Digital Billboard Advertising 101
Digital billboard advertising or Digital Out of Home (DOOH) continues to grow every year. Offering dynamic content and real-time targeting, along with a range of screen sizes, DOOH offers a wealth of options for advertisers.
In this article, you will learn the difference between traditional and digital billboards, the types of DOOH formats, and the effectiveness of the medium.
Traditional vs. Digital Billboards
Traditional billboards are static, usually made of vinyl, with the option to use extensions to make your advertisement pop. Traditional OOH needs to be printed, and the printed materials need to be shipped to the media owner for installation.
With digital billboards, since no tangible materials need to be produced, there are savings in both time and dollars. Digital OOH can be static images or full-motion video. Once the ad or creative is designed (to the correct specifications, of course), campaigns can be up and running sometimes within hours. Swapping out the ad is easy and free of cost, since digital files are only needed for installation.
With a traditional billboard, every time you want to update your creative, another vinyl has to be printed and installed. This is especially true for long-term campaigns that may span several months or across different seasons. You’ll want to make sure that your ads remain in good condition.
Traditional billboards are sold in 4-week periods and always start on a Monday. The strength of traditional billboards is the exclusivity. Your brand’s ad is the only one that will be installed, giving you 100% Share of Voice.
While digital billboards have more flexibility in flight dates, the caveat is in the SOV. Digital billboards will have a loop of advertisers, so your brand’s advertisement will be in a rotation of other advertisements.
When you use digital billboards for your campaign, you also may have the option to buy your campaign programmatically. Programmatic DOOH is bought based on impressions and can be activated based on certain triggers such as weather or time of day to ensure you are reaching your target audience.
Digital billboards can include unique features. In a recent campaign, we worked with KC Current to put up a digital billboard with a countdown timer, exciting audiences for the National Women’s Soccer League Playoffs. Passersby could be reminded of how many days, hours, and minutes they had before the games would begin.
Depending on your campaign goals and the inventory available, you may consider using a mix of traditional and digital billboard advertising to achieve the greatest impact.
Types of Digital Billboard Advertising
There’s standardization when it comes to billboard sizes. They can typically be found in city centers and along highways or major thoroughfares. But digital out-of-home is more than just billboards. Here are some types of DOOH formats:
Place-based: Stadiums, arenas, malls and airports all offer various forms of digital inventory. From score boards, to airport kiosks there are a variety of formats and options to target your audience.
Retail Media Networks: Found in gas stations, convenience stores and other places, retail media networks allow you to buy an entire network of screens.
Street Furniture: Bus shelters, newsstands, kiosks and more offer high frequency, ensuring your message is seen and understood.
Is Digital Billboard Advertising Effective?
Did you know that about 60% of Americans see a digital billboard each month, according to research by Nielsen? The DOOH market is projected to reach $5.60 billion by 2029 in the US, but in other markets such as Europe, DOOH has already surpassed traditional outdoor advertising.
Here are some of the other ways that DOOH is effective:
Recall: According to Nielsen data, people remember digital billboards. They are able to recall at least one DOOH ad 74-89% of the time. When it comes to freeway DOOH, industries that perform best include entertainment, recreation, fast food restaurants, televised sporting events, and gaming. 82% of respondents remembered billboard ads,
Favorability: People like OOH. It’s not intrusive like online digital ads. Respondents to the survey said DOOH is cool and a great way to learn about local businesses, events, and sales.
Attention: Online ads are everywhere, inundating our everyday life through social media, the internet, and television. Where these other media channels interrupt, OOH invites, capture viewers attention 71% more.
Get Started with Digital Billboard Advertising with PJX Media
No matter where you are in your knowledge of DOOH or in your campaign planning, we can help. View us as an extension of your team, we’ll handle the out-of-home portion of your campaign so you can focus on your overall marketing strategy. Contact us to get started today!
