Why FAST Owners Should Stop Launching New Channels And Start Marketing The Ones They Have
Let's talk about something that became crystal clear at MIPCOM this year: FAST channels are leaving money on the table. While everyone's racing to launch new channels, the real opportunity is staring us right in the face – getting more viewers to discover the channels that already exist.
The numbers tell a compelling story: FAST advertising will reach $12.5 billion by 2027. But here's the challenge – most FAST channels are buried so deep in the programming guide that viewers never find them.
How bad is the discovery problem? Pretty bad.
Nielsen says viewers spend nearly 30 minutes searching for content across streaming services. And when they do make a choice, they're usually sticking to what they know – 90% of FAST viewing happens on just the top 10 services. That's like having a great restaurant hidden in a basement with no sign on the street.
This is exactly the problem that caught everyone's attention at MIPCOM. During his keynote, media strategist and cartographer Evan Shapiro highlighted how new AI-powered tools (like Social Department) are changing the game. These tools can create hundreds of social posts that help viewers find your channel.
And it works. Done right, FAST services achieve ad completion rates as high as 97% on Connected TV platforms, well above traditional digital video.
In plain English? When viewers find FAST content they like, they stick around and watch the ads all the way through, which means more revenue.
Think about it this way: social media isn't just another marketing channel – it's where your viewers hang out all day, every day. Before they watch TV, while they're watching TV (just look at the success of live-tweeting during shows), and after they finish watching. If you're not part of that conversation, you're missing out on connecting with viewers where they actually spend their time.
The bottom line? FAST growth isn't going to flow equally to all channels. It's going to go to the ones that solve the discovery problem. And right now, social media marketing is the most cost-effective way to do that.
Here's your wake-up call: While competitors chase new channel launches in a space where 90% of viewing goes to the top 10 services, you have an immediate opportunity. Your existing content library is packed with moments that could be connecting viewers to your channel right now. Those 97% ad completion rates aren't just statistics – they're proof that when viewers find content they love, they stick around and engage with it.
Stop launching channels nobody can find and start helping audiences discover the channels that already exist!
The technology to turn your content library into a discovery engine at scale, exists. The algorithms are ready to reward you for feeding them engaging content.
Your audience wants to find you.
The question isn't whether to make this shift – it's whether you'll do it before your competitors do.
