The competition for consumer attention in the advertising industry is becoming increasingly intense with the advent of digital platforms and the constant flow of information. Advertisers are now looking for creative ways to stand out from the crowd and engage with their intended audience.
In the midst of the digital age, outdoor advertising emerges as a potent and tangible medium, presenting an exclusive opportunity to captivate audiences in real-world settings. Nevertheless, for outdoor advertising to deliver optimum results, it’s imperative to deploy precise targeting techniques, which guarantee that your message reaches the right individuals, in the right location, and at the right moment.
Image source : Reddit
Without a doubt, the out-of-home advertising industry is currently experiencing an unprecedented surge in growth, fueled in large part by its ongoing recovery from the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdown measures.
To this end, the total spend on out-of-home advertising in the UK recently reached £901 million, and it is expected to increase by a remarkable 31.5% by the end of 2022.
let’s examine how to craft a successful out-of-home (OOH) advertising strategy by exploring its essential elements.
Integrated marketing strategies are widely considered to be highly effective in today’s era, primarily due to their capacity to align with the typical consumer journey and facilitate a significant increase in conversion rates.
When developing an outdoor advertising strategy, it’s equally crucial to incorporate various types of OOH media, guided by the observed behavior of your customers and the primary demographics that influence demand for your products or services.
Here’s an overview of the available media options and their primary purposes.
Choosing Your Preferred Media
Image source : Billups
Billboards
Billboards are a prominent force in the OOH market, offering versatility in size and the ability to reach customers in bustling areas. Classic billboards, ranging from 48 to 96 sheets, are especially impactful when strategically placed along roadsides, with approximately 71% of drivers regularly engaging with such messages. The emergence of digital out-of-home (DOOH) media has introduced a new era of animated and interactive billboards, utilizing LED screens and lighting to fuel more imaginative campaigns.
Transit
Transit ads, as the name implies, refer to posters and signage placed on buses, subways, taxis, and bus stations. This form of media is especially favored in busy urban areas and commuter centers, as it captures the attention of customers during their travels to and from work, when they are most inclined to engage with brands. In the context of transit ads on buses and trains, this media also aids in disseminating your message within targeted locations.
Outdoor Events and Hoardings
You have the option to showcase your products and services at bustling outdoor events, like relevant product demonstrations, launches, or even small concerts. This approach deeply involves customers and integrates them into your marketing initiatives, providing an experiential touch. Likewise, you can focus on advertising on the billboards often found around construction sites in busy areas, seizing marketing opportunities and reaching out to numerous potential customers.
Point of Sale (POS) Advertising
Image source: UK POS
Finally, we address POS advertising. This form of media strategically positioned around active points of sale, both online and offline, empowers brands to encourage impulse purchases and potentially enhance the value of customers’ average spending. Remarkably, approximately 78.2% of UK adults have indulged in impulsive online purchases, with the average transaction value reaching £32.69.
Researching Your Target Audience
Thorough and insightful research is vital for the success of any OOH campaign, particularly when it comes to chosen locations and the precise demographics you intend to reach.
The same principle applies online. For instance, you wouldn’t employ a generic mix of social media channels in your social marketing strategy, as each platform provides distinct communication avenues and access to vastly different demographics.
For example, platforms such as Pinterest are predominantly used by females, whereas it’s noteworthy that 54% of LinkedIn users are male.
Likewise, various demographic groups tend to frequent different locations when they are out-of-home. For instance, working-age individuals often traverse bustling central and commuter hubs regularly, while older citizens may prefer spending time at shopping centers or retail parks.
To effectively segment your primary demographics, you must conduct research on your target market and gather data from your current customer base.
Subsequently, you can initiate targeting various locations and the most suitable type of OOH media for your campaigns. Additionally, customize content and develop message variations to enhance lead generation and bottom-line conversions in the long run.
During the customer and market research process, it’s important to examine the methods and tactics employed by your competitors. This allows you to identify any competitive strengths or weaknesses you may have in comparison.
Choose Your Location (or Locations)
There’s no denying that the geographic placement of an individual ad or billboard directly impacts its effectiveness, influencing both the number of impressions it receives and its ability to reach a particular audience.
To delve further into this topic, we’ve provided a list of essential questions and considerations below. These are relevant to a wide range of businesses and marketing efforts, regardless of the specific product or service being promoted.
Will the Ad Receive the Necessary Footfall?
In essence, bustling central locations offer access to a vast audience but at a higher cost. However, if your campaign targets a specific niche audience, it might be prudent to explore more strategic and cost-effective locations.
Is There Any Local Context?
Locations vary in their relevance and local context, with some providing a particularly advantageous setting. This can enhance the appeal of seemingly less attractive and budget-friendly locations by presenting your product or brand in a favorable light.
Does The Surrounding Area Work with Your Creative?
When your ad employs targeted or branded colors, it’s crucial to prevent them from blending into the surrounding environment. Likewise, selecting the appropriate font and text size is essential for maximizing visibility, particularly for larger ads viewed from a distance.
How Visible is Your Ad?
Practically, it’s vital to ensure that the content is visible from wherever viewers may be situated, whether it’s on the road, sidewalk, or at a bus shelter. This involves ensuring there are no physical obstructions that could hinder visibility and reduce the long-term exposure of the ad.
Target by Age
Image source: google
To effectively target consumers by age through OOH or DOOH advertising, you don’t always need personalized phone data. It’s essential to comprehend the various OOH advertising options available to understand how this can work. It’s crucial to note that traditional billboards are just one example.
