Did you know that out-of-home advertising revenue increased by almost 29 percent in the second quarter of 2022? Those numbers are almost equivalent to pre-pandemic highs.
When consumers had to begin staying home more, out-of-home advertisements were harder to access. However, as things continue to return to normal, it’s easier for consumers to be exposed to this marketing tactic. If you started a business in quarantine, you might not have taken advantage of it yet, but this marketing tactic is a powerful way to gain new customers.
Luckily, we’re here to take you through all the basics. Read on to learn everything you need to know.
What Is Out-Of-Home Advertising?
Put simply, out-of-home marketing refers to any form of advertisement found outside the home. It doesn’t refer to things you’d find inside a store, though.
You might think of big cities like New York or Japan when you hear this, and you’d be absolutely right. Those large screens in Times Square are bright, eye-catching, and highly effective when it comes to gaining your business new customers. They’re not the only way you can find new leads, though.
Types Of Advertisements
LED screens lining downtown streets are a relevant example, but your ads don’t have to look that grand. Here are a few more great examples you might think of.
Billboards
Billboards are one of the most commonly used mediums. According to Scenic America, there were over 439,000 billboard sign faces in the US in 2021.
Typically, they consist of large print ads displayed along roadsides or close to urban areas where they’ll see a lot of exposure. This could mean malls, shopping centers, and even stadiums.
Street Furniture
This type of advertising refers to ads placed on buses, kiosks, newsstands, sidewalks, benches, and other furniture in public spaces. They’re great for conveying clean messages in a concise manner. They’re meant for pedestrians to see from both close-up and at a distance, so that’s important to consider if you decide to take this route.
These ads are also great for helping you establish brand awareness. Your ultimate goal for this advertising is for people to see your signage on the street and immediately recognize it as yours. That might not be the call-to-action you use for your campaign, but it’s a great way to get your brand seen and recognized by the public.
Transit Ads
As the name implies, transit ads can be found on public transportation. Usually, this means on buses, subways, or wrapped around taxis. In any case, these ads can be on the inside or outside of the vehicle.
Again, they’re great for helping local businesses spread their brand awareness, although international brands are known for advertising on subways as well.
This is especially true for urban areas, like Paris or even New York. Clothing brand Universal Standard launched a campaign in 2019 aimed at displaying their size-inclusive clothing on women of all body types in New York City. Instead of casting models, the brand focused on everyday women and how they style their clothing.
The point of campaigns like these is to show everyday people using a product they might not usually have access to (size-inclusive clothing). Universal Standard is known as a pioneer in this part of the fashion industry, and they worked to prove that with this campaign.
Are Out-Of-House Advertisements Effective?
Depending on your brand and its product or service, a well-executed campaign has the potential to help you reach new heights.
These ads are designed to reach consumers during their everyday travels, and they’re great for marketing your brand as something accessible and useful. You also don’t always have to have special connections to get prime advertising real estate. If you have the budget to take up the space, then you can.
Tools and insight from advertising agencies also make the process easy to begin. With their expertise and your creative ideas, creating a successful campaign is easily attainable.
Create an Effective Campaign
So, how can you create a campaign of your very own? Here are a few of the best tips to get started.
1. Know Your Region
No matter your goals, it’s essential to know the region you’re advertising in. It’s going to help you not only decide the methods and size of your ads but also where the best locations would be.
When you know your area, you’ll know your target audience, and you’ll be able to meet them wherever they are. If you’re a local shop, advertising that week’s specials outside your door or in a place with heavy foot traffic are going to be a lot more effective than on a billboard or bus.
Some online tools or the help of an advertising agency can help with this step as well — especially if you’re looking to expand into new areas. Answering a few basic questions before deciding on your ad’s location is essential:
- Who travels in this area?
- What are their pain points?
- How can your product or service help?
- Is it visible to them?
Once you have these answers, you can use them as a template for your campaign.
2. Research Your Competitors
Just like you would with an online marketing campaign, conducting online research before getting started is essential to your campaign’s success. What can you notice working for them? What would you change about them?
Once you have solid answers to these questions, you can begin capitalizing on what they’re missing.
If you have lower prices or higher quality work, then setting up an advertisement near them could work in your favor. Consumers will notice the difference and eventually switch to your services.
3. Pair With Other Marketing Tactics
One of the most effective things you can do is stack marketing tactics. It might not seem like it, but pairing your out-of-home marketing campaign with your online one is a lucrative way to gain more sales.
While digital marketing currently accounts for over 57 percent of all marketing spending, traditional marketing is expected to see a three percent increase — a drastic change from previous budget declines.
Whether it’s social media, billboards, television, or streaming, taking steps toward your audience is the best way to ensure you’re not missing out on leads.
4. Set Specific Goals
Finally, as you move into a new world of advertising, it’s important to set specific goals for yourself. The clearer you are here, the better. There are a few things you’re likely targeting with your campaign:
- Increasing brand awareness
- Marketing a new product
- Reaching a new target audience
- Sharing knowledge
When you narrow your vision down to a specific goal, you can take clear actions to get there. Without specificity, you’re more likely to create a broad campaign with no clear end goal, causing a lot of unnecessary confusion. Be clear with your audience from the beginning and they’ll be more willing to do business with you.
5. Establish Your Brand
Did you know branding consistency actually has the power to increase your revenue by 20 percent?
Customers prefer consistency, and when your brand can deliver on it, they’ll choose you over the competition. To do this, you have to leave the same impression and experience across all advertising channels.
Whether it’s digital, physical, or even verbal, your customer should know what to expect every time they interact with your brand. If they see a sign on the street and then visit your website only to find different colors and fonts, they’re not going to be confident that it’s the same business. If you can provide consistency, they’re going to feel a lot more comfortable.
Disney is a great example of this. Customers know they can expect a pleasant experience whether they’re online, on the phone, in a hotel, or in the parks. No matter which resort you visit, patrons have a sense of what they can expect.
That’s because this brand has spent decades building its experience, and employees take steps in every interaction to reinforce it. Whether it’s a pleasant phone call or impressive design feats, it’s consistent across the board.
If you can imitate that in your branding, your campaign is a lot more likely to bring in new leads.
Don’t Neglect This Marketing Tactic
It’s easy to think that digital marketing is enough for your business, especially if you’re not local, but you might be surprised at what you gain from out-of-home advertising. Like other marketing tactics, this should be viewed as a long-term investment, but it’s well worth it if you do things correctly.
One of the best ways to ensure your success is to partner up with the right team. Luckily, we can help you get started on the digital front. Contact us today to learn more.
