Samba TV
Demonstrating TikTok's impact on German viewership with Samba TV as a new measurement partner.
TikTok and Samba TV Power Measurable Entertainment Outcomes for Streaming Platforms and Linear TV
Objectives
Beyond clicks and impressions: Driving tune-in and viewership
Audiences today scroll, skip, and switch faster than ever, making it increasingly difficult for streaming platforms and TV networks to convert awareness into real viewership.
TikTok partnered with Samba TV, a global leader in AI-driven media intelligence, to better understand the impact of ad exposure on actual tune-in. This involved measuring how many users exposed to content or ads on TikTok actually go on to watch the featured show on platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, or traditional television.
Solution
Testing what actually drives viewership
Through a new integration between TikTok and Samba TV that tracks post-exposure entertainment outcomes, Samba TV launched seven test campaigns across leading streaming services and linear TV broadcasters.
Each campaign combined In-Feed Ads with high-impact ad formats like TopView, testing them both individually and together to understand how each influenced real viewing behavior.
Designed to build anticipation for upcoming shows and episodes, the campaigns followed a pre and post study structure to measure performance. Samba TV also experimented with targeting and creative variations, enabling the entertainment partners to adopt a "test and learn" approach to reveal which formats and strategies delivered the strongest viewership lift.
Results
From awareness to significant tune-in lift
Across the seven campaigns measured using Samba TV, TikTok drove a significant increase in tune-ins, confirming the platform's ability to drive real-world viewing behavior for streaming platforms and linear TV. Viewers exposed to TikTok ads delivered a +21% median viewership lift, with +8% directly attributable to TikTok media, independent of any other marketing touchpoints.
A key insight from the Samba TV study was the impact of combining media formats. Campaigns that paired Top Feed Video with high-impact placements like TopView achieved a +16.14% lift, outperforming In-Feed Ads alone.
Overall, the strongest results came from a layered media strategy, where the mix of In-Feed Ads and TopView placements delivered a 3.4x higher lift in viewership compared with In-Feed Ads on their own.
These results demonstrate how TikTok, with Samba TV's ability to measure entertainment outcomes, serves as a powerful bottom-funnel driver of tune-ins for streaming services and linear TV broadcasters.
To find out more about TikTok advertising and marketing solutions, contact our team here.
Reliable measurement is essential for demonstrating the efficacy of media investment, and that's exactly what we helped TikTok achieve by providing insight into the value and impact of their platform on driving viewership. Together, we've shown that TikTok doesn't just drive awareness; it delivers measurable and meaningful viewership impact for advertisers.