Smart TV has long ceased to be just a "television with internet." Today, it is a full-fledged digital environment where users spend several hours daily and are willing to interact. Brands that understood this early already enjoy stable reach, retention, and sales. Others are still losing audience attention.

Why Businesses Need Smart TV and How It Differs from Mobile Apps

In 2024, over 70% of TVs sold worldwide are Smart TVs. But more important than just volume is how users behave on this platform.

On mobile devices, behavior is fragmented: users get distracted, act quickly, multitask. It’s a platform for short interactions: open, close, swipe, forget. Conversion, engagement, and retention require significant effort.

In contrast, on Smart TV, users spend an average of 2–3 hours daily. They launch apps consciously and don’t switch every 10 seconds. They interact in a relaxed environment: at home, on the sofa, in leisure mode. This creates a completely different engagement type: calm, thoughtful, and long-lasting.

Additionally, practical advantages include:

• The large screen allows displaying more visual content, creating showcases, collections, and educational formats.
• Simplified structure enhances focus on one action: select, watch, scan QR codes.
• Consumption context (evening, weekend, family viewing) opens scenarios unavailable to mobile apps.

For B2C companies, this means: higher attention, longer contact, more chances to retain customers and turn views into actions.

Which Formats Are Already Working on Smart TV and How Companies Use Them Effectively

Smart TV doesn’t require marketing to be reinvented from scratch. Many business models, already proven on web and mobile, transition naturally to the big screen. But they appear differently. Here are 4 formats proving that TV can sell, engage, and retain effectively.

Video Catalogs

It’s convenient on TV to view not just movies but also product collections—like showcase videos of kitchen appliances, bedroom furniture, or seasonal novelties. Viewers watch like a TV show but can immediately proceed to purchase.

Already used by Amazon and AliExpress on Fire TV and Android TV, this is a reliable channel with minimal costs. Just assemble a collection, design visually, and connect QR code navigation.

Educational Platforms

This can be language courses, psychology tutorials, memory training, or children’s educational content. The pattern: after watching, a link or QR-code appears for continuation in a mobile app or website. There, users subscribe or unlock the next module. Suitable for both paid products and upsell funnels.

Live Broadcasts and Streaming

On Smart TV, you can watch recorded content or participate in live streams—especially effective for sales, training, and live events. It works well for launches, seasonal campaigns, and B2C services aimed at closer customer engagement.

Examples include:

• Amazon’s Amazon Live with integrated purchase options.
• In China, Alibaba and JD.com conduct large-scale streams with QR codes directly on Smart TVs.
• YouTube Live for brand launches, product presentations, contests, including on TV screens.

Sports and Fitness Services

Working out on TV is very convenient: large screens clearly show instructors, no need to hold a phone or be distracted by messages. Especially popular are yoga, stretching, and cardio. Major services like FitOn, Adidas Training, and Peloton offer full courses and videos for Smart TV, often tailored for families and full sessions.

How Much Does It Cost to Launch a Smart TV App

In terms of expenses, a Smart TV app is often comparable to, or even cheaper than, a mass-market mobile app. The average cost to develop a mobile app in the US is about $100,000–150,000. With a Smart TV app, you can launch a working version for as little as $15,000–50,000 if it doesn’t require complex architecture.

A simple mid-level app (including video or product catalog, basic login, analytics, and TV-optimized UX) may cost between $15,000 and $30,000 depending on scope. For more advanced projects—such as live streaming, custom UI, multi-platform support, or mobile synchronization—the costs can range from $50,000 to $180,000.

Important factors to consider:

• Platform choice: Developing for specific platforms such as Samsung Tizen or LG webOS is usually cheaper and faster. Supporting Android TV, Apple TV, or Fire TV increases coverage but requires additional resources.
• UX/UI design: On large screens (55–65 inches), all elements matter: text readability, control elements, navigation. UX designers create prototypes, test on devices, and fix issues before development—impacting cost and timeline.
• Support and updates: Post-launch, a Smart TV app needs ongoing maintenance, security updates, and analytics. Typically, these costs are similar to mobile app support and amount to about 15–20% of initial development annually.

Key difference: Smart TV requires adapted UX and fewer features (touch, push notifications, complex animations are less common).

What Benefits Does Your Business Receive?

• An ready MVP tailored to a single platform, starting from approximately $15,000.
• The ability to quickly test new formats and concepts.
• Access to higher engagement and loyalty with less competition in app stores.
• Opportunities for new monetization scenarios: content subscriptions, product sales, integrations, upselling.

In short, since Smart TV apps are still relatively few, there’s a chance to become a leader in your niche and dominate the screen market before competitors catch up.

Is Smart TV Right for Your Business?

If your company has video content, product catalogs, educational materials, or a strong brand story, Smart TV can become a powerful sales channel. It helps attract new audiences and strengthen customer relationships. DigiNeat can assist in choosing the right format and launching the solution—from idea to platform deployment.

Contact us to explore how Smart TV can fit into your strategy, and we’ll help you develop and implement a tailored solution that drives engagement and sales through this emerging channel.