There's no question that out-of-home advertising is hot right now. Marketers are looking for new ways to reach digitally-fatigued audiences and boost performance of their omni-channel campaigns. Consumers are paying more attention to their physical surroundings. And they can easily recall brands and products seen in advertising.
But if you're new to OOH, how do you get started and do it right?
We asked David Kang, OneScreen.ai Director of Campaign and Media Strategy for advice. He had a lot of insights to offer on planning and buying, and you can catch every detail by watching his full webinar, How to Launch Your First OOH Campaign.
David says the diversity of nuances and formats available under the OOH umbrella gives it the power to:
In brief, here's what he had to say about harnessing that power, right from the start. (Hint: it's a combination of art + heart + science.)
Strategy leverages your data to tell a story — your story — by intercepting your targets on their out-of-home journey, wherever that takes them. Don't let that sound daunting, we've created a whole slew of playbooks and webinars to guide you toward OOH success. You can find the library here.
OOH speaks to consumers from top to bottom of your funnel, and by the time they reach BOFU, you can use contextual messaging and placement to close the deal.
Clarify your persona. You must know who you are trying to reach, before you can determine where they are.
Use your persona to determine where targets will be. What are their most popular destinations, and how do they get there? Are they walking? Driving? OneScreen.ai tools, such as Persona Builder, can match personas to geo-based audiences. For easy market targeting.
Proper timing ensures you'll reach them when they’re most receptive. OneScreen.ai's PlaceRankTM algorithm and other tools can help.
Understanding your market allows you to create truly motivating messaging. Use social listening tools to learn your audience’s key pain points (about your competitors as well as your own brand or products). Align your messaging accordingly.
Armed with your strategy — in detail, we're just hitting the highlights here — it's time to get down to business and choose your OOH tactical assets. Your inventory options are vast, but we generally divide OOH media into four categories:
Different tactics produce different results, so choose according to your campaign goals.
Then choose operators in your selected markets. You can find them via Google search, by using an agency, or using OneScreen.ai's public marketplace.
Use your campaign benchmarks to determine your budget. Be aware that many media owners will negotiate costs.
David believes that "creative is half, if not more, of the battle." Why?
OOH that works is visually arresting, concise, contextual (depending on your goal), and always – always – provides a call to action with a way for the viewer to respond.
One of the greatest advances in out-of-home today is its increased ability to deliver data-driven targeting and measurable results. With that and social listening, you can evaluate your campaign, perhaps tweak it on the fly, and reach your goals.
In summary, David recommends following these steps to success:
Your first OOH campaign? Resounding success! Kudos all around (and thanks to David Kang for the great advice).
If you're looking for more guidance, the team here at OneScreen.ai is happy to help you launch your first OOH campaign. Get in touch.