We’re at a crucial point in the evolution of DOOH advertising. Far from stymying the growth of digital OOH, the COVID-19 pandemic has created the conditions for it to thrive. 

When you add the technological advances that programmatic DOOH offers, you have the perfect opportunity to leverage digital billboards and outdoor advertising for major commercial gains.  

Here are four reasons why it’s never been a better time to explore what DOOH ads could bring to your marketing efforts:

1. People have been spending more time outside

Over the course of the pandemic, outdoor pursuits like running, walking and cycling have proved a lifeline to many in an otherwise uncertain time. 

As a result, people have been spending more time outdoors and paying more attention to their surroundings. This is great news for businesses that invest in outdoor ads and digital signage. 

According to The Harris Poll, consumers now notice OOH advertising 45% more than they did prior to the pandemic. 

2. Opportunities will increase as the world opens up

We’re by no means ‘out the other side’ of COVID-19 yet – but we can perhaps tentatively see some green shoots of recovery. From outside dining to public transport services, the world is gradually opening back up. 

Consumers will be keen to experience these things again with lockdown restrictions easing, making an OOH campaign an ideal way to reach large, eager audiences refreshed at the prospect of spending money. 

If you’re one of those businesses now opening up again, street-level OOH is a proven way of directing people towards your business. Over half of consumers notice digital OOH ads giving directions to a business, according to Nielsen. Of these, 65% will visit your premises immediately and 92% will make a purchase whilst there. 

Compare that to the conversion rates you get online and you see the true power of digital OOH.

3. People increasingly see online ads as intrusive

People have spent the past 18 months working, living and socializing online. This has resulted in increased levels of digital burnout – 68% of consumers think that they spend too much time looking at screens currently, for example.

Image percentage customers suffering with device burnout (Image source: oaaa.org)

This, alongside long-standing privacy concerns about online advertising, is contributing to consumers increasingly tuning out online and social media ads. In many cases, online ads are actively removed by ad blockers.

Unlike intrusive online advertising, digital OOH cuts through the noise by targeting people when they’re most open to your campaign messages. When consumers are waiting for public transport or walking around a city center, they have time to read, absorb and interact with your ads. In an era where competition for online real estate is increasing whilst interaction with it is waning, this could be your way of getting ahead of the competition.

4. You can now buy digital OOH programmatically

The main barriers to digital OOH adoption have been the traditional ad industry barriers. 

• Drawn-out processes with layers of intermediaries between those trying to buy and sell real estate have made it inaccessible to all but the most well-staffed digital advertising departments. 
• The lack of definable parameters for campaigns and limited analytics to determine success. 
• Ticket size. Traditionally you would have to buy a network for a specific period of time, for a specific price.

Programmatic DOOH changes all of that by: 

• Allowing buyers to bid on digital inventory directly and in real time 
• Allowing buyers to specify the exact conditions under which their ads will be displayed (for example audience, weather or footfall)
• Providing access to real-time metrics and data insights 
• Ensuring accessibility  – buy one screen for one day for a specific hour, thereby reducing the ticket size, increasing cost effectiveness and optimizing to reach your target audience when they are more likely to see the ad

These developments open up the OOH industry, making a once unaffordable channel accessible to all – for varying budgets – and providing scope for campaigns to be more interactive, engaging and successful than ever before. 

Need advertising partner for your OOH advertising? call us at +6285211423693. With will help you with your next campaign.