Written by: Sonia Kaila & Maya S.
Have you ever tried a new recipe that surprisingly turned out finger-licking good, but the real bummer was that there wasn’t anyone around to compliment you?
Doesn’t this sound familiar to not having an audience? Now let us guess, maybe one of the reasons you are shying away from investing in a mobile billboard is, you think it’s expensive.
News flash! Mobile billboards are not only one of the best ways to market your brand and get noticed by your target audience, but they are also AFFORDABLE!
They’re Affordable & Worth IT!
Many people have the false belief that mobile billboards are ridiculously expensive. Although they aren’t exactly the cheapest form of advertising, they would still fall under the affordable category. Mobile billboards offer maximum reach at a minimum cost, making them both affordable and effective. Mobile billboards do tend to cost more than your traditional, stationary billboard when looking at a day to day cost, however, the return on investment is very high, even when that investment is up for less than 24 hours.
This really is the quickest way to go from small to large in terms of business exposure. The amount of reach a small business can obtain through utilizing the technology of mobile billboards is astonishingly high. Drawing attention from potential clients is key in mobile billboard advertising and can turn a small name company into a buzz-worthy hot topic. Understanding budget is important when considering using mobile billboards, as there are plenty of packages to choose from at different cost points. The duration of the mobile billboard depends on how long a small business would want their messages displayed for but, no matter the length of time, there will be guaranteed eyes on it. Small businesses can adopt mobile billboards into their marketing plan that can lead to effective results.
Exactly How Much Would Mobile Billboard Advertising Cost Your Brand?
The approximate cost of a mobile billboard has typically been around 0.77¢ per 1,000 views while some rates have gone as low as 0.48¢ per 1,000 views. Keep in mind that this is just a starting point and the price will still vary greatly based on the type of billboard you have chosen. On average, a pair of mobile billboards (one truck with one billboard for each side of the truck) would fall within the range of $1,200 to $1,600 for design creation, and the average cost to secure one of these trucks would fall between $500 to $800 per day. As we said, the cost varies depending on the addition of multiple factors so this would be the lowest and most basic type of mobile billboard.
The average price for a static mobile billboard would be starting at approximately $24,000. Digital billboards, on the other hand, would cost much more, with the average starting rate in the $100,000 range. In addition to these options and prices, there is also the chance to rent a mobile billboard instead of purchasing one. In such cases, a mobile billboard is rented per hour, usually anywhere between 6 to 10 hours a day.
Despite what may look like an overwhelming cost, mobile billboards will still give you the best value and ROI (return on investment) when compared to other marketing strategies.
What Factors Are Included in The Cost Of A Mobile Billboard?
Now that we discussed affordability and have an idea of what the cost looks like, let’s look at what types of things are really included in this pricing. There are multiple categories and factors that are considered when providing a cost estimate for your mobile billboard.
The Truck
The most important factor, following the type of billboard you pick, would be what type of truck you want to use. A static truck would cost from $300 to $700 per truck per day, while digital trucks can cost anywhere from $700 to $1800 per truck per day. The size of the billboard would also impact the cost of the advertising space, since a smaller billboard would ultimately be less expensive than a larger one. The next factor to consider in this category would be if there is a specific location where you want to advertise. If this location is far from the office, then there would be a higher cost and if it is closer to the office then it would be a lesser cost. This is because some cities have higher billboard advertising costs compared to others. The truck routes also play a large role, for example if it is a crowded or popular route then more people would notice the billboard.
Campaign Details
The exact details of the campaign is another category to look at. This category can include various factors such as campaign duration, season, time of day and location. If you want to place an advertisement on a billboard for a large amount of time, then the cost would be higher than if you were to go with the standard 1 or 2 days. The season that you choose to send the ad out can also have some influence over the price of the billboard as well. This is because the summer months see an increase in demand for outdoor advertising space since most people enjoy getting outdoors during the warm weather these months, which makes it more expensive. On the other hand, winter sees a decrease since people would prefer to stay inside or are just focused on getting from one place to another due to the cold weather, making it cost less. Seasonal pricing not only applies to billboard trucks but to billboards in general since they are utilized more when it is warmer outdoors than when it rains or snows.
