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How Digital Billboards Changed The OOH Landscape As We Once Knew It

Thu Mar 30 | Posted by  Daniel Hooper

Since the invention of the microchip in the 1950s, digital transformation has been revolutionizing industries. In the case of advertising, that has meant developing marketing strategies for serving advertising to people using computers and mobile devices. However, digitization has also massively improved the capabilities of advertising using billboards, enhancing the ease of customization and making the billboard a much more agile advertising medium. 

This article will cover some out-of-home advertising basics, discuss the history of digital transformation, and provide five advantages of digital OOH advertising. 

What is Out-of-Home Advertising?

It may seem self-explanatory, but just in case: Out-of-home advertising is any ad images that people see outside of their homes, including billboards, kiosks, signs on buses, taxis, or other public transit, posters, flyers, and other things like that. This does not include advertising we see on our devices, but it does include things like vinyl wraps on cars or trucks. 

How does digital out-of-home (DOOH) media vary from standard out-of-home (OOH) media?

What makes DOOH unique, then? The importance of “digital” in digital out-of-home cannot be overstated. DOOH enables the seamless integration of OOH media’s ubiquitous presence with video’s dynamic, possibly interactive qualities as video content gains momentum in the marketing plans of businesses worldwide (and with good cause).

This is a marriage made in advertising heaven. Customers in public places have no option but to watch whatever is being shown. Billboards don’t have a “close ad” or “fast-forward” button, so viewers must watch the whole commercial. Add the ability to attract attention with non-static material, and you have a formula for success through high engagement.

Statista forecasts that DOOH spending will jump from $6.7 billion in 2019 to $15.9 billion in 2027, so being aware of industry growth and innovations will be increasingly important.

How do marketers benefit from OOH media?

Digitally-enabled OOH media collects and analyzes location data to learn about people physically close to the ad. When users opt-in, for example, when downloading an app requesting location data, they consent to share such information with data providers. Then, advertising may utilize the information to learn about the customers’ travel and viewing habits.

This is also how OOH ad views are tracked; however, it does not prove that anybody in a particular area saw the ad. If you’re hoping to increase foot traffic to a physical site like a storefront, knowing where the ad’s viewers are coming from might help you gauge its success.

Using mobile IDs that can be translated into IP addresses, ad tech businesses may also connect this location data with internet viewers. Advertisers may use geofencing to target individuals within a certain radius and retarget them with more ads.

Digital Transformation

Home computers entered the market in the 1970s, according to technology.com, and data digitization in multiple industries also began to drive hiring around this time. The World Wide Web and automation entered the playing field in the 1990s, and by the 2000s, digital transformation had become a huge consideration for businesses. 

What is digital transformation?

Digital transformation, according to technology.com, is an effort to reimagine how businesses use their staff, practices, and digital resources to increase business and earnings in response to the expectations of their customers. 

While the earlier phases of digital transformation have focused on online advertising strategies, the revolution is moving to ad efforts in the real world. What does that mean? In short, the advantages of digital advertising – namely, interaction, agility, and maintenance – are now available for billboards in public spaces. 

Advantages of Digital Billboards

What is a digital billboard?

A digital billboard is a billboard that uses a high-quality screen instead of paper, vinyl, or other printing methods. It is versatile and attractive and has become increasingly affordable. 

The advantages of digital OOH over conventional OOH have made it the preferred medium for advertising. 

Interaction

DOOH has the potential for interactivity. It paves the way for more specific advertising, allowing brands to have two-way conversations with consumers. If you want your digital billboard to display an ad tailored to the gender, age range, or emotional state of its viewers, you may include face recognition software.

Agility

Second, digital billboards provide greater options for modifying your advertisements. Since the material may be updated every 8 or 15 seconds, a billboard can host several advertisements. For billboard owners, this is a boon since they can accommodate more advertisements with a single sign. You may also use this function to schedule your ads at specified times. Displaying a timely commercial after a sporting event is one such example.

Static billboard advertisements also remain up for many weeks. Digital billboards allow for frequent ad rotation throughout the day. Advertisers can more easily attract the attention of their intended audiences.

Imagine you overlooked a print error in a traditional billboard. If not caught, that error might be up for thousands of people to see for weeks. Errors can be corrected and erased in moments with digital billboards. 

Displaying Several Ads in One Location

One advantage of DOOH over OOH is that the same real estate can host many ads simultaneously, as the displays may cycle through several alternatives. In this scenario, ad supply rises without corresponding infrastructure expenditures, leading to higher earnings.

This is crucial because many jurisdictions have restrictions on issuing new assets. In certain areas, for instance, installing new digital billboards necessitates the removal of older analog versions. The new digital billboard is better off due to the trade since it can feature numerous ads instead of just one.

Programmatic DOOH

Media buyers may tailor their ads to specific demographics based on various factors, including time of day and weather, via programmatic DOOH. When such conditions are satisfied, the advertising is presented, and the purchase is made automatically.

Maintenance

Finally, upkeep costs are low, while rental costs are high. Every time you wish to update your advertisement on a static billboard, you’ll have to pay for it to be printed and put up again. Yet, with digital billiards, the adverts may be updated instantaneously.

Formetco Digital Billboards

Digital billboards by Formetco possess all of these perks and something more to boot. Formetco FTX is the industry-leading digital billboard with the industry’s highest quality and most energy-efficient components. The FTX is brighter, lasts longer, and is the lowest cost to operate digital billboards, guaranteed. Formetco FTX billboards come standard with a 10-year brightness and a 10-year parts warranty. With turnkey installation, 24/7 customer support, a creative library for Formetco clients, and the Formetco Academy, you will be surrounded by support and resources to make your purchase even more valuable. 

Click here to contact Formetco representatives and learn more. 

To Sum Up: 

Digital transformation continues to morph the advertising industry, increasing the agility and interactiveness of digital billboards, kiosks, and other types. A digital billboard company can provide a robust and affordable way to advertise your business to out-and-about consumers. 

Industry experts have a positive outlook on how DOOH will affect the future of advertising. Brands will continue to push the boundaries of their capabilities in this emerging market in the months and years to come. Consumers will also gain as they engage with their environments in educational and enjoyable ways. We can only speculate where the business is headed, but one thing is sure: DOOH is here to stay.

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