For years, billboards have been a critical medium for reaching mass amounts of people and building brand recognition. From the side of a major freeway, in downtown, or on another well-traveled commuter corridor – billboards can demand your attention and stick with you. So you wanna dive in and add some billboard advertising to your marketing, huh… the first question commonly motored is, How much does this stuff cost?
This article will review some of the costs associated with billboard advertising. In this expansive landscape, there are many considerations that go into pricing a billboard – from the type of billboards and their locations to how long you intend to advertise,etc. By the end of this article you will have a better idea about how much is it going to cost and what could be expected as return out of your billboard advertising investment.
Types of Billboards
Billboard advertising costs will depend greatly on the type of billboard you choose. Following are a few common types of billboards:
a) Static Billboards
Static billboards are the traditional non-digital ones we see along highways and urban areas. They are huge printed posters with images and text written in big fonts. Static billboards are usually priced largely based on size and how much traffic they capture.
The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) conducted a study and found that static billboards can cost between $1,000 to $4,000 per month on average, depending on the location and size; for businesses looking to maintain a presence in high-traffic areas, traditional static 48-sheets offer the perfect cost-effective solution for building brand recognition. While they might not offer the flexibility of some others, their size and visual pop are sure to catch the eye as pedestrians pass by.
b) Digital Billboards
Sheets are equipped with electronic displays and capable of displaying advertisements, often for the same advertiser but sometimes for multiple advertisers. There is even more: they have an interactive and dynamic nature, making it possible to seamlessly change the look of your designs in real time. Digital billboards cost more since they use technology, but you can see how much flexibility and impact this adds.
Digital Billboards: These industry statistics show digital billboards cost $5,000 to $10,000 a month. This is because the extra cost they continue to charge for display creatives and animations and location-based targeting justifies it. Digital billboards are great at capturing an audience’s attention, and therefore, they are ideal for businesses that want to display multiple messages or even time-sensitive promotions.
c) Mobile Billboards
Mobile billboards are vehicles with large displays that drive around an area targeting a specific market. The price of mobile billboards varies according to the duration of the campaign, the size of the vehicle, and the areas included.
This normally costs between $500 and $1,500 per day for a mobile billboard. These are simple format advertisements and are very attractive to cater to the masses based on demographics or event/location. Although they are more expensive per day than other types of billboards, that mobility ensures your message is seen throughout different places and by a wide-range demographic.
Location, Location, Location
The location of the billboard is one determining factor for its price. Naturally, the high-traffic areas with ideal visibility will be demanding more from you. There are the billboards on major highways, next door to tourist areas, or in big urban locations that attract top dollar.
For example, owing to their eyeball-hitting potential and the number of people passing through per month, billboards in big cities like New York City or Los Angeles may be levied about $15K-$50K/month. However, this can drop to anywhere from $1,000-3,000 per month in smaller cities or rural areas.
Duration of the Campaign
The length of the advertising campaign is another crucial factor that impacts fees. Billboard advertising can be done for the most part in monthly blocks, and usually with discounts given on long-term campaigns.
To avoid driving this longer campaign time, opt for shorter-length campaigns (a week to several months long) that would work well with promoting upcoming events or one-time deals. But many times, it pays to have them running for a few months or up to an entire year because that is the only way you get real results.
The total cost of a short-term billboard campaign can be $2,000-$10,000 for two weeks or so and as high as $15K-$100K+ (rep and production costs) for six months or more, depending on the type of format you purchase.
Design and Production Costs
When people see your billboard, they have to like what it looks like. You would need a smart design and well-written materials that capture attention and tell the story concisely, But a well-designed billboard might also mean additional costs for you.
If you have a pre-made design, then it may be necessary for the sign to be adjusted in size and or format. However, if you do need an original design it will mean using a graphic designer or ad agency — and this will cost more overall.
Get The Most Bang For Your Buck with Billboard Design Guys
Obviously, a well-crafted billboard design is one of the main ingredients for great billboard advertising. We know that your visuals should be powerful enough to strike the right chord with your target audience. Billboard Design Guys are here to help you design your next billboard. Our billboard design experts know how to grab attention and convey your message through compelling visual designs!
Our rates allow us to do two design concepts for $50 only. We supply you with all source documents (print-ready, digital-ready, and editable versions), giving you everything necessary to make promoting trouble-free. We actually have the biggest array of billboard designs in our industry. You can check our portfolio here. Whether static billboards or digital out-of-home displays, we gained great expertise in designing for impact among multiple business lines.
Other Charges and Permit Costs
Permits or licenses: In many places, obtaining permits and/or construction licenses for billboard advertising in proximity to streets is necessary. Getting these permits can be different (and potentially more expensive) depending on the local regulations and zoning laws. Some cities and towns limit the number of billboards in a community and their size or height.
Furthermore, billboard advertising pays maintenance costs and installation costs. Additionally, the cost of electricity to power digital billboards – lights that become their own screens when turned on – also should be included as an expense.
These can cost between $500 and over $2,000 in some cases, depending on the local area and the complexity of the permit process. There may also be an additional $200 to $500 monthly maintenance and installation fees.
Negotiation and Discounts
As for all advertising, there is generally a little room to move (especially if you are prepared to commit long-term or buy in bulk). Extended Campaign or Multiple Billboards – Some advertising companies and billboard owners will offer discounts for running an extended campaign, over time due to the fact that you are securing multiple locations.
Come prepared to discuss your budget and advertising objectives with the ad agency. Occasionally, they can offer package deals that include multiple billboards at strategic sites to help your campaign be even more effective.
Conclusion
Although this seems like a simple and basic medium, you can easily reach out to the masses through billboard advertising, which is nothing but having your brand visible. The price you pay to advertise on a billboard can range from very cheap to quite expensive, based upon such factors as the type of board or unit it is, where the sign faces and how well-traveled that particular stretch of road may be; what time frame your campaign will run for (how many days); have they included design/artwork/set up costs with their monthly pricing?
You have to first learn how billboard advertising works, and also realize that it should be a part of your marketing plan. Get to know your audience well and choose the appropriate type of billboard that responds to their tastes, in addition, carefully select strategic locations for greater visibility.
Working With Billboard Design Guys Will Help You Get The Most Out Of Your Investment: To ensure that your brand grabs attention when people see it, you need to get the right kind of expert help with trained personnel like the ones at Billboard Design Guys who will know how billboard advertising gets done.
With proper planning and precision, billboard advertising is one of the most lucrative investments that can transform brand visibility to customer involvement in a time span. Get your billboards designed by us, and we will shine a light on them, ensuring everyone passing by sees the shining beacon of an image you have selected to represent your brand. Don’t wait; contact us today so we can help your advertising campaign get off the ground and succeed.