Guide
How to advertise a telco in Australia.
To advertise a telco in Australia, build a full-funnel mix: TV and BVOD plus out-of-home for national brand reach, social and creators for relevance, search and comparison to convert switchers, retail and channel to close at the point of sale, and counter advertising as a counted, at-purchase layer that adds incremental reach where people actually spend.
Below are the six channels telcos and their agencies actually use, what each is best for, what it costs and the catch - so you can see where a counted, at-purchase layer fits the plan.
National plans are built on modelled reach. One layer counts every impression as a real purchase.
The options
Six ways to advertise your telco.
- 01
TV and BVOD
Linear TV plus broadcast video on demand for mass national reach and brand fame.
- Best for
- Building broad awareness and emotional brand at scale.
- Rough cost
- Large upfront media commitment plus production.
- The catch
- Expensive, reach is modelled and fragmenting, and it's poorly targeted to a switcher.
- 02
Social and creators
Meta, TikTok and YouTube plus creator partnerships that carry the brand into culture.
- Best for
- Relevance, demand generation and reaching younger switchers.
- Rough cost
- Flexible ad spend plus creator fees.
- The catch
- Attention is fleeting, creative burns out fast, and measurement is walled-garden self-reported.
- 03
Search and comparison
Google, plus comparison sites where people shop "best mobile plan" or "cheapest NBN".
- Best for
- Capturing switchers already comparing plans.
- Rough cost
- Pay per click or per lead, plus comparison fees.
- The catch
- It converts existing demand rather than building it, and it rewards the sharpest headline price.
- 04
Out-of-home
Billboards, transit and street furniture across the major metros.
- Best for
- Broadcast reach and brand presence in high-traffic areas.
- Rough cost
- Media buy plus production, booked in advance.
- The catch
- Priced for a whole city's traffic, and impressions are estimated, not counted.
- 05
Retail and channel
Own stores, resellers and partner placements that close a plan at the point of sale.
- Best for
- Converting intent into a signed connection.
- Rough cost
- Retail footprint, partner margins and co-marketing.
- The catch
- It harvests demand near the till rather than creating it, and shrinks as retail foot traffic falls.
- 06
Counter advertising
Your telco full-screen on the payment screens at cafés and shops across the country - in front of customers nationwide, at the moment they pay.
- Best for
- Adding counted, at-purchase reach in the exact moment of spending.
- Rough cost
- By quote - one telco per location if you want it exclusive, or shared at a lower rate. Ask us for a rate for your markets.
- The catch
- It's an incremental layer, not a reach channel that replaces TV or out-of-home.
Side by side
The channels, compared.
| Channel | Best for | Rough cost | Measurement | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TV and BVOD | Mass awareness | $$$ | Modelled reach | National |
| Social and creators | Relevance | $$ | Self-reported | National |
| Search and comparison | Active switchers | $$ | Clicks tracked | National |
| Out-of-home | Metro presence | $$$ | Estimated | Metro |
| Retail and channel | Point-of-sale close | $$$ | Sales tracked | National |
| Counter advertising | At-purchase reach | $ | Counted impressions | National spread |
Cost is relative: $ light, $$$ heavy. Every plan's numbers differ - treat this as a starting shape, not a quote.
Where Tap fits
The counted, at-purchase layer.
Tap is not a reach channel and won't replace TV, BVOD or out-of-home - those still do the heavy lifting on awareness. What Tap adds is a layer the rest of the plan can't: your telco on the payment screen at the exact moment of a purchase, at cafés and shops across the country, with every impression a real view we count.
That means measured, incremental reach rather than another modelled estimate - counted, not modelled - plus category exclusivity, so your brand owns the screen against the other carriers in each location.
For a media team, it slots in as a small, accountable line that adds at-purchase presence to a broadcast-led plan. See exactly how the counting works, and how it compares to traditional out-of-home.
Common questions
Telco advertising, answered.
What is the best way to advertise a telco in Australia?
There's no single channel - a telco needs a full-funnel mix. TV, BVOD and out-of-home build broad awareness; social and creators carry relevance; search, comparison and retail convert switchers near the decision. Counter advertising adds a counted, at-purchase layer on top. The right blend depends on the product, the audience and the budget.
How much does it cost to advertise a telco?
It spans a wide range. TV, out-of-home and retail run into large upfront commitments; search, comparison and social scale with spend. Counter advertising is sold by quote, exclusive or shared - ask us for a rate for your markets. It's usually a smaller, incremental line in a national plan, not a headline buy.
Where does counter advertising fit in a telco media plan?
As an incremental, counted layer - not a replacement for TV or out-of-home. It reaches people at the point of spend, in cafés and shops across the country, and every impression is a real view we count rather than a modelled estimate. That makes it a clean way to add measured reach and category exclusivity to a broadcast-led plan.
Add a counted layer to the plan.
Tell us your markets and we'll show you the reach and exclusivity available.