How do you measure the effectiveness of billboards?

Billboards have long been a cornerstone of outdoor advertising, but with the rise of digital marketing, measuring their effectiveness has become more sophisticated. So, how can you truly tell if a billboard campaign is working? Here are key ways to evaluate billboard success.

One of the most straightforward ways to measure the effectiveness of a billboard is by monitoring business traffic and sales. If your sales or foot traffic increase after launching a billboard campaign, it's a strong indicator that the ad is making an impact. For digital businesses, this could mean tracking web traffic during the billboard campaign period.

A popular strategy for measuring billboard performance is including a custom URL or promo code on the billboard. This allows advertisers to track how many people visited a specific landing page or used the code, providing a direct link between the ad and customer behavior.

Another way to measure the impact of your billboard is through customer surveys. You can ask new customers how they found your business and whether the billboard played a role in their decision. This method provides qualitative data that can complement your sales and traffic metrics.

Advancements in technology, such as mobile location data, now allow advertisers to track how many people pass by a billboard and even measure how many of them visit the advertised business. This data provides real-time insights into the ad’s reach and engagement levels.

Finally, a critical measurement of billboard effectiveness is the return on investment (ROI). Compare the cost of the campaign with the revenue generated. A high ROI signals a successful campaign, while a low one may suggest it’s time to adjust your strategy.