Curious to learn more about digital out-of-home advertising? Check out our handy guide on how to step up your DOOH game.
(Updated September 2024)
If you’ve ever seen any of digital billboards when walking the streets or an LED board at the side of a bus stop that has an advertisement on it, you may wonder how those ads come to be.
Out-of-home advertising or OOH has been around for decades. However, with the incorporation of AI technology, DOOH advertising has become even more effective in targeting consumers and delivering relevant messages.
In this day and age, going digital in the marketing world is the norm. But how does one take their advertising to the next level through digital? Today, we look at one of today’s biggest trends in digital marketing: digital out-of-home.
What is digital out-of-home?
Out-of-home advertising or OOH advertising is a form of advertising targeted at consumers outside their homes – pretty simple huh?. Any ad that is not on your phone, a magazine, or computer (such as those that you see on park benches, billboards, or signage) is some type of OOH ad.
It can also be a signage at a bus shelter, a poster in a public space, or a digital display in an airport or subway. This out-of-home advertising lets brands reach a wide range of target customers with minimal effort.
More specifically, digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) is digital media run outside the home. In other words, it is digital media that appears in public. They can be found on digital billboards in malls, airports, transit stations, and highways. They are great for reaching geo or venue-targeted audiences using highly visual creatives.
It is also sometimes a form of programmatic advertising that utilizes digital displays placed in high-traffic areas to reach a wide audience. Programmatic DOOH allows for the automated buying and selling of digital signage, billboards, and screens. All decisions are data-driven and based on machine learning to target, place, deliver, or measure ads out of home.
Why invest in DOOH?
There are a lot of benefits and purposes for implementing DOOH in one’s marketing strategies.
Digital out-of-home advertising is a powerful tool that lets businesses reach the right target audience with tailored messages. In a nutshell, DOOH reduces complexity, increases campaign reach, and grows brand awareness. It also helps create grassroots awareness and delivers the messaging when the audience is technically offline. DOOH can also help increase footfall and overall in-store traffic.
With digital OOH advertising, you can even target specific audiences with tailored messages that help increase brand recognition and customer loyalty. Some campaigns can change material on the fly depending on outside circumstances (such as the weather, time of day, local news, and other factors).
One can even use some booming and innovative DOOH advertising trends such as location intelligence mapping and augmented reality experiences. These forms take OOH to the next level with eye-catching visuals and create an immersive experience for potential customers. In addition, businesses can use location intelligence mapping to better understand consumer behavior and create more effective campaigns.
Global digital out-of-home market is projected to reach $58.7 billion USD by 2031. As well, a study from the Out of Home Advertising Association (OAAA) finds that 76% of recent DOOH viewers took action (such as watching a video, visiting a restaurant or store, or purchasing in-store) after seeing a DOOH ad.
This suggests that DOOH advertising can lead to higher audience engagement and return on investment. It also suggests that there are more investments and value given towards DOOH both from the consumers’ and marketers’ side thanks to outdoor advertising.
Forms of DOOH
As mentioned, DOOH ads can appear in various forms and places. Almost anywhere can be a location through which DOOH ads can be displayed. Here are some examples and types of common and major DOOH advertising.
Billboard advertising
Billboard advertising is one of the most popular and effective forms of DOOH advertising. Digital billboards are potentially seen by thousands of people every day who are driving or walking in high-traffic areas where they appear. Hence why the presence of digital billboards are growing everywhere. DOOH billboard ads can be static or moving images.
Transit advertising
This type of DOOH involves placing digital ads in public transportation vehicles and other street-level public transit spaces. They can be located inside a subway train or a taxi, a train station or an airport, a bus stop shed, or even at an elevator. This type of practice is effective especially when you want to target passersby and people from all types of demographics. It is also flexible such that your campaign can literally be moving (in the case of public transit vehicles), increasing the reach and visibility of your ads.
Retail space advertising
Another common location where DOOH ads can be found are in retail stores and other public recreational spaces such as shopping malls, supermarkets, gymnasiums, bars and restaurants, gas stations, and more.
They are typically digital signages displayed on kiosks or LED stands or they can be ads that you see as in-aisle displays when you are shopping at a convenience store. It can also be a point-of-sale digital signage when you are checking out your items at a big box store or a supermarket or at an ATM machine.
These types of DOOH ads typically deliver relevant messaging to passersby depending on the location of the digital ad. For example, a boutique advertising in the same shopping mall where their store can be located or a milk company advertising in a supermarket.
Location intelligence mapping
As mentioned earlier, location intelligence and geotargeting can be a good driver of effective DOOH advertising.
Location intelligence is an invaluable tool that lets us unravel a wealth of information by visualizing and analyzing geospatial data. By seamlessly layering various location-specific data sets onto a smart map or dashboard (including demographics, traffic patterns, environmental factors, economic indicators, and weather conditions), we can gain unique and actionable insights.
With a location intelligence platform, DOOH advertisers can conveniently arrange their audience metrics and campaign results into comprehensive maps that offer valuable insights. The visual representation aids in understanding the coverage and impact, allowing users to assess campaign performance within specific target groups and locations with clarity.
Augmented reality (AR) advertising
The integration of augmented reality to deliver out-of-home ads has been a game changer for marketers everywhere.
Augmented reality (AR) refers to technology that enhances the real-world environment by overlaying digital visual elements, sounds, and other sensory stimuli through holographic technology. AR combines digital and physical worlds, enables real-time interactions, and accurately identifies virtual and real objects in 3D.
Using AR in your DOOH campaigns results in a much more engaging, immersive and memorable experience for those who are seeing your campaign. It makes for a greater brand recall and overall, better return on investment.
Tips and tricks for DOOH advertising
Here are some tips and tricks and other things to consider when executing digital out of home campaigns:
Location and timing are key
Crafting creatives that take into account the ad’s location and physical context can result in captivating and attention-grabbing content. Consider where ads would be highly visible and seen by audiences, the foot traffic, and other relevant geographical factors.
Also consider the day and time of day when placing ads. Additionally, take advantage of holidays and seasonal opportunities – they can be the busiest times with additional accelerated traffic, or dead zones depending on the location.
By considering the surroundings and using them to create material that is humorous, intriguing, or even surprising, you can effectively capture the audience’s attention. Not only will this approach engage viewers, it will also leave a lasting impression, leading to a memorable and shareable ad experience.
Consider dynamic storytelling
Digital billboards tend to have 2.5 times greater impact than static ads because it’s more eye-catching and it gives the option to cycle ad creatives to see what performs best.
Dynamic ads are noticeable because they seem personalized and relevant to the viewer. This makes them more engaging for customers, almost like a conversation, rather than a traditional sales pitch. With Dynamic DOOH, brands can leverage personalization to connect with an audience in a more meaningful way using contextual technology.
Take for example, the Beauty Mark social media campaign by CVS. It was an interactive and personalized campaign that let users upload their unedited selfies to social media with the #BeautyUnaltered hashtag. These selfies would then pop up in various digital billboards across Times Square. Rather than standardized visuals and a one-size-fits-all type of campaign, the ads became more tailored to the users who were uploading their own image for the campaign.
Integrate interactivity in your ad
Dynamic campaigns can be more fun when audience members can interact with a display. Interactivity is especially useful in smaller settings where individuals may want more information or entertainment from a digital screen. Some common interactive features include touchscreen control for on-screen elements, gesture control for manipulating screen images, wayfinding or information services for businesses, buildings, or areas, and geo-targeting to market to nearby mobile devices.
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