If you’ve spent any time working in startups, you know that every dollar counts. You’re trying to achieve the best, most efficient results while getting as much bang for your buck as possible, and determining the best advertising methods can often feel like a never-ending guessing game.

Billboard advertising can seem like an unattainable goal, but we want to let you in on a secret: it’s not as out of reach as you think. When done strategically, digital billboard advertising offers flexible advertising and cost-effective pricing that might surprise you.

Curious to learn more? Keep reading to discover the best digital billboard options for startups.

How Do Digital Billboards Work?

You’ve undoubtedly seen digital billboards scattered along highways and throughout your favorite cities. Unlike static billboards, which display one single advertisement 24/7, digital billboards offer unique flexibility, rotating through several ads displayed via LED or LCD panels.

Because digital billboards display ads from several different advertisers, costs are able to be kept significantly lower than those associated with static ad campaigns. Digital billboards also tend to offer more flexibility regarding the ad’s duration than a traditional static billboard. While a static billboard is typically kept up for several weeks at a time, digital billboard ads can be run for just a few days, or even a few hours.

Are Digital Billboards a Good Option for Startups?

Absolutely. When putting together a marketing plan, startups have to prioritize maximizing their reach while staying as cost-efficient as possible. Digital billboards are an ideal advertising choice for startups who can’t justify the expense of a long-term static billboard campaign but want the targeted, location-specific exposure that a digital billboard can provide.

Plus, a strategically-crafted billboard campaign not only drives brand awareness—it can also increase website traffic and social media engagement, turning casual passersby into loyal fans and followers long after the billboard campaign has come to a close.

A digital campaign establishes legitimacy for a new startup, reaches customers who might never have been aware of the brand, targets specific locations, and drives traffic to other content from the organization.

In other words? In a fast-paced, high-stakes startup culture, digital billboards can be the launchpad toward potential greatness—making them an easy yes for startups wondering where to invest in their advertising.

Best Digital Billboard Options for Startups

Deciding to run a digital billboard campaign is only the first step. There are several different types of digital billboard options, each of which could be the perfect choice based on an individual business’s campaign goals. Here are our top recommendations to consider:

Large-Format Highway Billboards

When you think of billboards, you probably think of a traditional highway billboard, an association built from hours of childhood road trips and adult commutes. These billboards are often considered a go-to standard, providing great visibility, especially during busy rush hours.

Best for:

• Products and services that appeal to a wide audience
• Startups desiring high visibility
• Launches targeting working commuters or travelers

Urban Street Displays

Urban street advertising can range from local shopping center displays to billboards in the heart of a pulsing downtown scene. They’re smaller than highway billboards, but still provide great visibility when well-placed.

Best for:

• Local or geotargeted campaigns
• Retail and dining ads
• Pedestrian attention

Indoor Billboards

Billboard advertising doesn’t just take place outdoors. From malls to entertainment stadiums and beyond, indoor digital billboard advertising can be a great way to reach viewers going about their daily life, especially in spots where viewers will naturally congregate or have to wait.

Best for:

• Local event advertising
• Nearby consumer products and experiences
• QR codes (passersby can more easily scan than if they were driving)

Transit Billboards

From airport and subway displays to mobile advertisements on buses or subway cars, transit advertising offers the unique opportunity to reach people active and on the go.

Best for:

• Campaigns targeting a wide range of locations
• Ads for the adventurous spirit
• Billboards meant to create a buzz

What Are the Billboard Costs for Startups?

At a startup, you’re trying to get the highest reach for the lowest cost. Let’s take a look at digital billboard prices around the country to help you begin building a strategic, realistic digital billboard campaign, along with the cost per thousand impressions (CPM):

Average Billboard Prices for a 4-Week Period:

Manhattan, New York: 

• Average price: $7,090.05
• $5.15 CPM
• 1,377,305 average impressions

Cincinnati, Ohio:

• Average price: $3,257.04
• $5.31 CPM
• 613,844 average impressions

Orlando, Florida:

• Average price: $3,711.46
• $4.65 CPM
• 797,643 average impressions

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

• Average price: $3,089.00
• $3.22 CPM
• 959,112 average impressions

Sacramento, California:

• Average price: $5,604.70
• $4.21 CPM
• 1,332,560 average impressions

Minneapolis, Minnesota:

• Average price: $4,494.44
• $5.87 CPM
• 766,137 average impressions

Nashville, Tennessee:

• Average price: $4,185.66
• $4.47 CPM
• 937,284 average impressions

How to Get the Best ROI on Your Digital Billboard Campaign

As with any advertising method, the best results come from a knowledge of your audience, strategic positioning, and a willingness to experiment. When you market with intentionality, you can discover what works to convert your potential customers.

Know Your Audience

To know how to get your billboard in front of your ideal customer, you first have to know who that customer is. Is it a busy commuter? A traveler with champagne taste? A stay-at-home mom running errands? Who needs the product or service you offer, and where will they be?

An ad that might thrive in an urban area could be irrelevant in a quiet residential location, and vice versa.

Create Eye-Catching Content

Advertisers are in a constant competition for attention, and if you want to be noticed, you have to stand out. The average attention span is rapidly shrinking, and if your ad is located on a road, you may only have seconds to catch drivers passing by. Your ad needs to be immediately clear, with bold, contrasting colors and easy to read text. 

If you work with a professional outdoor ad agency like Alluvit Media, you won’t have to worry about your ad’s creative—it will be taken care of, free of charge.

Prioritize A/B Testing

It may take a bit of experimentation to discover what converts best for your startup—and that’s normal. Whether you’re testing different creative or trying out different locations, don’t be afraid to utilize A/B testing to see where you get the best traction. Once you find the perfect recipe, you’ll be unstoppable. Just be sure to track analytics such as website visits, promo code usage, or search volume to know what’s working and what’s not.

Align Your Marketing Channels

Even though your brand is young, having clear messaging across all platforms is key to ensure alignment, understanding, and brand recognition. From socials to email, PR to your website, make sure that you’re telling the same story across all of your marketing channels—and make sure your digital billboard fits seamlessly into the equation.

Establish Brand Presence

For a new business, building a recognizable presence is huge. When you’re recognized, you’re remembered—and when you’re remembered, you see conversions. Emphasize clear branding with your colors and logos, and don’t be afraid to lean into local moments and trends to show that you’re a part of the community. These small moments build trust, and trust builds loyalty.

Choose the Highest-Impact Moments

When you’re trying to be strategic with your advertising budget, choosing the right time to invest in advertising is vital. Make the most of high-impact moments like launches, openings, seasonal promotions, and local celebrations or events. These are the times that you’ll see the highest traffic—and the best results.

Craft a Strategic Digital Billboard Campaign for Your Startup With Alluvit Media

You know how much you believe in your startup—now, it’s time to make sure the world does, too. And while getting there might require your team to be a bit scrappy, there are ways to advertise your startup that are cost-effective while still getting you a great ROI.

At Alluvit Media, our team of experts is here to come alongside you from conception to completion, creating a billboard campaign that puts your startup on the map. Ready to connect with a media coordinator to learn more? Request a proposal today to get started.

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