Billboards have been around for a long time, and we frequently see them as we travel along the highway or past commercial buildings. In fact, 74% of Australians see at least one billboard every day!
However, are billboards relevant in today’s digital age, moving forward? And if so, how can you make the most out of billboard advertising? This blog will help you find the answers you’re looking for and guide you through how to pick the best billboard for your money!
What is Billboard Advertising?
A billboard is a big outdoor advertising space to market a brand, company, product, service, or campaign; essentially, a big poster. They catch the attention of pedestrians and people travelling in vehicles and are typically placed in high-traffic areas such as along highways or cities.
The name ‘billboard’ comes from the word “billing board.” Billboards are designed to follow the eight-second rule, which means people who view the billboard should understand the message within eight seconds.
How much does a Billboard cost?
Essentially you are purchasing billboard space in public places to promote a brand, service, or product, so the cost will include the overall design, printing, and installation of your billboard. Depending on the scale of the project, the agency you deal with, and the placement of the advertising space, this could come to an extra $1000 or more, but the benefits are huge.
There are a few main factors to keep in mind when it comes to pricing your billboard:
- How many people pass by the billboard on a weekly basis?
- How many people are expected to view your billboard?
- What are the demographics of the billboard location?
You will also need to consider:
- How long will the facility lease be?
- What will the cost of production be?
- What will the billboard’s dimensions be?
- What is the cost of installation?
Typically, a small 6x3m site in a semi-popular area could cost between $1,900 and $4,000 per month. Although the top-end of the market such as Sydney’s Anzac Bridge costs $250,000 per 28 days (think of the brand exposure, though!)
Since there are so many factors put into the final cost of billboard advertising, pricing can be customized to fit your business’ budget.
According to a recent study, every dollar spent on out-of-home advertising generates $5.97 in product sales on average. That is a 497% return on investment.
How is Billboard success measured?
When it comes to measuring advertisement success, you may be used to operating Facebook and Google Ads ad campaigns. Both provide great built-in capabilities for tracking and measuring the performance of your marketing campaigns.
So, how do you calculate your return on investment when the data is not clear and available right away? For Australia, there is a measurement system called MOVE (Measurement of Outdoor Visibility and Exposure). MOVE provides quantitative audience measurement results for most OOH environments.
There are also other ways you can measure the success of your billboard:
- Comparing the sales figures before and after the billboard is launched.
- Use QR codes, discount vouchers, etc. to track how many visitors come directly from the campaign.
- Use a poll on your website to find out how people found out about you.
- Use hashtags on social media to track conversations related to a billboard campaign.
All of these are important to keep track of so you can determine if your billboard is in the right location to attract customers, although a professional design or marketing company will likely be able to determine a quote for your needs.
What is a good Billboard design?
1. Keep it simple!
Simplicity is key! Remember that people passing your billboard will only have 5-10 seconds to observe it. Avoid using complex sentences or various images. We recommend using seven or fewer words to improve comprehension.
2. Have fun with your message
Just because your message must be simple does not mean you cannot be creative! There are loads of creative examples online of how designers incorporate their surroundings like the famous ‘Kolestron Naturals: Change’ billboard which changes the colour of the woman’s hair based on the time of day. Try to tell a story through an image and use bright colours to stand out against the environment!
3. Use the best font
Having a legible font is a huge part of designing a billboard! Try to avoid serif or italic fonts, you should use a sans-serif font (some popular fonts being Helvetica, Proxima Nova or Futura). It is also good to keep in mind that cars will have to see your message from afar, so it is a good idea to use bold lettering and in a large size.
How do I arrange a Billboard advert?
A billboard can be a simple process in the hands of a professional company. Usually, a business will hire a professional company specialized in billboard construction and be guided through picking a location, making a great design and handle the installation! Generally, the process for getting a billboard can be broken down into four steps:
- Choose the right location to capture your demographic. This includes determining the availability and reserving locations.
- Design an attention-grabbing design for the billboard.
- Have a professional company print the billboard onto a skin sign. Most companies will look for a skin with UV clear coating to be sun and windproof.
- Install your billboard on your chosen site.
Once those steps are completed and your billboard is in place, you will need to keep track of how many leads you receive post-installation. An example of tracking your leads would be ‘Is traffic increasing to my website?’, ‘Am I making more sales?’ or, ‘Is the included hashtag gaining any traction?’.
LET BIG COLOUR HELP MAKE YOUR 2022 SUCCESSFUL
We believe in creating engaging and effective billboards that can withstand high winds and harsh weather. As standard, on all our billboards, we provide a stretched printed banner skin sign with UV clear coating for long-lasting outdoor sun protection.
At Big Colour, we can accommodate your advertising budget with a highly experienced team of experts to get the perfect billboard for you! Visit us at bigcolour.com.au, contact us on (02) 4969 5700 or drop us an email by clicking here.