Targeted out-of-home (OOH) advertising that is based on particular locations is an extremely effective advertising strategy. For instance, strategically placing an OOH poster in a shopping mall near stores that are frequently visited by families, young women, or any other targeted demographic, provides an excellent opportunity for age-based OOH advertisement.
Time of Day OOH Targeting
Time of day targeting can be effective for businesses that have specific peak hours, especially with DOOH advertising. Restaurants are an obvious example of how targeted DOOH (Digital Out Of Home) advertising can be employed. Starting around 4pm in both downtown and suburban areas can be more effective in engaging people as they come home from work. Similarly, a strategy starting around 11am can be used to target the lunch crowd.
Other businesses, such as those in the entertainment industry, may benefit from using out-of-home (OOH) advertising that targets specific times of the day. Depending on the products they offer, certain times of the day may be more profitable for different companies. By using OOH targeting, businesses can focus their advertising efforts even more on these profitable times.
By combining age and demographic targeting, you can achieve even better results.
Wealth Status of Nearby Attractions
The stark contrast between a downtown corridor that boasts of art museums, concert halls, and high-end restaurants, among other upscale venues, and a suburban strip mall is undeniable.
Without a doubt, both locations present highly promising venues for targeted OOH ads, including non-digital ones, due to the consistency in visitor demographics.
To effectively target particular income groups, brands can confidently utilize OOH advertising to engage consumers in specific locations.
Reasons Why People Congregate in an Area
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To effectively engage with specific consumers through your OOH advertisements, it’s essential to contemplate the types of individuals who frequent particular areas, their motivations for being there, as well as the shared interests, needs, and traits that define them. By doing so, you can confidently target your OOH ads to resonate with your intended audience, increasing your chances of a successful campaign.
If you’re looking to advertise your business to other businesses, placing your ads in large hotels that frequently host big business events may be an effective strategy. By obtaining the upcoming event schedules for the top ten largest hotels in a city, which are often located near each other, you can confidently uncover some excellent opportunities for targeted out-of-home (OOH) advertising.
Certain locations have a natural tendency to draw in people with specific interests and demographics. Hence, it is of utmost importance to tailor the OOH advertisements near such locations based on the prevailing audience.
Downtown areas serve a completely different purpose than interstates between cities. Stadiums draw in a different crowd than expos, and the type of traffic in areas with high pedestrian frequency differs greatly from those that are dominated by cars.
Meet People Where They Are
Getting someone’s attention on their phone can be difficult with all the distractions. Out-of-home (OOH) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising offer a way to cut through the digital clutter because they exist in the real world. However, even when we’re on foot, there are still plenty of other things that can distract us and make it challenging to capture our attention.
Are you curious to know about a specific outdoor location where each and every OOH ad is bound to catch the attention of passersby? Well, you’re in luck! Keep reading to find out this exciting location.
The front porch
Image source : google
Imagine being able to showcase your message on a billboard right at the front porch of your target audience. You can achieve this through front door marketing, by placing a robust and long-lasting door hanger on the front porches of a carefully selected group of prospects. Effective door hanger distribution doesn’t involve scattering flimsy flyers throughout neighborhoods, zip codes, or parking lots. Advanced front door marketing entails delivering large-sized mini-billboards to the front porches of people who are most likely to be interested in your offer.
Front door OOH marketing provides an additional advantage of more efficient tracking of outcomes. Since most OOH ads require one-glance engagement and communication, they usually limit the amount of text included. Consequently, effective strategies such as using measurable calls to action, coupon codes, or directing people from offline to online are hindered. Front door OOH marketing, on the other hand, allows you to use all these tools effectively and efficiently.
Data-Driven Precision: Behavioral Targeting and A/B Testing
Information fuels contemporary marketing, and outdoor advertising is no different. Behavioral targeting utilizes data-driven insights to comprehend consumer actions. For example, if your desired audience often visits a particular type of location, positioning your ads nearby can yield positive outcomes.
A/B testing, commonly used in digital marketing, holds equal importance in outdoor advertising. Testing various ad creatives and messages enables you to refine your campaigns gradually. By evaluating which approach drives higher engagement and outcomes, you can refine your strategy and craft more impactful campaigns.
Integrating Mobile and Social Media
Image source: Gogo Digital
In today’s interconnected world, outdoor advertising is far from isolated. Integrating mobile technology into your outdoor ads provides a dynamic and engaging experience. Utilizing QR codes and NFC technology, for example, confidently encourages viewers to interact digitally with your ad, providing invaluable insights into their preferences and behaviors.
Moreover, expanding your outdoor advertising endeavors to social media platforms is a savvy decision. Craft content that is easily shareable, motivating individuals who encounter your ads to actively connect with your brand online. This establishes a connection between the tangible and virtual worlds, amplifying the overall effectiveness of your campaign.
Measuring Success: Data Analytics and ROI
Why invest in targeting techniques if you can’t gauge their impact? Data analytics is crucial for grasping your campaign’s effectiveness. Track metrics like foot traffic, engagement rates, and conversion rates to evaluate targeting performance. Analyzing this data informs decisions for future campaigns, maximizing return on investment (ROI).
Outdoor advertising has evolved significantly, yet its impact potential remains vast. To unlock this potential, advertisers should blend precision with creativity. Targeting techniques are crucial for ensuring that outdoor ads effectively reach the intended audience in impactful ways.
Conclusion
Through audience understanding, strategic location selection, crafting contextually relevant messages, and utilizing data-driven insights, you can develop outdoor campaigns that not only attract attention but also make a lasting impact. In the constantly evolving advertising realm, effectively reaching the desired audience with outdoor ads remains as dynamic as the images they portray. Ready to elevate your brand’s visibility? Let’s bring it to the outdoors with Movia.
