Think billboard advertising is only for big brands? Think again. With the rise of accessibility and hyper-localised targeting, billboard advertising is an affordable and effective option for many small businesses that you don’t want to pass up.
The sheer reach and impact of billboards mean that small businesses can achieve big results with the right approach. With high conversion rates and successful results, billboards can often provide more bang for your buck when allocating ad spend.
However, the real magic of billboard advertising lies in partnering with the right out-of-home media owner. Alight, not only provides access to prime billboard locations across the UK, but offers expert guidance on creative design, budget planning, and selecting the ideal billboard types and locations—ensuring your campaign is successfully brought to life.
In this article, we’ll explore why billboard advertising is a powerful tool for small businesses like yours, provide a step-by-step guide to purchasing billboard space, and highlight the key elements of a successful campaign.
Why billboard advertising works for small businesses
So, why does billboard advertising specifically work for small businesses? For starters, it offers extensive reach and unmatched brand visibility. By strategically placing billboards near your physical location(s), your business will capture the attention of local customers, build recognition within your community, and drive engagement.
Here’s a closer look at the key benefits billboard advertising can offer small businesses:
High-visibility: 98% of people in the UK see outdoor advertising every week. The scale of billboards means they have a commanding presence and get noticed. By selecting locations along busy commuter routes or dense urban areas, you'll reach many people daily. This consistent exposure reinforces brand awareness and helps drive potential customers to your store or website.
Hyperlocal targeting: Traditionally, billboards have ‘belonged’ on busy highways and airport slipways, but nowadays they’re located in smaller towns and urban areas, allowing for highly targeted advertising. This shift enables businesses to customise their messaging to specific communities and local audiences in a cost-effective way. Whether you want to drive foot traffic to a local store or promote an upcoming sale, hyperlocal targeting helps your brand connect with the right audience at the right time.
Cost-effective impact: Billboard advertising can be cheaper than TV, print, and radio ads. With lower production and ad placement costs, small businesses can achieve significant visibility and more online searches within tighter budget constraints. According to The Point of Search (an Out-of-Home research study), mobile searches done out-of-home are 38% more likely to lead to a purchase than those at home.
By recognising the possibilities of billboard advertising, you can leverage this medium to its full potential and create an effective campaign. Ultimately, growing brand awareness within your local community, boosting sales, and improving your bottom line.
Further reading: Is Billboard Advertising Right for Your Business?
Step-by-step guide to buying billboard advertising
Once you've decided that billboard advertising is right for your small business, the next step is to buy the actual ad space. While this does involve a significant amount of planning and executing, Alight can assist with each step mentioned below:
Understand your audience: Clear audience definitions are critical to all marketing efforts. Who you are targeting will inform your creative decisions, messaging and location selection. Consider who you want to reach (young professionals, students, working parents etc.) and where they spend their time out of home. Then, focus on high-traffic areas that coincide with your audience's daily routine.
Set your budget: Billboard costs tend to vary based on factors like location, size, and ad duration. While high-traffic areas can be pricier, there are flexible options for small businesses. If budgets are tight, opt for shorter ad durations or targeting less expensive locations to manage costs while still reaching your ideal audience.
Choose the right billboard type: Choose between traditional static billboards for long-term brand awareness or digital billboards for dynamic, flexible messaging. Both static and digital billboards offer unique benefits depending on your campaign aspirations and budget.
Pick the perfect location: Ensure your billboard is strategically placed where your target audience will likely see it. Consider areas with commuter or vehicle traffic, close proximity to your business, and places where your audience spends their time outdoors. (shopping centres, urban hubs, or commuter routes). Think back to the first step of “understanding your audience”.
Design eye-catching creative: Your design should be simple, with clear, concise messaging that can be read quickly. Use eye-catching imagery, large, eligible fonts, and include a strong call-to-action (CTA) to encourage follow-through.
Plan and execute your campaign: Set clear campaign objectives, decide the duration, and align the timing with key dates or seasonal changes. Execute your plan by partnering with a reliable out-of-home media owner who can help secure prime locations and optimise your campaign results.
Work with a partner like Alight: Navigating the details of billboard advertising on your own can be challenging. Alight simplifies the process with design expertise, location selection, and streamlined execution, ensuring your campaign reaches the right people at the right time, delivering the best results possible.
In addition to the steps outlined above, a great billboard campaign combines clear messaging, compelling design, effective targeting, and smart timing. Keep the message simple and impactful, focus on attention-grabbing visuals, and place the billboard in high-traffic areas to reach your audience. Ensure the campaign runs for the right duration, aligns with key events, and maintains consistency across channels like social media and email. By integrating these elements, you can create a campaign that captures attention and drives results.
Further reading: 5 Essential Steps for Crafting a High-Impact Billboard Campaign Strategy
How Alight simplifies the process
Alight offers expert guidance at every stage of your billboard campaign. From selecting the best locations to creating compelling designs, our team ensures your campaign is tailored to meet your needs.
With 1700 panels in over 191 towns, Alight placements include roadside digital 6-sheet and large-format digital billboards nationwide, from Torquay to Dundee. This extensive coverage enables us to reach over 30 million people every month, offering advertisers a broad and impactful platform for their campaigns.
Still worried about your budget? At Alight, we provide flexible advertising options that fit small business budgets and goals, ensuring you get the most out of your investment. Whether you're looking for long-term brand awareness or a short-term promotion, Alight has the right solution for you.
Ready to put your small business in the spotlight? Let Alight help you buy billboard advertising and create a successful campaign that captures attention, drives traffic, and boosts brand awareness, all while staying within your budget.
Contact us today!