My favorite answer:
It Depends.
It Depends on what type of business you’re in.
Billboards work best when you need lots of people to see your brand or when your offer or message leads to making quick decisions.
Restaurants:
Those traveling the open roads or back roads just may be persuaded get off the beaten path and stop in your place to dine. Especially if they see a mouth-watering photo of a great meal and they know it’s nearby, or affordable or both. Of course, it better be more mouth-watering than that last Gas, Goodies & Sushi Stop they made 150 miles back.
Events and Entertainment:
Shows, festivals, fights and concerts get more attention with big bold ads. Plus, how many times have you seen a billboard for a concert and said to yourself, “Wow, when did The Wallflowers start touring again?” And the key, they get refreshed monthly.
Real Estate:
Billboards near new developments or busy roads can help attract buyers, renters, or new business owners wanting to lease property. However, you won’t see too many creative real estate ads, stepping outside of the box. It’s the same, re-hashed smiling professional type with their Business Name Draped at the Top and you’re thinking, “When did our weatherman start selling real estate?”
Healthcare:
Local clinics use them to build trust and make people aware of where to go. Today, it seems there are more Urgent Care and Emergency Care buildings sprouting up than coffee shops.
Retail & Auto Sales:
They’re great for promoting sales, new openings or “All 2024’s must Go!” campaigns. However, the message and creative need to be updated frequently.
Casinos:
Casinos are very unique. They can advertise Fun, Winning, Concerts, A Place to Stay, A Pace to Eat, A place to Camp. Casinos use billboards for a variety of reasons, they help with location (how many minutes, which exit) and they also routinely change their message and locations. They are experts at broadcasting their brand to multiple audiences.
WOW! I Better Jump on this Billboard Bandwagon!
Ok, just hold on for a second before you go putting your face on a 60’ x 40’ freeway canvas.
Billboards aren’t for everyone. Billboards aren’t great for every business. If you noticed, most of the best billboard businesses aren’t small businesses. They’re Big Businesses.
What’s Boring About Billboards?
They’re an expensive line-item to add to your budget and tracking the results is very difficult. If you’re not refreshing your message constantly, they can fade, blend in with the roadside and quickly become outdated.
You can’t choose who sees your ad.
Drivers, riders, only have a few seconds to read and remember your ad.
If your business, product or service is very niche or takes time to sell, you’re better off with other more targeted advertisements. (Check out our other blogs to find out more)
However, when used correctly, billboards are great for getting your brand seen and keeping it top of mind. Believe it or not, 66% of people who see a billboard do take action, like stopping at the location, looking up the brand online or telling their friends (The Wallflowers are coming to town).
They get mass visibility, especially for new products, events, changes or upgrades to your amenities or directions.
The Big Billboard Takeaway
Billboards are best used as visual story-telling. Creative, bold billboards catch passer byers eyes.
Be remembered, be unique, be bold!
Rick Harshman is the CEO of H2R Agency, the leading marketing agency specializing in inspired creative and results-driven strategies in the gaming industry. For more information, call (720) 226-3229 or e-mail RickH@H2RAgency.com.