Even while its benefits and strength cannot be denied, digital marketing has taken the world by storm, and while its benefits and power are indisputable, many businesses appear to have forgotten about the benefits that outdoor advertising still holds.
Particularly in places where thousands of people congregate every day, such as plazas and streets.
For this reason, we will explore the benefits of outdoor advertising in this article, including the development of leads, the acquisition of customers, and awareness of brands, among other benefits.
Therefore, without further ado, let’s get right down to business and begin:
What Exactly Does “Outdoor Advertising” Mean?
Let’s have a look at exactly what this entails before we go on to examine the great benefits that come with using outdoor advertising.
The question now is, what exactly is outdoor advertising?
Billboards, wallscapes, posters, and guerilla marketing are examples of the sorts of advertising that fall under the umbrella term known as “outdoor advertising.” Outdoor advertising encompasses all forms of advertising that take place outside of people’s homes.
It is a word that encompasses advertisements that do not take place online (digital marketing) or with the use of electronic equipment.
This type of advertising is also known as conventional advertising or outdoor media (TV).
To put it another way, outdoor advertising is simply advertising that is displayed… outside.
It’s the advertisements that we see while we’re out and about doing things like walking, buying groceries, meeting friends, having lunch, or any other activity that takes place outside.
And now, let’s talk about how outdoor advertising is beneficial to businesses.
10 Benefits of Outdoor Advertising
It’s cheap.
The first advantage is that it is more cost-effective than other forms of advertising.
It’s possible that you won’t believe this, but now that millions of businesses are shifting their advertising efforts online and concentrating on digital marketing rather than traditional marketing, the cost of outdoor advertising is decreasing and becoming more accessible to more people.
In the end, there is a lower demand compared to what it used to be either ten or even twenty years ago.
You may find billboards in crucial sites and areas for the same price that you would pay on Google Ads today, which is a couple of hundred dollars per month.
For instance, monthly advertising costs in Las Vegas might be as low as $800 if you choose to do so.
You might be thinking that, while it is true, advertising in high-traffic areas such as Times Square still commands a high price.
That’s not always the case, by any means. In point of fact, you can run an ad campaign in Times Square for as low as $500 if you choose to do so.
It is simple.
Outdoor advertising is a lot simpler compared to digital marketing, which requires you to either become an expert in the art of running ads or engage a full-time firm to do that for you.
With digital marketing, you have to choose one of these two options.
The only things left for you to do are to choose where you want to put your billboard, contact the media business that is responsible for this placement (or they can advise you on the best locations for your target audience), choose a budget, and prepare the creative.
In certain instances, the media agency is even able to prepare the creatives on the client’s behalf.
It can take a little bit of time before you are able to see your advertisement published (although instantaneous publication is possible with digital marketing), but the wait shouldn’t be any longer than a few days at the most.
Nevertheless, you can make the process even more expedient by utilizing platforms such as Five Tier.
You can, in point of fact, register an account and set up the advertising yourself, without the mediation of a third-party company.
You can also pick your budget and placements, and then you can wait to view your ad on the day for which you have opted to run your campaign.
It is helpful in increasing the number of advertisements.
Outdoor advertising is beneficial for a number of reasons, one of the most significant of which is the fact that it increases the amount of exposure that your organisation receives.
In point of fact, it may be very effective for achieving a high level of success with ad frequency.
The number of times an individual consumer is presented with an advertisement over the course of a marketing campaign is referred to as the ad frequency.
Increasing the number of times a customer is exposed to a brand or product enhances the possibility that the customer will make a purchase or interact with the brand.
People who have just seen your advertisement once are not likely to make a purchase from you. This is true in the majority of circumstances.
Before making a purchase decision, consumers require either continuous exposure or a number of different points of contact, regardless of whether we are discussing offline or online marketing.
The most optimal frequency will vary from channel to channel.
The rule of thumb, however, is that a person has to be affected by the company at least seven times before they decide to take action regarding purchasing the product or service.
Now, let’s circle back around to the positive aspects of using outdoor advertising.
Imagine for a moment that you have just purchased a billboard right next to a supermarket where your new cookies will be sold to advertise them to potential customers.
You can anticipate that your billboard will have a fantastic ad frequency of touching the same individual several times because the majority of people buy at the same handful of supermarkets, and they can visit them multiple times each week.
When using digital advertisements, where you are reaching much larger audiences, it is more difficult to achieve this goal.
As a result, it may be tough to reach the same person more than once in a shorter amount of time.
It raises awareness of the brand.
Increasing brand recognition is one of the most significant benefits of outdoor advertising, and this benefit is closely connected to the number of times an advertisement is seen as well.
It is possible to gain exposure to thousands or even millions of people every day through the purchase of billboards and other sorts of outdoor advertisements; this will considerably boost people’s knowledge of your brand among the general public.
