How to Use Digital Billboards for Local Market Targeting

Digital billboards are a cost-effective way to promote your business locally. With platforms like Blip, you can start campaigns for as little as $20 per day, without long-term contracts. Here’s how to get started:

• Pick the Right Locations: Focus on high-traffic areas like intersections, highway exits, or near shopping hubs. Use traffic data to match locations with your target audience.
• Tailor Your Message: Include local references, time-based content (e.g., morning coffee deals), and design for quick readability with bold colors and short text.
• Set Clear Goals: Define daily impressions, target areas, and sales objectives. Use Blip’s flexible tools to adjust your campaign in real-time.
• Track and Improve: Monitor impressions and costs, refresh designs regularly, and refine strategies based on performance data.

Quick Overview

Digital billboards make your business visible, bold, and public. Start small, track results, and grow your local presence.

602: An Expert’s Guide To Digital Billboards | Gabriel Smith – Conquer Local Podcast

Select High-Impact Billboard Locations

Picking the right billboard locations is key to getting the most out of your local advertising efforts. When you strategically place your ads, you ensure your message reaches the right people at the right time, making every dollar count. Start by diving into traffic data to spot high-visibility areas.

Review Traffic Flow Data

Understanding traffic patterns is critical for a successful campaign. Look for high-visibility areas along busy commuter routes where vehicles tend to slow down or stop. These could include:

• Intersections with traffic lights
• Highway exits near bustling commercial areas
• Roads leading to popular shopping destinations
• Spots with steady traffic during business hours

Locations where drivers have time to take in your message – like areas with stop-and-go traffic or lower speed limits – often work better than stretches of high-speed highways. Once you’ve identified these locations, make sure they align with your target audience.

Match Locations to Target Audiences

Your billboard placements should fit seamlessly into your audience’s daily life. For example, Mr. Charlie’s Chicken Fingers effectively used this strategy. As owner Paul Willey explains:

"Working with Blip has given Mr. Charlie’s the momentum to get our new location on the map while accelerating growth for our original location".

When choosing locations, consider these demographic factors:

• Proximity to business hubs for B2B-focused campaigns
• Areas near shopping centers for consumer products
• Neighborhoods that reflect your target market’s demographics
• Locations near event venues or entertainment hotspots

Blip’s platform can help you refine this process with its data-driven tools.

Use Blip‘s Location Marketplace

Blip’s marketplace makes selecting billboard locations easier by offering detailed insights. For each location, you’ll find metrics like:

Kimberly Pinkson, owner of Pretty In Pinkston, highlights the value of this approach:

"Blip works for us. It’s a different medium, and it brings a lot of exposure. It sets us apart".

With options starting at just $20 per day, Blip’s marketplace lets you filter locations based on your goals and budget. You can either create a wide-reaching local campaign by selecting multiple spots or focus on high-performing locations for a more targeted message.

Create Local-Focused Billboard Messages

Designing billboard messages that resonate with a local audience requires a mix of community insight and smart design. Here’s how to create content that grabs attention and encourages action in your target market.

Add Local References

Incorporating local touches into your billboard content can help you connect with viewers instantly. Here are some ways to make your message feel relevant:

• Mention well-known landmarks to provide context.
• Refer to popular local events or activities.
• Use phrases or terms familiar to the community.
• Highlight your business’s role in the area.

You can take it a step further by aligning your message with the rhythm of the day.

Time-Based Ad Content

One of the biggest advantages of digital billboards is their ability to adapt throughout the day. This flexibility allows you to tailor your message to match the needs of your audience at specific times. Ray Bowens, Founder of Hashtag-Vape, explains:

"Billboards are one of the most impactful ways to advertise, and with Blip, you spend a fraction of what you would end up paying elsewhere"

Here’s how you can structure your content based on the time of day:

Once your timing is set, focus on making your billboard visually effective.

Billboard Design Best Practices

A good billboard design is easy to read and sticks in the viewer’s mind. Follow these tips to make your message stand out:

• Choose high-contrast colors for better visibility.
• Keep your text short – 7 to 8 words max.
• Use fonts that are easy to read from over 500 feet away.
• Include one clear call-to-action.
• Make sure phone numbers and web addresses are prominent.

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Set Up and Run Your Campaign

Now that your message is tailored for local appeal, it’s time to plan and execute your campaign with precision.

Plan Goals and Budget

Start by defining clear, locally focused goals to measure your campaign’s success and make the most of your budget. Here are some key objectives to consider:

• Daily impressions: Determine how many people you want to reach each day.
• Geographic coverage: Specify the areas you want your campaign to target.
• Foot traffic or website visits: Set expectations for the number of people visiting your store or site.
• Sales goals: Link your sales expectations to billboard exposure.

With Blip’s flexible pricing, you can launch your campaign with as little as $20 a day. As Chris Leslie, Founder of Leslie Lightcraft Co., puts it:

"It’s not a social media thing that you see on your phone. It’s not word-of-mouth. It’s big and bold and out there in public. I would say this is the first step of looking big and public".

Choose Display Times

Timing is everything when it comes to reaching your audience. Schedule your displays strategically by considering these time periods and their focus:

By aligning your campaign with these time slots, you can maximize its visibility and impact.

Monitor and Adjust Results

Real-time analytics are your best friend when it comes to fine-tuning your campaign. Use these tools to track and improve performance:

• Impression counts and engagement rates: Measure how often your ad is seen and how your audience responds.
• Cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM): Keep an eye on how much you’re spending to reach your audience.
• Creative testing: Experiment with different designs or messages to see what resonates most.

