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\nSummary.<\/b> Billboards cost anywhere from $250 to over $15,000 a month, depending on factors like location, size, and the design itself. Cost can also vary depending the type of billboard \u2013 such as whether it\u2019s mobile, static, or digital. Billboards have been around as a way to advertise for a long time. They\u2019re essentially giant posters that you can put up in order to advertise your business.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
Key Takeaways:<\/b><\/p>\n
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There are three primary types of billboards: classic, digital, and mobile, such as the ones on buses.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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The cost of a billboard is primarily determined by impressions, demographics, and circulation. Or in other words, how many people are likely to see it, what type of people are likely to see it, and how many people could possibly see it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Additional cost factors include the size of the billboard, how in demand the space is, installation costs, design costs, and how long you’re able to rent the space for.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What Is a Billboard?<\/h2>\n
Most people are familiar with billboards on the highway. They\u2019re huge advertisements<\/a> that are put up beside the road, advertising anything from perfume, to jewelry, to cars, to fast food. As most people only get a quick glimpse of billboards, they should be largely focused on image, with a bit of text. It should also be memorable so that it stands out to passersby.<\/p>\n
More or less, a billboard is just a large space that the owner rents out to someone who wants to put information up on it \u2013 usually advertisements. In essence, it allows a giant poster to be put up.<\/p>\n
There are three primary types of billboards:<\/p>\n
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Classic.<\/b> This is the type of billboard everything thinks of when you say billboard. They\u2019re large stands by the highway \u2013 or in a city \u2013 that allow businesses to put up an advertisement. They are occasionally used for public service announcements as well. They\u2019re static and often made of vinyl so as to be durable in different types of weather.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Mobile.<\/b> If you\u2019ve ever seen an advertisement on the side of a bus, you\u2019ve seen a mobile billboard. There can also be ones on trucks, cabs, or other vehicles. This type of billboard has the advantage of not being static, so it\u2019s more likely to be seen by a larger number of people.<\/p>\n
Picking a route that\u2019s likely to go through an area with your target audience is likely to get more eyes on your billboard. Drivers are going to be more likely to see it than those who don’t drive, as you\u2019re more likely to notice it in the car. And once someone gets on a bus, they can\u2019t see the exterior ad anymore.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Digital.<\/b> If you\u2019re looking for something more dynamic, then a digital billboard may be a good choice. As they\u2019re programmable, it allows the advertisements to shift depending on the time of day, allowing you to advertise<\/a> different things in the morning than evening. And for businesses like a restaurant, that can come in quite handy.<\/p>\n
Digital billboards have the drawback of generally being more expensive than their lower-tech counterparts. There\u2019s also the risk of a glitch or being shut down by a power outage. Drivers also tend to find digital billboards more distracting, as motion draws more attention.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Should Your Business Advertise on a Billboard?<\/h2>\n
Billboards have been around as a way to advertise for a very long time. They\u2019re in specific locations \u2013 or routes, for mobile billboards \u2013 which make them better suited to brick-and-mortar stores. They’re unlikely to generate instant purchases \u2013 most viewers will be driving at the time, after all \u2013 but it is a way to get brand recognition and draw attention to a store location.<\/p>\n
How Much Do Billboards Cost?<\/h2>\n
Unfortunately, billboard cost isn\u2019t static or broken down by a square inch. The cost of a billboard will be determined by several different factors that will be calculated by the billboard\u2019s owner. Many companies<\/a> that sell billboard space determine the cost by impressions, or cost per mile (CPM), which is based on per thousand viewers.<\/p>\n
A billboard\u2019s cost is based on a billboard\u2019s out-of-home (OOH) rating. Here are the factors that determine that:<\/p>\n
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Circulation.<\/b> As with magazines or newspapers, circulation is a huge factor in determining the value of advertising space. This statistic is typically determined by information based on traffic authorities, which study the amount of traffic in a given area. This doesn\u2019t mean each of these people will look at your ad, only that they\u2019ll go by it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Demographics.<\/b> For all types of advertising, demographics are extremely important. Both you and the billboard owner will need to take into account the age, gender, and socioeconomic status of the people who are likely to see the billboard. Generally speaking, billboards in higher-income areas are going to cost more.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Impressions.<\/b> This takes the billboards\u2019 size, location, and size into account to calculate how many people are likely to see the ad. Other factors are included, such as the speed limit \u2013 a higher speed limit means it won\u2019t be seen for as long \u2013 and terrain. Flat open areas make billboards easier to see than mountainous or wooded areas.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The cost of a billboard will take all of these factors into consideration. A classic billboard may only run you $250 per month but can end up costing as much as $14,000 in high-traffic areas such as cities.<\/p>\n
Digital billboards are usually more expensive, as they\u2019re rarer. Advertising<\/a> on one is likely to cost between $1,200 and $15,000 per month. However, the cost can be lowered if you choose to advertise alongside others via rotating ads. That means that you\u2019ll get lower exposure, hence it being less expensive.<\/p>\n
Mobile billboards are usually cheaper, as they tend to be smaller. However, there\u2019s a large range because they can also include digital or moving billboards. The cost for these ranges between $800 and $3,600 per month.<\/p>\n
There are a few other factors to consider in terms of cost:<\/p>\n
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Installation.<\/b> As a rule, you\u2019ll be responsible for all costs associated with installing your advertisement. Depending on where the billboard is and its size, that may be a substantial investment. The size of the image you put up may end up costing your business a lot of money.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Cost of design.<\/b> You\u2019ll also have to consider the labor and material costs that go into designing the advertisement itself. If your marketing department works on the design for a month leading up to installation, that ends up being a substantial labor cost<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Duration.<\/b> Different billboards will have different durations for how long your ad can be displayed. Many do it per month, but billboards that are in higher demand will shorten it to two weeks. Ones in rural areas may even give you longer durations to make sure that the space is used.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Popularity.<\/b> How much billboard space is in demand will have a big effect on price. If everyone wants to put their advertisement there \u2013 like a billboard in Times Square \u2013 then it\u2019s going to be very expensive. And will likely have a short duration, which makes it more expensive per day.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, if a billboard doesn’t have a current renter, then the company that owns the billboard may be willing to offer it to you at a fraction of the cost just to make sure that the space doesn’t go to waste.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Size.<\/b> A billboard\u2019s size is going to have an impact on its price. Smaller billboards will generally cost less, as it\u2019ll lower the impressions. In addition, size will affect your material and installation costs, with bigger billboards needing more material and more labor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Billboard FAQ<\/h2>\n