Businesses often look to find new ways to advertise and promote their products and services. Effective advertising methods vary among different types of businesses and industries, so there’s not just one right way. Billboards aren’t still in use because of habit alone; they’re in use because they get results.
Billboards aren’t still in use because of habit alone; they’re in use because they get results. Photo by Harry Kessell on Unsplash.
The fundamental concepts behind the billboard are still sound, and innovations have opened up new ways to use billboards for advertising purposes. Some of the unique advantages that billboards offer over other marketing tools are:
24/7 Exposition
Since billboards are generally placed along highways and busy streets, you’ll be guaranteed that people will see your advertising. Also, unlike with commercials or magazine ads, you cannot flip the channel or turn the page on a billboard. Therefore, people will notice the billboard whether they like it or not. Another added benefit is that many people travel the same route repeatedly, such as with their commute to work each day. This means that they’ll see your billboard regularly, which makes it more likely to stick in their minds.
One of the most important things to consider when crafting a marketing strategy is your target audience. You want to make sure that you’re getting your message in front of the right people. If you have brick and mortar location or a relatively limited service area, then you don’t want to waste money on ads that target people outside your area. You also want to make sure that the people in your service area hear your message. Billboards allow you to succeed on both counts.
When you put your message on a billboard, you know where people will be when they see your message. You can look at the road the billboard is on and get a good idea of where people will be coming from and going to when they see your message.
When you put your message on a billboard, you know where people will be when they see your message. Photo by Thomas Ribaud on Unsplash.
Customized Placement
You can place your billboard advertisement wherever you feel it will have the most impact. This can be a big advantage when you have a business you want to draw traffic to right off a particular highway exit, or you have a showroom just down the road. You can also use billboards in areas where reaching people is difficult. An example is rural farming communities spread over vast distances. By placing your billboard advertisement along one of the main roads around the community, you’ll greatly increase your visibility.
Clear and Brief Messages
According to Marketing Scoop, on average, a person will see your billboard for about two to three seconds. This means you’ll need to keep your messages short and to the point. Billboards do better when they focus more on images than on text. Also, billboards are often seen by people driving by. Since they are in motion, it makes it difficult for them to read. Therefore, any text written on the billboard must be large enough for them to read easily.
Notice that simple, clear, and actionable information had the biggest impact. Billboards work on an almost subconscious level, their message sinking in as people drive past them day after day. Messages that are witty, time-sensitive, or related to immediate needs all have an especially big impact on drivers.
New technology.
Many people underestimate the power of billboards because their perception of the medium is stuck in the past. Digital billboards have brought this advertising tool into the 21st century, allowing billboards to take full advantage of the latest technology. Instead of using one permanent image, digital billboards are essentially large computer screens that can be programmed to display messages in a range of innovative ways. Things can be as simple as switching between images periodically so that multiple advertisers can cut costs by sharing a single billboard, or they can get more complex by utilizing animation and real-time updates.
Digital billboards take full advantage of the latest technology. Photo by Saketh Garuda on Unsplash.
Billboards occupy a unique place in the advertising landscape because of their physical presence. They aren’t ephemeral like radio, TV, and internet advertising. They stand on the side of the road, their message emblazoned across a giant canvas. There is a power in the billboard that can’t be recreated using any other advertising tool.
Billboard advertising isn’t a magic solution to every marketing need, but when used correctly it can do things that no other method can. If you have a clear and actionable message that you want to convey to a captive audience, then a billboard might be just the thing you need.
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