Even with the ongoing move to digital for just about everything, out-of-home (OOH) advertising continues to position itself to yield a strong return on investment. Looking ahead in 2019, these are the top five reasons why including OOH advertising in your marketing plan is a good, strategic move.

A continued, captive audience

It’s no surprise that traffic is getting worse, especially in Atlanta, who has the eighth worst traffic congestion in the world. Drivers spend 10% of their time in congested traffic on a regular basis, traveling the same route daily to and from work during the “dreaded” rush hour. This bodes well for outdoor advertisers positioning themselves along these busy routes. Drivers stuck in this traffic, eyeing all the billboards around them while they creep along in traffic, brings in a high volume of potential viewers for your ad. A strategic OOH advertising purchase can guarantee you an audience as long as you have a little information on Atlanta’s traffic patterns. Knowing your billboard is being seen at key times of day, by a large audience, helps establish a positive return on your OOH purchase.

It’s also noteworthy that traffic numbers in Atlanta will continue to increase over the next 20 years as more than two million people are expected to boost the population in this region.

Less audience fragmentation

Audience fragmentation, the division of an audience into small groups due to the wide spectrum of media outlets within a single platform, continues to increase. The more opportunities for specialization in publications and broadcast outlets, the more choices an audience has for where to go for information or entertainment, making it less likely they’ll see the ad you place. This is true for mediums like radio or TV, but not for outdoor advertising.

In radio and TV, competition between platforms where you can’t avoid ads and ones where you can pay to opt-out is widespread. Think about how often you flip radio stations in your car versus putting on Apple Music or Spotify. Do you still have a traditional cable plan or do you watch shows through Sling or Hulu? Even online, a single page of content could feature  multiple ads competing for your click. How often do you click on more than one, or any?

Outdoor advertising doesn’t compete with itself because it’s location-based. Spread out along a busy highway or throughout a transit system, OOH advertising isn’t placed on top of itself. Your audience has time to consume each piece without being distracted by another, potentially improving follow-through and giving you more assurance of your audience’s attention.

Better real-time data

Having been around for such a long time, excellent data exists as to the effectiveness of billboard advertising.

• 71% of billboard viewers remember the ads they see.
• 31% visit an establishment during the week they first saw a billboard.
• 24% visit an establishment on the same day the first view a billboard.

Statistics like this support the decision to purchase OOH advertising.

Then comes data you can use to ensure you’re targeting your audience. Information on traffic patterns helps you hit the highest percentage of people. Location demographics provide you with data to guarantee the right audience is driving past your ad. This information comes together to create an ideal environment for your ad to receive the best exposure. What’s even more beneficial is that this data constantly updates to help you better interpret the effectiveness of your ad toward achieving sales goals. Click-through rates for online ads don’t present as clear of a representation of whether or not your ad reaches the right audience since it’s harder to collect data on who sees your ad, regardless of whether or not they’re clicking on it.

Integrating with technology

OOH advertising, unlike other medium, has truly adapted to technological advances to present unique opportunities for companies to deliver an impactful message.

There are around 7,000 digital billboards throughout the U.S. and each can typically feature 6-8 ads. This not only provides more advertisers the opportunity to use the best space to get their ad out there, but offers a single company the ability to create a customized ad campaign, on a billboard, which cycles through multiple ads. These billboards are totally unique in that you have the ability to modify your ad in real time, creating a single ad that changes throughout the day or counts down to a big event over the course of a few weeks. You can create an engaging campaign that continually draws your audience’s attention by keeping it fresh.

Equally engaging are new features being added to OOH advertising pieces like transit posters. The level of interaction with an ad that’s possible now can help solidify your brand in the minds of your audience simply by the amount of time they spend with your ad. Is there a code to type into your phone for an immediate payoff? Does the poster play music when you walk by? Can you view the poster through a specific app on your phone and get a whole different experience? This ever-growing list of options keeps OOH advertising at the forefront of technology while still staying true to its roots.

Maintaining relevance

Outdoor advertising continues to prove it has the staying power to be an effective medium for marketing even with so much constantly changing for where people go for information. Regardless of the appeal of doing everything online, people still get in cars, buses, or trains, every day. They spend time waiting on subway platforms and at bus stops, and walking around city centers. All throughout these activities, they consume advertising.

Because of persistent innovation and applicability OOH advertising offers, considering incorporating outdoor advertising into your 2019 marketing strategy will continue to be a good option.

For the best billboard and outdoor advertisement prices, placement and service contact us now at info@effortlessoutdoormedia.com/  – We will respond within 24 hours or less.