The New Media Mix: Why TV Belongs in Your Digital Marketing Stack

Planning is the word that defines this month. October marks the start of media planning season. As marketing teams refine event spend and optimize search and social strategies, TV is often left out of the conversation. Many still see it as expensive, slow, outdated, and difficult to measure.

That perception may have been true a decade ago, but not anymore.

So, why should TV be part of your media mix? Here are a few reasons.

Reason 1. TV Is a Performance Channel

In 2005, TV ad measurement was basic. It relied on small Nielsen household panels that captured viewership through limited, static samples. Metrics focused on audience size and demographics - ratings points, share, and reach - offering little insight into engagement or ad effectiveness.

A decade later, measurement improved slightly through Nielsen ratings and Gross Rating Points (GRPs). These metrics indicated how many people saw a commercial and how often, but they still could not connect exposure to real business outcomes.

Today, the story is different. Both CTV and linear TV, when measured with the right methodology, can drive performance outcomes comparable to Google or Meta.

With Simulmedia’s TV+ platform, marketers can measure the full impact of TV on web traffic, conversions, and app installs, not just reach and frequency.

TV is no longer a brand-only channel. It’s a performance engine, and during a season when digital marketers are competing for ROI, it is a powerful addition to the growth stack.

Reason 2. Control, Speed, and Measurable Outcomes

Marketers today demand control, speed, and measurable outcomes, which is why digital channels dominate most media plans.

A typical plan includes:

• Paid search and social
• Programmatic display
• Emerging formats like influencer marketing, podcasts, etc.
• Offline channels

But here is the problem: digital channels are crowded and expensive. CPAs are rising, privacy changes are limiting retargeting, and audience saturation is driving diminishing returns.

TV provides an opportunity to reach audiences competitors miss, and today, it is just as measurable and optimizable as digital. Advertisers can track metrics and optimize the campaign in real-time.

With the right platform, like TV+, brands can measure how TV impacts digital channel traffic using test-and-control methodology and automated reporting. One pharmaceutical brand’s campaign delivered 187.5 incremental conversions at a cost of $268 per conversion, with the strongest lift observed on Saturdays and on platforms such as LG Ads and Scripps.

Data from Simulmedia TV+ Platform

That level of granularity is what growth teams expect, and what TV+ delivers.

Reason 3. Simulmedia’s TV+: Built for the Digital Stack

TV+ helps growth teams treat TV like any other performance channel. It integrates easily into existing workflows, tech stacks, and performance mindsets:

• Cross-Channel Attribution - Track CTV and linear alongside digital buys, not in a silo.
• Real-Time Optimization - Adjust spend in-flight, just as you would on Meta.
• Incremental Lift Studies - Use test-and-control methodology to measure what TV drove, not what it touched.
• Unified Reporting - Replace fragmented reports from Hulu, Roku, YouTube, and linear partners with a single source of truth that provides actionable insights across every platform and device.

The level of data granularity in TV ad reporting is exceptionally high. In the pharma brand example mentioned above, Simulmedia’s report showed conversion lift by platform, state, and day of week, revealing that Utah, Virginia, and Illinois were top-performing markets, with Saturdays outperforming weekdays.

Sum of Incremental Lift. Data from TV+ Platform

Sum of Incremental Lift. Data from TV+ Platform

This planning season, don’t leave TV out of your media strategy. Simulmedia’s TV+ platform gives marketers the transparency, control, and results they expect from every performance channel.

Whether the goal is web traffic, app installs, or conversions, TV+ turns TV from a legacy line item into a scalable, accountable engine for growth.