Let’s take a look at a few cities and regions that have the potential to have a particularly significant impact on the world:
- More than 40 million people travel through the downtown area of Las Vegas each year, making it the most popular tourist destination in the city.
- Times Square, in New York City, is visited by more than 50 million people each year. Piccadilly Circus in London attracts approximately 100 million people each year.
While these data are taken into consideration, it is reasonable to assert that it is reasonable to anticipate developing a significant amount of brand recognition when advertising in these locations.
And of course, it’s not just them; there are a plethora of low-cost solutions that have a big volume of visitors and where you may obtain incredible results as well.
Each year, more than one hundred million people make their way through London’s Piccadilly Circus. The many benefits of using outdoor advertising.
It aids in distinguishing you from other people.
It may come as a surprise to you, but one of the most significant advantages of outdoor advertising is that it can actually assist your company in standing out from the crowd and differentiating itself from the competition.
Despite the fact that everyone, including businesses and potential customers, is online, we have developed the ability to successfully ignore online advertisements.
In point of fact, a survey that was carried out by Goo Technologies revealed that buyers neglect online advertisements the most out of all channels:
- 82% of all sales are made online
- 37% of television
- 36% on the radio
- 35% on newspaper
Customers have successfully learned how to disregard display advertisements on the internet due to ad fatigue and overall ad saturation.
This is because so many businesses are running display advertisements on the internet at the same time, and they are so cheap in contrast to other channels and ad formats.
When it comes to digital billboards, on the other hand, there isn’t nearly as much advertising saturation, and there is a constant change of banners and businesses, thus they are able to attract more attention than traditional billboards.
Remember that there are a lot fewer organisations competing for traditional advertising compared to the number of companies fighting for digital advertising; this is an important fact to keep in mind.
It enables you to communicate with your ideal audience in the appropriate settings.
One of the most significant benefits of outdoor advertising is that it enables you to communicate with your target demographic in strategic locations.
You do not have the same kind of freedom or targeting criteria as you would in digital marketing, where you can quickly build segmentation filters to deliver your advertisements solely to very specific people.
This is something that is true, though.
However, strategic placement of your advertisements might work wonders for your outdoor marketing efforts.
Consider the example of the supermarket that we provided earlier; in this scenario, you reach your audience just as they are about to enter the supermarket, which means that they can purchase the goods right after viewing their ad because they are in the process of entering the supermarket.
These strategically placed advertisements have the potential to be quite successful. Another illustration of this would be if you were a bank trying to market a new credit card or other forms of financial product.
You could position a billboard directly in front of the entrance to the bank, which would increase the likelihood that customers would be interested in the offering.
Another option is to position a billboard advertising a credit card that allows you to earn miles for flying directly in front of a travel agency.
It can be combined with online advertising.
There are many positive aspects to marketing and advertising through the use of digital platforms, just as there are many positive aspects to marketing and advertising through the use of outdoor platforms.
Because of this, you can anticipate receiving a lot of rewards as well as exposure when you combine the two tactics.
This will enhance the frequency with which people see your ads and their familiarity with your brand, as well as the amount of attention you receive when people are not in front of a screen.
In the end, they will have a greater likelihood of making a purchase.
Therefore, resist the urge to pick one option over the other. Both have their merits, and by employing an all-in-one strategy, you can absolutely make use of the advantages offered by both approaches.
Is Outdoor Advertising Relevant in 2023?
Outdoor advertising, which includes advertisements placed on billboards, buses, and other physical structures, can still be a relevant and effective marketing strategy in 2023 and beyond.
While digital marketing has become increasingly popular in recent years, outdoor advertising can still reach a large and diverse audience and can be particularly effective in certain circumstances.
Here are a few reasons why outdoor advertising may still be relevant in 2023:
- Outdoor ads are often seen by a large number of people: Outdoor advertisements are often placed in high-traffic areas, such as on busy streets or near popular tourist attractions, which means they can be seen by a large number of people. This can be particularly useful for businesses trying to reach a wide audience.
- Outdoor ads are hard to ignore: Unlike digital ads, which can be easily scrolled past or blocked, outdoor ads are often physically larger and more difficult to ignore. This can make them more effective at capturing people’s attention and delivering a message.
- Outdoor ads can be targeted: While outdoor advertising may not be as targeted as digital ads, it is still possible to choose locations and design ads that are likely to be seen by specific demographics. For example, an ad for a luxury car brand might be placed on a billboard in an affluent neighborhood.
Ultimately, the relevance of outdoor advertising in 2023 will depend on the specific goals and target audience of a marketing campaign. It may be a useful addition to a larger, multi-channel marketing strategy.
What Are The Types of Outdoor Marketing?
- Billboards: These are large, physical advertisements that are often placed along highways or in other high-traffic areas. Billboards can be an effective way to reach a large and diverse audience.