Design
Getting the creative made for the advertisement being designed is a large, if not the largest, factor in the price of a mobile billboard. Designing and making the mobile billboard itself is another large cost associated with this type of advertising. This typically depends on the size and type of mobile billboard, with digital mobile billboards costing more than static ones. The cost of designing an ad does vary by design firm and can be as high as $1,000, although this can be decreased if you were to have an in-house designer on your team. The cost to produce a classic vinyl billboard may cost you a minimum of $300 to $500 for professionals to complete, or $0.50 per square foot. If you want a basic design, then that price may be on the lower end, however, getting a detailed and extremely well done graphic can definitely run you a pretty penny! However, looking at this from an advertising perspective and not just a budget perspective, having a carefully designed billboard image will help you maximize the advertisement. In other words, an amazing graphic will provide an amazing ad, which will, in time, result in amazing sales.
CPM (cost-per-thousand-impressions)
When considering the cost, it would be worth noting that mobile billboards have one of the lowest CPM (cost-per-thousand-impressions) rates in the industry compared to other types of advertising. The impressions would be the estimated number of people that we can expect to see a mobile billboard. This means that the cost of your billboard also depends on the volume of traffic or the potential number of people that will see the advertisement driving by. We would calculate this based on the mobile billboard’s size and location.
At the End of The Day They Really Are Cost-Effective!
The cost of getting a mobile billboard might seem a little overwhelming at first after factoring in all and any additional elements. The total cost of a billboard, after taking all contributing factors into consideration, does vary. Nevertheless, it’s important to keep in mind that by investing in a mobile billboard, whether for a short or long period of time, you can attain a great ROI. Mobile billboard advertising is a highly effective form of marketing with an extremely low cost per impression. You could even say that it is one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising available. These types of billboards are a great way to reach people who may not be reached through other forms of advertising.
Mobile billboard advertising is a much more cost-effective choice compared to methods like TV and radio commercials. By choosing this marketing tactic to effectively advertise your business or product, you are advertising without having to put a strain on your budget. Mobile advertising is more affordable than one might think. For a smaller business, with a smaller budget, it can be as low as $500 depending on the business goals and marketing needs. For larger brands looking for more than just a basic mobile billboard, it can be approximately $5000 per month. As with most advertising methods, the cost of mobile billboard advertising varies with each company or brand that takes this route. The cost will also depend on other factors that you decide on such as the duration of the ad, the location or route chosen, the time of the day, the season, and of course how many billboards and trucks you would like to use. While there can never be a definite answer as to what the cost would be due to so many other factors, the price of a mobile billboard ad will start at around $200 per day and can go up from there depending on the campaign and design plans.
The price of mobile billboards vary so much, simply because there are so many additions and deductions that someone can make when it comes to their ad. Think of it like ordering a make your own pizza; the only thing really included in the starting price is the crust, the tomato sauce and the cheese. After that you need to pick all your own toppings, like pepperoni and green peppers, and pay for each one individually until you get to the total price. The price for your pizza can be different from your friend’s pizza because you may not need all the same toppings. The total is an individualized price for your custom pizza. Similarly, your cost for a mobile billboard ad can differ from another company’s cost because you may not need everything they do. For example, in order for an ad to be more effective for one company, they may need a more complex ad graphic and a longer amount of time to run their ad, while yours could be a very simple graphic with less run time. This would make your mobile billboard more affordable in comparison while still reaching the same goal of increasing sales and revenue. Notice how in either case, both ads reach the goal of increasing sales despite one needing a little extra, just like how your friend may need a couple more toppings on their pizza but both of you are full at the end of the day. This type of advertising really is a build your own mobile billboard advertisement!
Sooo… Yes or No?
Mobile billboards capture the attention of those passing by, both in car and by foot. These billboards can travel great distances if needed and, as a result, provides them and your business with great exposure in many areas that may have not even have heard about your business. There is space for just about every business to benefit from this type of advertising, even entertainment, computer and food companies, thanks to the travel and delivered exposure. Mobile billboards have repeatedly proven time and time again to be an effective method of advertising and have consistently generated very positive impressions of the advertised brand.
If you’re interested in getting a customized campaign and estimate, or even just need a little more convincing on affordability, call us today and we’ll be more than happy to help!
