Some people think billboards are outdated in our digital world.
But there’s a reason they’re still being used. Billboards are great when you have a simple message for your customers. But just like any advertising medium you’re thinking about using, there are a few factors you’ll need to pay attention to that will really help when creating an effective campaign.
To make sure your billboard campaign is reaching its full potential, here are 7 key factors you’ll want to focus on.
- Know your target audience
- Simple is better than complex
- Use clear messaging
- Use easy to read fonts
- Always have a goal
- Focus on one call to action
- Always build your brand
So lets go back to knowing your target audience. Since a wide variety of people will be exposed to your billboard, it’s tempting to try to advertise to everyone. But when you target your message to a specific group, your billboard will prove far more effective. You’ll know who you’re talking to. Once you know your target, you know how to craft your message in a way that they’ll hear and understand it.
My next tip – simple reigns supreme. You have to keep it short & simple. Make sure you get your point across as quickly as possible. A good rule is to use a maximum of six to seven words on your billboard, as this is about the most that people can take in when they’re zipping past your board. But just because you can use six doesn’t mean that you have to. Using only one word can be great, and maybe even amazing.
The next step is to keep your billboard understandable. When you’re trying to sell something, you don’t want to strain the brain of the consumer. Consumers need to get your message – without having to think about it. YOu must make your billboard easy to understand. Simple and easy messaging will help make you the brand that they remember, and just maybe, the place they want to do business with.
We’ve already discussed why your billboard should only have a few words and why it should be easy to understand. You need to make sure the design can be taken in. Use fonts that are easy to read. Use colors that provide contrast and work well together. And when designing the billboard – make sure the colors and fonts all go together.
One of the most critical parts of creating an effective billboard is by setting a clear goal. Make sure that you have a specific result that you hope to accomplish. And it doesn’t need to be complicated. Do you want to get more people in your store? That’s a great goal. Do you want to make sure consumers know about a promotion? That’s another. And this is true with all your ads. You must have a goal – or you’ll never know if its working or not.
My next tip is this – have a single, and simple call to action. What are you wanting your audience to do when they see your ad? Call you? Visit your store? Shop online? Resist the urge to include it all. Stay focused on one single action you want them to take.
And my final tip? Always build your brand. Think about using your billboard as a way to keep your brand front & center in the eyes of your consumers. They might see your billboard every day with little chance to take in your message. But if your name has been melted into their brains during a commute they take every day, you are winning the battle of brand building and moving your company to the front of the line when they’re ready to go shopping for what you have to offer.
So lets recap the 7 tips for a successful billboard campaign:
- Know your audience
- Keep your design simple
- Use clear messaging thats easy to understand
- Use fonts that are easy to read
- Always have a goal
- Keep it to one call to action
- Always build your brand
Just like any other advertising medium, billboards can be a great way to generate leads and selling opportunities, provided you do it right. And I hope these 7 tips help you craft a lead generating, sales oriented campaign.