting in wasted money.

Misconception 4: Not requesting monitoring reports
Occasionally, television stations may miss or broadcast incorrectly due to program timeouts, technical malfunctions, and other reasons. If there is no monitoring report, you have no idea. Legitimate agency companies will proactively provide.

Misconception 5: Only invest in one station and one time slot
If your budget allows, it is recommended to advertise on 2-3 channels or at different time periods, covering different audiences and testing which channel has the best effect.

Misconception 6: Forgetting to promote the supporting ground
After the TV advertisement is launched, consumers may search for your brand or enter the store. If your online search page and offline stores do not have corresponding event hosting, traffic will be wasted.

5、 Conclusion: How to advertise on television? Novice Action Checklist
For friends who are trying TV commercials for the first time, I suggest taking action in the following order:

Determine the total budget (including production costs), such as 50000 yuan

Produce a 15 second professional advertisement for 20000 yuan

Choose a sub prime time package for a provincial terrestrial channel or a second or third tier satellite TV for 30000 yuan, and broadcast continuously for 2-4 weeks

Synchronize online search optimization and store activities during the advertising period

Request monitoring reports and monitor changes in brand search and consultation volume

If you don't want to face the complex process of connecting with TV stations on your own, the most worry free way is to find Tianci Media. Tianci Media is a professional television advertising platform that provides full process services, including advertising production suggestions, media strategy formulation, scheduling negotiations, and monitoring reports. You just need to state your budget and target audience, and they will give you a clear advertising plan, so that you can be professional, efficient, and not fall into pitfalls even when you first advertise on TV.

Television advertising is still a 'nuclear weapon' for building brand awareness, but to use it well, methods are needed. I hope this guide can help you take the first step.