Billboard Advertising Basics

The information you need to get started with billboard advertising
By Lisa Maloney Mention "billboard ads" and many people think of huge signs on lonely stretches of highway. While it's true that this is a popular use of billboards--long distance drivers being a captive audience, as it were--you will also find billboard advertisements on the sides of large buildings, or even on mobile trucks and trailers.

No matter what the billboard placement, the basic principle of billboard advertising remains the same: Get a memorable visual statement in front of potential customers. Getting the right statement in the right place is critical to billboard advertising success. Mastering the billboard advertising basics will help you to:

1. Know where to find billboard advertisements (and thus where to locate your own ads.)

2. Identify who your billboard advertising is most likely to reach.

3. Locate billboard advertising companies and billboard owners.

Learn what goes into billboard advertisements

Billboard advertisements come in two main categories: stationary, typically located near a busy street or highway or possibly on the side of a large building; or mobile. The field of mobile billboards is constantly expanding as advertisers find new ways of attaching advertisements to anything that moves.
Try:  Mustard Seed Marketing offers a run-down of roadside billboard sizes, mediums and ad rotation. Traffic Displays offers a detailed listing of various mobile billboard options including ad trucks, trailers, bikes, boats and even aerial ads.

Choose billboard companies that target your potential customers

Roadside billboards tend to target more affluent consumers in the middle- and upper-classes, as they're most likely to have the time and money to be out on the highway. Building advertisements, especially if located near a public transit center, are more likely to attract a wide variety of viewers, and mobile billboards give you the option of moving your advertisement to the places your target consumers are most likely to see.
Try:  MobileOutdoorBillboards.com gives you the option of choosing a custom route for your mobile outdoor advertisements, which helps you reach your target audience whether it be at a concert, sporting event or on a particular crowded thoroughfare during rush hour. Work with media and marketing intelligence firms, like Navigauge, to identify where you're most likely to find your target audience.

Track down the right billboard agency to advertise your business

In order to advertise on a billboard you must first locate its owner. Since many billboards are owned by individuals or small businesses that may be hard to track down, specialized websites and services have cropped up to help connect advertisers with billboard owners.
Try:  Companies like OutdoorBillboard.com and Billboard Connection specialize in helping you find billboard owners; the former offers a free no-frills directory and service option, while the latter charges for a more comprehensive service.

• Outdoor billboard advertising is strictly regulated by most state governments. If you're interested in purchasing a billboard placement outright or creating a new one, review outdoor advertising regulations, usually through the state in question's Department of Transportation, before finalizing the purchase.