Let’s be honest. We have all guessed at what those huge signs on the highway were. How much do they cost? Do they even work? In the case of a small business owner, the previous process of renting an outdoor billboard was considered a big costly gamble. You would call a sales rep, make a 3 month contract and wish him the best.
However, what would you do, in case you could purchase that space without any difficulties as you purchase an ad on Facebook? But what would happen should you be able to display your ad when it is really needed?
This is exactly what is happening at the moment. The outdoor billboards are high-tech makeover, and it is transforming the world of the advertisers. You have arrived in the age of programmatic buying.
Then What on Earth is Programmatic?
I understand, programmatic, makes a computer scientist say so. Let’s simplify it.
Suppose you would like to purchase a particular book. It is possible to go to a dozen various bookstores and find it, or you can simply get on Amazon, locate it in a few seconds and have it delivered the next day.
The Amazon of ad space is programmatic buying. It is a computerized, online auction place, where companies can purchase space on digital billboards in the moves, without having to make any telephone calls or sign extended agreements. The whole process is done by a computer and the data compared to make intelligent decisions concerning what ad to display and at what time.
A Real-Life Application: An example of how it can be applied by a Pizza Shop.
Let’s make this real. Imagine you own “Tony’s Pizza.”
Old Way: Those three months would cost you a fixed billboard on rent. In your advertisement, there would be a photo of a pizza with your phone number. It would be there during the blazing sun and pouring rain, day and night. You would pay a large initial fee and hope.
A cold, rainy Tuesday you have a brilliant idea on The New Way (Programmatic): You log on an application system on your computer. It only takes a minutes to arrange a campaign: “Place my ‘Hot Pizza Delivery’ advertisement on digital screens within 3 miles of my store, but only when the weather is below 50 degrees, between 4 pm and 8 pm. You establish a daily budget that you are comfortable with.
And that is all you need to be in business. In the evening, when the commuters are in the traffic at a cold and hungry time, they watch your comforting advert. It came in time, it had its point, and it did not make the bank break.
Why This is a Total Game-Changer
This shift to programmatic is a big deal, and not just for giant corporations. Here’s why it’s so powerful for businesses of all sizes:
- It’s Incredibly Easy and Fast. You can go from an idea to a live campaign in under an hour. This agility is perfect for promoting daily specials or reacting to current events.
- You Stop Wasting Money. Why show an ice cream ad in a snowstorm? With programmatic, your ads are context-aware. You can connect to live data feeds for:
- Weather
- Time of day (coffee in the AM, movies in the PM)
- Local traffic conditions
- Even scores from a nearby sports game
- It’s Surprisingly Affordable. The old model required a long-term commitment of thousands of dollars. With programmatic, you can run a campaign for a day, a week, or just during specific hours. You control your budget completely, making powerful outdoor billboards accessible to small shops and startups.
• You Can Actually See Results. The traditional issue with the traditional outdoor billboards was the measurement of the impact. You had to guess. Currently, it provides you with a digital dashboard with the number of times your ad was shown. Better still you will be able to use a QR code, or a simple promo code such as BILLboard15 to see how many sales you made as a direct result of the campaign. No more guessing!
It is not everything is all right (Some things to remember).
It is not magic like any other innovated technology. There are a couple of hiccups.
The main one is availability. Not all single billboards are yet digital and not all digital billboards are programmatic platforms. You may have been dreaming to go somewhere and realize that it is not there. However the number is increasing by the day.
It also has a low learning curve. It demands a change in communicating with an individual to a software platform. However, the majority of such platforms are as easy to use as possible.
The Future is Bright (and Smart).
So, where is this all heading? Outdoor billboards have a dynamic and interactive future.
Very soon your telephone will speak to these digital displays. You may view an advertisement of a new sneaker brand and by just tapping your phone, you may have an opportunity to find out where you can get them.
It will even make the buying process smoother and will get even more savvy about targeting. We are heading into the stage where all ads in the street or any other place will seem that it was specially selected that very moment to you.
Wrapping It Up
The lowly billboard is more than a hundred years old. It’s not going away. Rather it is receiving an upgrade. Programmatic technology is capturing the strength and coverage of traditional outdoor billboards and mixing it with the accuracy and efficiency of the internet.
In the case of businesses, it entails reduced risk, reduced waste, and control. It is a more intelligent method of relating to actual human beings in actual world. When you happen to encounter an ideal, opportune ad on an electronic screen when driving next, you will realize that there is an intelligent system that is in place.
