You’re driving down the highway, stuck in traffic, and you see a billboard advertisement for a chicken sandwich. You’re starving once you get home – and now your craving a crispy chicken sandwich. You start scrolling on your phone for dinner delivery options and realize, the billboard ad worked. 

Now you’re wondering how you can use that same strategy to support your business. But, how much do billboards cost? How can you ensure to achieve the best possible return on the investment? 

There are pros and cons to using billboards to advertise your business, follow along to see if OOH advertising is right for you. 

Pros of Billboard Advertising

• Large and eyecatching 
• Allows you to communicate your unique  brand message
• Builds brand awareness and creates leads 
• Guaranteed to be seen 
• Encourages impulse buys 
• Can provide directions to your establishment; for example, take exit 14 and turn left. 
• Targets a diverse market 
• Potential customers will see your billboard multiple times 

Cons of Billboard Advertising 

• Challenging to target a specific demographic 
• Limited amount of information 
• Stationary 
• Expensive
• Brief exposure time 
• Inclimate weather may cause visibility issues 
• Difficult to determine whether or not a billboard results in increased sales

How Much Does a Billboard Cost?

The cost of a Billboard will vary based on where you want it, but the average cost for a billboard in the US is about $850/month. Busy markets in cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles will have a higher cost, whereas billboards become affordable in rural areas. 

That doesn’t mean you should jump to choose the cheapest option. Billboard pricing is based on the geographic market, OOH advertising rating, and billboard type; either physical billboards or digital billboards, which cycle between images. 

Billboards in higher traffic areas will have a higher CPM, or cost per mile, which will increase the overall cost. However, this will also guarantee that your advertisement will get thousands to millions of views each day. The more impressions your billboard makes, the more likely you’ll quickly achieve a return on the investment. 

Once you determine a budget for your billboard you can choose a location and price that best fits your business needs. Since a billboard is a big investment, you’ll want to ensure you do everything possible to get the highest return possible.   

Get the Most Out of Your Billboard With These 6 Tips 

Pick a Location Visible from the Road

The clearer your advertisement can be, the better.  Consider if the billboard is facing traffic at an odd angle that may distort the image. Make sure there aren’t any buildings or tree branches blocking it from view. 

You want people to be able to see your billboard clearly and ensure your brand name and other information are clearly legible. If people have to strain to see your billboard from the street, there may be better locations.  

Choose a Road or Freeway with Heavy Traffic 

If cars are speeding by at 65mph, chances are they won’t be able to read your ad. Choose a street where cards typically drive slower than 40mph. Close to intersections will provide more opportunities to make an impression since cars will be waiting at a red light. 

Highways, freeways, interstates, and toll roads can also be prime locations for a billboard. Routes with heavier traffic will provide the most impressions for your investment. High-traffic areas like airports can be great to introduce tourists to local attractions.  

Pitch Your Brand in 8 seconds 

Use a quick and simple message on your billboard. Think of it as a way to introduce your brand message to new customers. Chances are most people won’t give your billboard more than a glance, even if someone is sitting at a red light or stuck in traffic. 

Enhance your message with a visually stimulating design – a picture is worth more than a thousand words! If you can’t pitch your brand visually in a clear and concise manner, a billboard advertisement probably isn’t for you. 

Prioritize Commuter Routes 

Commuter routes are ideal for billboard advertisements because they’ll ensure the same people see your sign daily. After seeing your ad day after day on their drive to or from work, your brand image will be stored in their memory. 

Use Geopath for OOH Advertising Insights 

One of the biggest challenges of billboard advertising is determining how many impressions you are making and whether or not you are genuinely achieving a return on the investment. Geopath insights provide in-depth audience location measurement. 

A membership with Geopath can help you choose a location for your next billboard and better measure the success of an existing ad.  

Prompt People to Stop By With Simple Directions 

Transform a brand impression into an immediate sale by placing a call to action directly on your billboard. If you are advertising your restaurant, give hungry travelers straightforward directions on how to get there.