Advertising your Business on a Billboard

If done right, using a billboard to project your brand and message to lots of people in a busy area is naturally going to be an asset to your advertising campaign — but are they truly that useful?

According to research, billboards can boost your campaigns and help to maximise the ROI on your advertising strategies. Find out what launching a billboard-based campaign could do for your brand…

A billboard’s power

The inception of the billboard as an advertising technique originated in New York around the mid-1830s. For nearly two centuries it has done what it has set out to do and doesn’t seem to be slowing down — it even played a role as a crucial prop in renowned movie, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

If you’re debating whether to use a billboard as part of your strategy in 2024, then consider this. According to Bill Shorten, leader of the Labor Party: “Today, nine out of 10 of us spend more than 90 minutes a day travelling to and from work.” This is an ideal window of opportunity to target people with a large, quality billboard.

Once you have your idea, and the message you want to send across, the designing and printing of the billboard is a relatively straight forward process. A billboard is a single design — unlike a brochure, for example, that would require more content, effort and time to plan.

On average, a consumer would have to see or hear an advert a least seven time before they consider taking action, this theory is also known as The ‘Marketing Rule of 7’. If your displayed message is somewhere where people are passing every day like near a school or a main road, chances are the above theory will come into action. So, you can help hit this magic number seven and boost the chance that your marketing message gets through.

Clearly, billboards have advantages. So, how do you make yours effective?

Creating the ideal billboard

Billboards are big, but people won’t spend much time noticing them unless you make them eye-catching enough. Think strategically:

• What is your marketing aim?
• Do you want to promote a specific product or generally highlight your brand?
• Are you already well-known in the area or are you a start-up company?
• Looking to highlight an event, rather than something to ‘sell’?

Contact details, name of product/service/event, and important dates (like when the promotional offer ends) are crucial and need to be on your billboard.

The brain is more likely to remember large, colourful images than they are blocks of text, and this is why you’ll rarely see writing on a billboard, albeit a small slogan. Research states that we generally only recall 10% of information we learn three days later — but including a strong image alongside this information boosts retention by 55%! Essentially, you need to grab your audience’s attention with a funny, quirky or bold visual.

Transparency is key. You don’t want the billboard leaving consumers scratching their heads in confusion. Make your information clear and easy to read. Bright shades catch the eye — contrasting colours also stay in people’s memories for longer — and opt for a simple background with a plain font.

Consider how long your audience is going to be able to view the billboard. Generally If it’s by a road, motorists won’t have as long to view your message as pedestrians walking to a school would. Fit the layout of your design to suit the consumers restrictions.

Another thing to consider is the type of consumer you’re targeting in line with the placement of the billboard. If it’s a younger audience, then near a college or university is obviously going to enhance your ROI than placing it near a housing complex or business park.

You can also bring demographics into the situation. If your billboard is directing people to your local company, include an image of a nearby landmark to create a sense of familiarity or poke fun at the local traffic, something that is relatable. Humour works in advertising. A review of 6,500 ads discovered that the funniest were thought to be the most memorable. Plus, you come across as personal and familiar, making your brand seem welcoming to a new customer.

This article was brought to you by Where The Trade Buys Print, specialists in printed banners and lots more.