Local TV Advertising 101: Beginner’s Guide for 2025

Advertising, Connected TV

Local television isn’t what it used to be, and that’s excellent news for performance-driven brands. In 2025, U.S. Connected TV ad spend crossed $30 billion, with local advertisers claiming a bigger slice than ever before thanks to household-level targeting and airtight attribution.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about local TV advertising in 2025, from buying ad spots to leveraging CTV for smarter, data-driven campaigns.

What Is Local TV Advertising?

Local TV advertising refers to running commercials within a specific geographic market on broadcast, cable, or streaming platforms. It allows businesses to reach regional audiences by targeting viewers based on their location, making it ideal for brands looking to drive foot traffic or local sales.

Cable TV Ads vs. Connected TV Ads

Cable TV ads run on traditional linear television networks and reach broad audiences based on scheduled programming, but they lack precise targeting and measurable performance data.

Connected TV ads are served through internet-enabled streaming platforms, allowing advertisers to target specific audiences, track real-time engagement, and optimize campaigns for measurable results.

Benefits of Local TV Advertising

Here’s why local TV ads are a smart investment for local brands:

1. Highly Targeted Geographic Reach

Local TV ads ensure your message is seen by viewers in your specific city, region, or designated market area (DMA). This eliminates wasted spend on audiences outside your service area, maximizing impact.

2. Trusted Premium Environments

Being featured on local TV stations alongside trusted news and entertainment programming builds credibility. Viewers are more likely to trust and engage with businesses they see on their favorite local channels.

3. Budget Efficiency at Scale

Running ads on local TV is more affordable than buying national airtime, making it accessible for small and medium-sized businesses. With streaming TV advertising, marketers can further optimize budgets by targeting only the most relevant viewers.

4. Proven Foot Traffic and Conversion Lift

Local TV ads drive real-world action by reaching potential customers near your business and encouraging in-person visits. Whether promoting a sale, event, or grand opening, local advertisements create awareness that translates into foot traffic.

5. Seasonal and Event-Based Relevance

Local TV advertising allows businesses to capitalize on regional trends, holidays, and events to make their messaging more relevant. Sponsoring local news, sports, or community programs helps brands integrate naturally into the conversations that matter most to their audience.

How Local TV Advertising Works Today

There are two primary ways to get your ads on local television: Cable TV and Connected TV.

Cable and broadcast providers still segment the U.S. into DMAs, allowing brands to purchase inventory based on where viewers live. With Connected TV, local advertisers gain even more control by serving TV ads based on household-level data, ensuring that commercials reach the right audience within their region.

CTV targeting options include:

• Geographic areas (DMA, city, ZIP code)
• First-party lists (e.g., customers, loyalty members)
• Third-party segments (shopping habits, life events, interests)
• CRM-based audiences (site visitors, cart abandoners)

In other words, Connected TV is a true audience-first approach. This ensures local advertisers reach real prospects, regardless of which streaming app they’re watching.

How to Get a Commercial on Local TV

Here’s how to get your ads on local television to reach viewers on their favorite Connected TV platforms.

1. Define Goals and Audience

Start with the outcome: Do you want in-store visits, online sales, appointments, or is it something else?

Once you’ve settled on your goals, research your ideal audience. Consider basic demographics, such as age, gender, income level, purchasing habits, and media consumption patterns.

2. Create Compelling Ad Creatives

Top-performing local CTV spots in 2025 are 15–30 seconds, tell a tight story, and end with a clear reason to act now.

Think about local TV ads that have captured your attention in the past. Was it due to a catchy slogan or jingle? Compelling visuals? Or how about an engaging storyline? Whatever it was, find a way to make it work for you.

3. Leverage Geotargeting

Geotargeting is key to making sure your ad gets in front of the eyes of the right audience. MNTN Performance TV, for example, offers geotargeting capabilities that allow you to precisely target your audience, down to a single city, region, or even ZIP code. It’s the perfect way to ensure relevance. 

4. Set KPIs and Budget Parameters

Next is setting up your campaign objectives and budget parameters. You must determine which key performance indicators (KPIs) will help you track your campaign. These can include impressions, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS).

For your budget, you can allocate your resources based on factors like the cost of production, media buying and placement, and data analysis tools. Be realistic so you know you can achieve your desired outcome. 

