The Takeaway
Hashtag-Vape used a small run of digital boards along Oklahoma City’s I-40 and I-44 freeways to grow brand recognition for its e-commerce site. The flight delivered 524 blips and 6,288 estimated impressions at an average cost of $0.25 per blip. Unique visitors to hashtag-vape.com increased by roughly 150-200 during the campaign, supporting the goal of building name recognition for an online-only brand.
Why Hashtag-Vape Turned to Billboard Advertising
Hashtag Vape is an e-commerce site that sells vaping products including pens, cartridges, and accessories. Owner Ray Bowens wanted to grow name recognition, site visits, and product sales beyond what paid social alone could achieve.
For an online-only brand, a physical presence can add a layer of legitimacy that a website alone struggles to build. Ray had already invested in SEO, so the domain was easy to find once people had a reason to search. The next step was to give more people that reason.
How Hashtag-Vape Built Its Billboard Campaign
The team focused on two placements and let repeated exposure do the work.
- Boards selected: Two digital signs in Oklahoma City, one near I-40 and one near I-44. Concentrating on two highly trafficked routes meant the same commuters saw the message repeatedly.
- Creative approach: A short claim, “Smoothest Vape Pen on Earth,” with the URL, brand name, and logo underneath.
- Set-up support: Ray worked with Blip’s design team on the artwork. He described the process as “unbelievably simple.”
- Budget approach: Pay per play at an average cost of $0.25 per blip, so spend followed by delivery on two carefully chosen boards.
The Creative
The board sold one thing: the URL and the brand mark. Blip’s billboard design guidelines explain how to plan domain-led artwork that reads at highway speed.
What Hashtag-Vape’s Campaign Delivered
The flight delivered 524 blips across two boards, producing 6,288 estimated impressions at an average cost of $0.25 per blip. During the same window, unique visitors to hashtag-vape.com increased by 150 to 200. That is a small lift in absolute terms and a meaningful signal for a brand-new out-of-home program at this scale.
For a brand that had already invested in SEO, the boards did what an online-only brand usually needs from a physical channel: they gave more people a reason to search. That kind of top-of-funnel lift is what retail store billboards can add to a working digital plan.
If you are a small business looking for budget-friendly, effective advertising, Blip is second to none. When you consider the price, exposure, and customer support experience, you really can’t find a better option.
Ray Bowens, Founder of Hashtag-Vape
Why This Campaign Worked
- Two boards, two freeways: Concentrating on I-40 and I-44 meant repeat exposure with the same commuters.
- One clear domain: The URL sat under the headline, so the reader knew where to go later.
- Small, controllable spend: Pay-per-play at $0.25 per blip meant the flight fit within an e-commerce marketing budget.
- SEO already in place: Because Hashtag-Vape had built the site to rank, new searches converted.
What E-Commerce Owners Can Take From This Campaign
Online retail brands can put these ideas to work without a large agency:
- Match your board budget to your SEO: Retail store billboards work best when your search results are ready to handle the traffic they drive.
- Concentrate on a couple of routes: Two boards on the same commutes usually beat a spread across a city.
- Lead with the domain: Billboards for retail stores are a top-of-funnel play. Give drivers something to type when they get home.
- Track uniques, not just totals: Watch unique visits inside the campaign window against the same window before.
Run a Campaign Like Hashtag-Vape’s
Choose two boards on the routes your buyers already drive, lead with your URL, and give the flight enough time to lift unique traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hashtag-Vape’s Billboard Campaign
How many billboards did Hashtag-Vape use?
Two digital boards in Oklahoma City, placed near I-40 and I-44.
What did the campaign cost per play?
The average cost per blip was $0.25. Blip prices pay-per-play, so cost per blip varies by board and market.
Did the campaign lift website traffic?
Yes. Unique visits to hashtag-vape.com increased by roughly 150-200 during the flight.
Are retail store billboards effective for e-commerce brands?
They can be, especially when SEO is already working. Boards give more people a reason to search for the brand by name.
What do effective retail store billboards lead with?
For online-only sellers, lead with the URL and a short claim. Save product details for the site.