Billboard Advertising

The global advertising industry is currently worth about $1.7 trillion in the US. As the industry continues to see growth, businesses are pushing to be the first to adapt to creative new outlets as they compete for a spot in a consumer's field of vision. Billboard advertising and Out-of-Home (OOH) media in general continue to be a reliable source of consumer attention and creative strategy. Billboards campaigns can be confusing, costly undertakings that require careful planning and execution. Our team of outdoor advertising experts can help walk you through the process with the our resources that address the most common questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of using digital billboards?

Digital billboards have the unique benefit of being able to be launched as soon as the creative is ready to go. Ads can be changed out on the fly since because there is no lag time on production, in contrast to vinyl billboards. This also means that an ad can be tailored to change based on the day or time it is being run for the most effective campaign possible.

How do I advertise on a billboard?

Advertising on a billboard is a fairly simple process, despite the lack of information readily available. To run a campaign, you can either contact the billboard owner directly (often this will be a national company like Lamar or Clear Channel). Alternatively, you can work with an agency. Working with the right agency can be very advantageous, since the agency can pull boards from several owners in your target market and they usually have a working relationship with the board owners, so the agency markup works out to roughly the same cost with a larger inventory to choose from.

How much does billboard advertising cost?

The cost to advertise on billboards can vary dramatically from one billboard to the next. Much like real estate, the price differences are usually due to location, i.e. a billboard located in a heavily populated area will cost significantly more. Other factors include the size of the board, type of board (e.g. digital vs. static), the read (left side vs. right side of the road), and the campaign length. Billboard production, which is the cost to produce the creative and vinyl if necessary, is roughly $1.30 sq ft or $340 - $900 per board. As such, we recommend our customers allocate a minimum of $1,700 per 4 week period to cover production and space costs.

How effective are billboard advertisements?

It may seem surprising but billboards are actually a highly effective method of advertising. Unlike most other traditional forms, people have yet to find a way to skip billboards. Recent research suggests that almost 40% of people actually make a habit of looking at billboards as they pass. Almost 60% of people report that they have actually used the information they've learned from billboards to identify products and events that they are interested in. With a captive audience of regular commuters, billboards remain an effective and well-researched method of advertising.

How much does a billboard rental cost?

The cost of renting a billboard varies depending on the size of the local population and the traffic that can be reasonably expected to pass by your installation. In a major city, billboards tend to run between $2,000 and $15,000 per month. However, in smaller towns, they can run as little as a few hundred dollars a month.

How do you make a billboard stand out?

Billboards, as a medium, require consistency, simplicity, and creativity. Even if a person only glances at a billboard, they should instantly recognize your brand. If you haven't already developed a brand image, then work with a marketing team to build something that can grow with your company and retain brand recognition. You should also limit text. The fewer words you use, the more likely potential customers are to read your entire message.

How many people will see my billboard each month?

Studies show that nearly 70% of people can definitively remember reading a billboard in the past month. To get an accurate reading of how many potential customers your billboard will reach, look into the local population and traffic patterns. These factors are partially used when determining the cost of renting a particular billboard, so the providers should have that information on hand. At any given location, you can conservatively expect to reach between 50 and 70% of that population.

Do some industries fair better than others with billboard advertisements?

Although research shows that billboards are definitely reaching people, there is some debate regarding the efficacy of billboards in different industries. Overall, proximity appears to be a dominant factor. Restaurants, housing developments, and retail products appear to benefit most from billboards when accompanied by a call for action that directly relates to a nearby location. The influx at that location is typically treated as a sign of the billboard's success; although, experts disagree as to whether this is an accurate metric. In truth, there is little unbiased evidence to suggest that any industry benefits substantially more than others as a result of billboards.

How do billboards compare with other means of advertising?

Recent changes to traditional media formats have altered the relationship between consumers and advertisers. With the rise of streaming and subscription-based radio, these methods of advertising have lost much of their efficacy without seeing a dramatic cut in cost. As a result, research shows that billboards remain a cost effective means of reaching potential consumers as other traditional, yet more expensive, models fail.