Small businesses today have a myriad of options when it comes to advertising. While billboards are often associated with big brands and big business, they are actually a very powerful tool for small businesses. Believe it or not, roughly 7 out of 10 outdoor ads promote local businesses. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using billboard advertising as a small business owner.
BRAND RECOGNITION AND ACTIVATION
For newer small businesses, one of the most important things you can gain from advertising is brand recognition. Before anyone will use your services or buy your products, they need to know who you are and what you do. Seeing your brand on a billboard during their commute every day to and from work is a great way to make potential customers aware of you. It establishes your brand and begins to create an emotional connection with them. A well-designed billboard will also generate buzz and be shared on social media, at no additional cost to you!
LOW COST
Speaking of cost, it is an important factor for most small businesses, as they often don’t have a huge advertising budget to start with. While it varies depending on what market you are in, billboards are surprisingly affordable. They can be made to fit almost any advertising budget. Generally speaking, they’re much cheaper than television, magazine, and newspaper advertising. Outdoor ads deliver the best value—in terms of cost-per-thousand impressions—of any type of advertising, including digital.
HIGH IMPACT
Billboards make a huge impact on people. They’re big, they’re hard to miss, and if you’re smart about design, they’re extremely memorable. Just how impactful? According to the OAAA, of those who have seen an outdoor ad:
- 41% are more likely to learn about the brand being advertised
- 70% say outdoor ads are very, or somewhat likely, to influence a purchase
- 58% search the web as a direct result of seeing an ad
- 55% use mobile and social media to share information while viewing an outdoor ad
- 35% buy a product after seeing an ad
ALWAYS ON
Billboards cannot be turned off, skipped, or ad-blocked. This is important because as technology has advanced, so has the opportunities to skip ads. Ad Blockers can be installed on web browsers. DVRs allow people to fast-forward commercials. Billboards and outdoor ads are viewed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They never stop.
REACH FOR THE STARS
Reach refers to the number of people who will see your ad at least once during a campaign. When a billboard is placed in a high-traffic area, such as a highway or a near a popular park, it has tremendous reach especially if it has a creative design. If you are already utilizing other advertising formats, adding a billboard to your marketing mix is a great way to substantially extend your reach. A billboard placed near your business, reminding people of it, is a great way to reach local customers and increase store traffic.
Billboards are an extremely high-impact and affordable way to advertise your small business. They’re great for building brand awareness and driving traffic to your store or website. Billboards work. Why don’t you have them working for you?
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