Are you hoping to bypass overcrowded channels and engage your audience at the perfect moment? If your answer is yes, you may want to learn about Point-of-Need paid advertising opportunities.

Too many advertisers stick to the basics — they pour money into Google keywords, Facebook ads, maybe even a few billboards or podcast spots.

But here’s the problem: these channels are overcrowded, and the competition is fierce. Ultimately, you end up paying top dollar for less impact, and the returns are dwindling.

If you’re ready to set yourself further away from the competition and tap into advertising channels where your audience is actually engaged, it’s time to rethink your approach. As Kieran and I discuss in a recent episode of Marketing Against the Grain, one high-impact way to do that is Point-of-Need advertising.

In this post, we dig into exactly what Point-of-Need advertising is and how you can use it to cut through the advertising noise and capture your audience’s attention when it matters most.

What is Point-of-Need advertising and why does it matter?

I’ll be honest: Point-of-Need (PoN) advertising is a term I made up. But it’s a potent, actionable strategy that Kieran and I frequently use to maximize our ad spend.

Point-of-Need (PoN) advertising is a tactic that targets your audience at the exact moment they’re most engaged and in need of something — like getting online during a flight, waiting for a taxi ride, or while watching their favorite show.

Especially when traditional ads are becoming increasingly ignored or skipped over, PoN advertising hits when your audience is already laser-focused. So instead of fighting for attention in crowded channels, you’re placing your brand in front of people when they’re most receptive and primed to pay close attention.

This boosts engagement and increases the chances that your message will stick and drive real results.

3 Ways to Incorporate Point-of-Need Advertising Opportunities

Not sure how to get started with PoN advertising? Kieran and I have you covered.

Learn how to reshape your marketing plans with these three, high-impact approaches, along with resources from HubSpot’s Free Advertising Plan Kit.

Let’s dive in!

1. WiFi Sponsorships

One of the most effective PoN advertising opportunities is WiFi sponsorships in transportation, like in airports or on trains. In fact, one of HubSpot’s most successful ad campaigns for both brand awareness and conversion came from testing WiFi ads on airplanes.

We hypothesized that this type of advertising would hit people when and where they’re more attentive — and we were right.

Think about it: when people are on a plane, train, or subway, they’re stuck. They can’t leave, they’re looking for something to do, and most importantly, they want to get online.

If the ‘price’ of WiFi is watching a short ad, they’re going to watch it until they get access to what they wanted in the first place — and that’s what makes this such a powerful PoN moment.

2. Gig Marketplaces

Another untapped PoN opportunity is in-app ads on gig marketplace platforms like Lyft or DoorDash. These are moments when users are waiting for a time-dependent service — a ride, a delivery — and they’re again actively engaged with the app, waiting for a status update.

Take a look at the customer experience when using Uber, for example. When you open the app to call a ride, you’re immediately locked into the experience — checking the driver’s location, ETA, car description, and other details.

Suddenly, an app that was built for transportation transforms into a robust advertising platform. Yet again, this is because users are completely glued to their screens, willingly giving you their undivided attention, until they get the service they originally ordered.

3. Free or Low-Cost Streaming Services

A final, often overlooked, PoN opportunity is Over-the-Top (OTT) advertising on free or low-cost streaming services like Hulu or the ad-supported version of Peacock.

What’s particularly powerful about this strategy is that OTT allows you to reach viewers who are already open to consuming content. They’ve already settled in to watch an entire film or episode — so what’s another 30 seconds?

Plus, with free streaming services, users already expect ads as part of the experience, making them more likely to engage with your message because it’s a transparent part of the deal.

To learn more about accessing untapped advertising opportunities, check out the full episode of Marketing Against the Grain below:

This blog series is in partnership with Marketing Against the Grain, the video podcast. It digs deeper into ideas shared by marketing leaders Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (SVP, Marketing at HubSpot) as they unpack growth strategies and learn from standout founders and peers.