Blip’s real-time bidding system updates every 10 minutes, giving you the flexibility to adjust your campaign based on live data. This ensures your budget is spent wisely while keeping your message in front of the right audience.

Review Results and Improve

Check Performance Data

Keep a close eye on your campaign’s performance by focusing on these key metrics:

• Daily ad impressions: Monitor how often your ads are displayed across various locations.
• CPM efficiency: Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of each billboard placement.
• Peak performance times: Identify when your ads generate the most engagement.
• High-response areas: Pinpoint geographic locations where your ads perform best.

These insights can guide you in refining your ad designs and strategies to achieve better engagement.

Update Ad Designs

Refreshing your billboard content regularly is essential. Here’s a quick guide to timing your updates:

Consistently updating your designs ensures your ads stay fresh, impactful, and memorable, keeping viewers engaged.

Apply Data to Future Campaigns

Take what you’ve learned from performance data and apply it to refine your future campaigns. Here’s how:

• Location Optimization: Use impression data to focus on the billboard spots that deliver the best results.

"Blip works for us. It’s a different medium, and it brings a lot of exposure. It sets us apart from the rest of the [competition], and that’s what I like".

• Time-Based Targeting: Leverage Blip’s 10-minute real-time bidding system to display your ads during peak engagement periods.
• Budget Allocation: Direct your budget toward high-performing times and locations. With Blip, you can start with as little as $20 per day.

Conclusion: Next Steps for Local Billboard Success

Ready to kick off your local digital billboard campaign? It’s easier than you think. Start by creating a free account to explore thousands of billboard locations across the U.S. With campaigns starting at just $20 per day and no long-term commitments, you can experiment, fine-tune, and find what works best for your business. This guide builds on the strategies we’ve covered so far.

Real-world examples show how digital billboards can transform local businesses. Many small companies have seen a noticeable boost in visibility and growth within their target audience.

Here’s a simple roadmap to get started:

Take advantage of tools like real-time bidding and flexible scheduling to get the most out of your campaign. Dive into analytics and campaign data to keep improving your strategy, ensuring your message hits home with your local audience. Success is just a few steps away!

FAQs

How do I choose the best locations for my digital billboard to reach my local audience?

To reach your audience effectively, start by focusing on key factors like impressions – how many people are likely to see your ad – and CPM (cost per thousand impressions). Using an interactive marketplace, you can browse options and pinpoint high-traffic locations that match your campaign’s objectives.

Think about where your audience spends their time. Are they commuting on busy roads, shopping at popular malls, or visiting well-known landmarks? Placing your billboards in these spots can boost visibility and engagement. Choosing the right location is a critical step in making a meaningful connection with your audience and driving results for your campaign.

How can I design a digital billboard ad that stands out and connects with local audiences?

To design a digital billboard ad that catches eyes and connects with local audiences, stick to bold, straightforward visuals that are easy to digest in just a few seconds. Keep your text large and high-contrast, using only a handful of powerful words or a strong call-to-action.

Add a local touch by incorporating visuals or colors that reflect the community’s vibe or interests. Keep things clean and uncluttered by focusing on a single message, and make sure elements like logos or images are clear and visible, even from a distance. Always test your ad to ensure it’s readable and impactful at a glance.

How can I track the success of my digital billboard campaign and make improvements?

Tracking the success of your digital billboard campaign is straightforward with the analytics tools offered by Blip. These tools let you keep an eye on essential metrics like impressions and overall performance, giving you a clear picture of how well your campaign is connecting with your audience.

What’s great is that you can tweak your campaign in real time – whether it’s adjusting your budget, changing your schedule, or shifting ad placements. This flexibility ensures your ads hit the mark, reaching the right people at the right moment. Regularly reviewing performance data helps you make smarter decisions to enhance your campaign’s impact.

To reach your audience effectively, start by focusing on key factors like impressions - how many people are likely to see your ad - and CPM (cost per thousand impressions). Using an interactive marketplace, you can browse options and pinpoint high-traffic locations that match your campaign's objectives.

Think about where your audience spends their time. Are they commuting on busy roads, shopping at popular malls, or visiting well-known landmarks? Placing your billboards in these spots can boost visibility and engagement. Choosing the right location is a critical step in making a meaningful connection with your audience and driving results for your campaign.

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To design a digital billboard ad that catches eyes and connects with local audiences, stick to bold, straightforward visuals that are easy to digest in just a few seconds. Keep your text large and high-contrast, using only a handful of powerful words or a strong call-to-action.

Add a local touch by incorporating visuals or colors that reflect the community's vibe or interests. Keep things clean and uncluttered by focusing on a single message, and make sure elements like logos or images are clear and visible, even from a distance. Always test your ad to ensure it’s readable and impactful at a glance.

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Tracking the success of your digital billboard campaign is straightforward with the analytics tools offered by Blip. These tools let you keep an eye on essential metrics like impressions and overall performance, giving you a clear picture of how well your campaign is connecting with your audience.

What’s great is that you can tweak your campaign in real time - whether it’s adjusting your budget, changing your schedule, or shifting ad placements. This flexibility ensures your ads hit the mark, reaching the right people at the right moment. Regularly reviewing performance data helps you make smarter decisions to enhance your campaign’s impact.

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