How Effective Is Billboard Advertising?

billboards

Duffy Marketing always tells our clients that billboards are an important piece in the marketing services jigsaw puzzle. Just HOW important depends on some factors we’re going to talk about here.

Start With the Numbers

It’s not very often you are going to get a captive audience for your advertising message, but commuters might be close to that. Consider:

  • The average American is in the car 20 hours/week
  • Many commuters are in the car by themselves
  • Americans age 35-49 (working age) drive the most at 13,000+ miles/year

But Are They Seeing Billboards?

The raw driver numbers don’t mean a thing if they are not reading your message. Some of the most recent research came from the Arbitron company. The findings include:

  • 71% Say they consciously look at billboard messages while driving
  • 58% Say they learned about an event or restaurant from a roadside billboard
  • 37% Say they look at a billboard EACH time they pass it (multiple exposures)
  • Many people note phone numbers (26%) and websites (28%) when seen on billboards

Duffy Marketing believes all those numbers are pretty attractive in the advertising world.

Effectiveness Also Depends on the Message

Billboard advertising is most effective when it comes to increasing brand awareness. If you are new to a market or are trying to overtake a more-established company, billboards are a great way to get your name in front of thousands of people every day. If your goal is to increase sales this month, you would likely be better off to spend your money on other marketing services like direct mail, or radio and TV.

If Your Glass Half-Full or Half-Empty?

That pretty much describes billboard advertising during the pandemic. In most locations there is less traffic on the roads and highways as people work from home. Does that make billboard advertising less effective? Maybe, at least in terms of raw numbers. On the other hand, fewer cars on the road means less stress and drivers can pay even more attention to your advertising message.

Don’t go it Alone

If you would like to learn more about billboard advertising for your company, call Duffy Marketing. Our staff has been commissioning billboard advertising for our clients for years. That experience gives us the ability to negotiate the best billboard locations and advertising rates for your company. To learn more about the marketing services we offer be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.