Searching for the Perfect Billboard Advertising Spot
Billboard advertising remains one of the most effective ways to capture the attention of potential customers. Whether you’re a business owner looking to expand your reach or a marketer seeking to boost brand awareness, finding the right billboard space is crucial. But where do you start? Here are the best ways to begin your search for the perfect billboard location.
Define Your Target Audience
Before searching for a billboard space, understand your target audience. Consider demographics such as age, income level, and lifestyle preferences. This will help you determine the most effective locations to reach your audience.
Research High-Traffic Areas
Billboards are most effective when placed in high-traffic areas. Major highways, busy intersections, and commercial hubs are prime locations. Drive around your desired area or use online tools like Google Maps to identify spots with heavy foot and vehicle traffic.
Utilize Outdoor Advertising Agencies
Outdoor advertising agencies that specialize in securing billboard spaces typically walk you through the process of renting a billboard and have a more hands on approach. An Advertising Agency assists with location selection, detailed traffic and demographic data, negotiation, strategy, creative, and performance tracking. Typically clients who utilize agencies are those with larger budgets and are deploying strategic ad campaigns. Their service may not be as cost effective if you have a smaller budget. OneScreen.AI is a agency who can help with the right mix of billboard and other media formats to provide an advertiser with a more comprehensive strategy.
Consider Local Billboard Owners
Not all billboard spaces are owned by larger companies such as Lamar Advertising, Clear Channel Outdoor, and Outfront Media. Some are privately owned by local businesses or individuals and are willing to make the best deals. Look for “For Rent” signs on billboards or search online marketplaces to find independent owners willing to lease space. Independent billboard owners can have some of the best spots so I would start with privately owned billboards first prior to contacting a larger corporate billboard company. Check out our list for recommended independent billboard companies. Independent billboard owners might offer a more personable experience and know their local markets well.
Consider Digital Billboards
If you’re looking for flexibility with billboard advertising, digital billboards are an excellent option. These allow you to display multiple ads on rotation and can be updated remotely, making them a cost-effective and versatile choice. Companies like Flip Hound are services that help you locate and rent a digital billboard with minimal effort. Or an advertiser can go straight to the billboard company to secure their billboard ad space.
Negotiate Pricing and Terms
Once you’ve identified a suitable location, negotiate pricing and contract terms. Rates will vary based on factors like location, billboard size, and duration of the ad campaign. Be sure to compare different options to get the best deal. Try considering to pay full contract price up front to get a discount or offer a longer term contract. There are all sorts of ways to work up a deal. Just get creative. Most smaller independent billboard operators will negotiate with you and be a great partner to meet your ad requests.
Monitor Performance
After securing your billboard space, track its performance. Use unique phone numbers, QR codes, or promotional codes to measure engagement. If the location isn’t delivering the expected results, consider adjusting your strategy or exploring alternative spaces. A quick note, do not always think it is the billboard location that is not driving results. Consider your design. A poorly designed billboard is like throwing money into a fire. As you have seen by driving down the highway. 7 words or less, bright, legible fonts, impactful imagery will be well received by the driver.
Billboard Advertising is not just for large companies. A billboard advertiser can be small to medium sized businesses as well. Here are ads for small to medium sized businesses that utilized billboards. Billboards might be the one of the oldest forms of media. There is a reason billboards have stood the test of time and it is because they simply work.
Finding the right billboard space requires careful planning and research. There are several people in the outdoor industry that like to help newcomer learn and execute successful ad campaigns. If you have questions please contact us here. It is truly our pleasure to help you navigate the landscape of billboards!