- Bus/transit advertising: This type of advertising involves placing ads on buses, trains, and other public transportation vehicles. It can be an effective way to reach commuters and people traveling in a specific city or region.
- Street furniture: Street furniture refers to the various structures and amenities found on city streets, such as bus shelters, newsstands, and kiosks. These structures often include advertising space that can be used to reach people walking or waiting for public transportation.
- Street teams: Street teams are groups of people who promote a product or service in public places, such as shopping malls or college campuses. They may hand out samples or promotional materials, or engage with people directly to raise awareness about a brand.
- Mobile billboards: Mobile billboards are large, movable advertisements that are placed on vehicles, such as trucks or trailers, and driven around to different locations. This allows businesses to reach a wider audience and target specific areas or events.
- Building wraps: Building wraps are large advertisements that are placed on the exterior of buildings. These ads can be seen by people passing by on foot or in vehicles and can be particularly effective in urban areas.
- Stadium/arena advertising: Stadiums and arenas often have advertising space available on their exterior walls, scoreboard, or within the venue itself. This can be an effective way to reach a large, captive audience during events.
Pros and Cons of Outdoor Advertising
Outdoor advertising, which includes advertisements placed on billboards, buses, and other physical structures, can be a useful marketing strategy for businesses, but it also has some potential drawbacks. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros:
- Large audience reach: Outdoor ads are often placed in high-traffic areas, which means they can be seen by a large number of people. This can be particularly useful for businesses trying to reach a wide audience.
- Hard to ignore: Outdoor ads are often physically larger and more difficult to ignore than digital ads, which can make them more effective at capturing people’s attention and delivering a message.
- Can be targeted: While outdoor advertising may not be as targeted as digital ads, it is still possible to choose locations and design ads that are likely to be seen by specific demographics.
Cons:
- Limited duration: Outdoor ads often have a limited duration, as they are only displayed for a set amount of time before being replaced. This means that businesses may need to invest in multiple rounds of advertising to maintain visibility.
- Expensive: Outdoor advertising can be expensive, especially for high-profile locations or large billboards. This may not be practical for businesses with limited marketing budgets.
- Limited control: Businesses have limited control over who sees their outdoor ads, as they are displayed in public places and can be seen by anyone passing by. This can make it difficult to gauge the effectiveness of the ads.
- Environmental impact: Some people may object to outdoor advertising on environmental grounds, as it can contribute to visual pollution and litter.
Ultimately, whether outdoor advertising is a good choice for a business will depend on its specific marketing goals, target audience, and budget. It may be a useful addition to a larger, multi-channel marketing strategy.
AI and Outdoor Advertising
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the world of outdoor advertising, offering new opportunities for businesses to reach and engage with their target audience.
One of the main ways AI is being used in outdoor advertising is through the use of digital billboards. These electronic displays can be programmed to show different ads depending on the time of day, weather, or other factors, allowing businesses to deliver personalized and relevant messages to their audience. For example, a coffee shop might show an ad for a warm drink during a cold day, or a car dealership might show an ad for a particular model when the weather is sunny.
AI can also be used to optimize the placement and design of outdoor ads. Using data on demographics, traffic patterns, and other factors, businesses can determine the most effective locations for their ads and design them to be more eye-catching and engaging.
Another application of AI in outdoor advertising is through the use of interactive kiosks or displays. These interactive touchscreens can allow people to learn more about a product or service, sign up for email newsletters, or even make a purchase on the spot. This can be a particularly effective way to engage with people in busy, high-traffic areas.
While outdoor advertising has long been a popular marketing strategy, the incorporation of AI is taking it to a new level. By using data and machine learning algorithms, businesses can deliver more personalized and effective ads, reaching their target audience in new and innovative ways.
How To Do Outdoor Advertising?
- Define your goals: Before starting an outdoor advertising campaign, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your marketing goals. Do you want to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or target a specific demographic? Answering these questions will help you choose the most effective locations and design your ads.
- Research your audience: Understanding your target audience is key to any marketing campaign, and outdoor advertising is no different. Research the demographics and habits of the people you want to reach, such as where they live, work, and shop, to help you choose the most effective locations for your ads.
- Choose your locations: Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience, you can start choosing locations for your ads. Consider factors such as foot and vehicle traffic, visibility, and location relevance to your business. You may also want to consider purchasing ad space on buses, trains, or other forms of public transportation to reach a specific area or demographic.
- Design your ads: The design of your ads is important to make them eye-catching and effective. Consider using strong visuals, clear messaging, and a call to action to grab people’s attention and encourage them to take action.
- Measure your results: After your outdoor advertising campaign has run for a period of time, it’s important to measure its effectiveness. This can help you determine whether the campaign was successful and make adjustments as needed for future campaigns.
Outdoor advertising can be an effective marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes. By following these steps, businesses can create and execute an outdoor advertising campaign that reaches and engages their target audience.