5. Launch, Optimize, and Iterate

Last, it’s time to launch and track your campaign. Keep an eye on your KPIs and track your performance.

For instance, MNTN’s reporting suite lets you measure your CTV ad results in real time, including your ROAS and incrementality. Monitor and adjust your campaigns over time to ensure they’re performing how you need them to. 

Measuring Local TV Ad Performance 

What good is advertising if you can’t understand its effectiveness? Here are a few key data points to keep an eye on when using Connected TV for local ads:

• Impressions: The total number of times your ad appears on TV screens, indicating how many potential customers were exposed to your message.
• View-Through Rate (VTR): The percentage of viewers who watched your ad in full, reflecting audience engagement and content effectiveness.
• Cost per Acquisition (CPA): The average cost to acquire a new customer from your ad campaign, helping assess budget efficiency.
• Cost per Completed View (CPCV): The amount paid per fully watched ad, ensuring your spend is going toward engaged viewers rather than skipped impressions.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): The total revenue generated from your ad compared to its cost, showing the overall profitability of your campaign.

Local TV Advertising Costs, Explained

Local TV advertising costs can vary widely depending on several factors, including market size, audience demographics, time of day, and whether you’re advertising on linear or Connected TV.

However, some common elements will usually contribute to your overall expenses, such as:

• Air Time and Network Selection – Costs vary based on the TV station, time slot, and whether the ad airs on a major network or a local affiliate.
• Audience Size and Market Reach – Larger Designated Market Areas (DMAs) and high-demand regions have higher ad rates due to increased viewership.
• Ad Length and Frequency – Longer commercials and higher-frequency placements cost more but improve visibility and recall.
• Production Costs – Expenses for scripting, filming, editing, and talent fees can add to the overall budget.
• Seasonality and Demand – Prices increase during peak advertising periods like holidays, elections, and major local events.

Best Practices for Advertising on Local TV 

By following local TV ad best practices, you can create a more engaging viewing experience for your potential customers. 

1. Keep It Local and Personal

Local TV ads allow you to engage audiences in hyper-targeted regions, and it’s important to capitalize on that to make an effective ad. Try incorporating local references or landmarks that will connect with viewers on a personal level. 

2. Focus on Storytelling

Storytelling still wins, but 2025 audiences demand social proof fast. Open with real customer footage. Including video testimonials can provide up to a 32% increase in conversion rates.

3. Make the CTA Impossible to Miss — and Trackable

With any ad, you always want to have an easy way to motivate viewers to take further action. QR codes, vanity URLs, and trackable phone numbers are table stakes.

4. Keep It Short and Sweet

The 30-second spot isn’t dead, but thanks to people’s ability to access whatever content they desire at all times, attention spans are shorter than ever. Aim to keep your ad concise and to the point.

5. Refresh Creative Frequently to Avoid Fatigue

One of the strongest trends in the recent industry analyses is that viewers burn out on repetitive creative faster on CTV than on linear. Why? Because they actually finish more ads (that’s a good thing). Have 2–4 variations ready at launch and rotate them every few weeks.

Local TV Ads With MNTN Performance TV

Want to reach local audiences with precision and measurable results? MNTN Performance TV helps you take your local television advertising to the next level with advanced targeting, automated optimization, and real-time attribution. Here’s how:

• Hyper-Targeted Local Reach: Deliver your ads to specific ZIP codes or even household-level audiences for maximum impact.
• Premium Streaming Inventory: Get your brand on top-tier networks and streaming platforms where engaged viewers are actually watching.
• Real-Time Performance Tracking: Measure site visits, conversions, and ROAS—so you know exactly how your local campaigns are performing.
• Effortless Campaign Setup: Launch, manage, and optimize local streaming ads in minutes with a fully self-serve platform.
• Automated Budget Optimization: Let machine learning fine-tune your spend, ensuring every ad dollar goes further.

Bring performance-driven precision to local TV advertising—sign up today to get started with MNTN’s self-serve software.

Local Television Advertising: Final Thoughts

Local businesses finally have the tools to run TV campaigns like modern marketers: targeted, accountable, and built for outcomes. Local TV advertising with Connected TV not only targets local audiences with laser-like precision but also builds your brand and connects with viewers on a more personal and engaging level. 

By understanding the nuances of local markets, employing best practices, and leveraging the power of CTV technology, you can create a local TV ad that drives growth and finds success in your community.