Nine says its self-serve automated buying platform opens up the TV ad market to more than two million Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Chief sales officer Michael Stephenson says the 9Voyager platform “makes buying television advertising simple” and the network aims to make creating ads equally straightforward by opening up its creative and production capabilities to SMEs.

Via the self-serve platform, SMEs can access inventory across Channel 9, 9Go, 9Gem, 9Life and digital video platform 9Now and pay via credit card in one transaction. For $15,000 they get a television schedule, a TV commercial and Qantas reward points.

“Many of Australia’s two million SME’s are already using a self-serve platform to buy Facebook and Google. They have told us that they want an alternative. So, we built it. 9Voyager will give SME’s access to Nine’s premium, brand-safe inventory allowing them to reach the millions of Australians who access Nine’s content on live TV or on demand every week to grow their business,” said Stephenson. 

Ahead of the launch, Nine has assembled specialist sales unit Nine+ to create marketing and advertising solutions for SMEs, led by former APN Outdoor executive Tim Rose.

To help small firms understand how to maximise marketing spend, Nine has also launched 9Voyager Academy, which will hold ‘masterclass’ workshops on TV advertising for SMEs.

To access 9Voyager businesses can go to 9Voyager.com.au