How to Plan a Billboard Campaign From Buying to Launch

What you need to plan your first billboard campaign

If you are new to out-of-home advertising, planning a billboard campaign can feel confusing. You need to understand how buying works, how long to run, what a realistic budget looks like, and how to get a creative design and approval. The good news is that the process follows a clear sequence when broken down into steps.

This guide walks through the whole process from planning to launch. It focuses on practical decisions a business owner needs to make, not media jargon. By the end, you will know what to ask for, what to watch out for, and how to set up your first billboard campaign so it has a real chance to work.

How to set goals and a budget for a billboard campaign

What is the primary objective of your billboard

Start with a simple question. What do you want the billboard to achieve over the next 3 to 6 months, or over a year? Common goals include driving phone calls, increasing branded search, pushing more foot traffic, or building long-term brand recognition in a market.

Pick one primary goal and one secondary goal at most. If you try to do everything on a single board, the message will be diluted. A personal injury law firm, for example, may focus on building name recognition and trust across a metro area. A restaurant may focus on exit-based wayfinding and near-term visits.

How to set a realistic billboard budget

Your budget should align with your market size and expectations. At Whistler, most full-size bulletin or digital campaigns land between about $25 and $100 per day. The exact rate depends on factors such as traffic volume, visibility, height, local demand, seasonality, and whether the face is static or digital.

Decide how much you can invest for a sustained run, not just a few weeks. Billboard campaigns perform better when they have time to build frequency. If you only have a budget for a short burst, consider waiting until you can extend the run. For more detail on how pricing works and what drives costs up or down, review How Much Does Billboard Advertising Cost and for context on where boards fit in the larger media mix, see Why Billboard Advertising Should Be a Part of Your Media Mix.

How long your first billboard should run

For a first campaign, many businesses think in terms of three to six months. That can work for a short test, but at Whistler we see the strongest and most consistent results when billboard campaigns run for at least twelve months.

A full year gives your audience time to see the board in many different contexts, such as weekday commutes, weekend errands, and seasonal traffic patterns. Frequency builds gradually, so more people remember your name when they finally need your product or service. A longer term also smooths out short-term noise in web analytics, improves effective CPM over time, and lets you learn which offers and messages perform best in different seasons.

If a twelve-month commitment is not possible right away, structure your plan so you can extend successful locations. Ask your billboard partner which term lengths they offer, whether longer commitments qualify for better pricing, and how renewals work. Make sure you understand how long your creative will remain live and the cancellation rules before you sign.

How to choose the right billboard locations and formats

How to define your target audience and drive paths

List your most important customer segments. Then think about where they live, work, and commute. Billboards are most effective when they sit along real-world paths your audience travels often. Focus on steady, repeated exposure rather than just looking for the largest number of vehicles.

For example, a local HVAC company might value boards on commuter routes used by homeowners in specific suburbs. A quick-serve restaurant near a highway exit might prioritize boards just before that exit. Align your geographic focus with your actual service area.

How to compare billboard locations and traffic data

Ask for a list of locations with photos, traffic counts, and facing descriptions. Traffic is often measured by average daily impressions or vehicles per day. Compare locations by both numbers and context. A slightly lower traffic count in a perfect demographic area can perform better than a very high count in the wrong part of town.

Study the approach view in each location photo. Check whether trees, power lines, or other buildings block visibility. Confirm speed limits. Fast-moving highways require even simpler creative than slower surface streets.

In many markets, especially in the Tulsa and OKC Metro, some billboard companies mainly focus on renting every available space. The rate may be low, but the board might sit where almost no one can see it, or where trees, poles, and other obstructions cut off the view. Treat those hidden or obstructed locations with caution, even if the price looks attractive.

When to use digital billboards instead of static

Static billboards show one creative all day and night. Digital billboards display multiple advertisers in rotation and allow you to change your artwork during a campaign. Digital can be useful if you need time-based messages, frequent copy changes, or tests across variations.

Static can be stronger when you want a continuous presence and maximum share of voice in one spot. If you're going to explore the broader shift toward digital out-of-home, you can review context like The Unstoppable Rise of Digital Out-of-Home Advertising.

How the billboard buying process works for first-time advertisers

Should you buy direct from a billboard company or through an agency

Most local and regional businesses start by working directly with a billboard company in their market. This keeps the process simple and often gives you direct access to inventory details and local insight. An agency, like Whistler Billboards, can be helpful if you need coverage in multiple cities or want a single team to manage multiple media channels.

If you already work with a marketing agency, ask whether they have experience in out-of-home advertising. If not, it can still be efficient to buy billboards directly and have your agency help with creative and tracking.

What to ask for in a billboard proposal

When you are ready for details, request a written proposal. It should list each location, format, term length, monthly rate, production costs, and any one-time fees. For digital boards, it should also list share of voice, rotation details, and estimated impressions.

Confirm which costs include printing or digital file processing. Ask about installation, removal, and any charges for creative swaps during your term. Keep everything in writing so you can review and compare.

How to compare billboard CPM and overall value

One way to compare boards is by cost per thousand impressions (CPM). To estimate CPM, take the monthly rate, divide by the number of impressions in thousands, and compare across options. A lower CPM is not always better if the audience is of lower quality or the context is weaker.

Weigh CPM along with audience fit, creative flexibility, and brand impact. A billboard that sits in the heart of your key trade area can justify a higher CPM than one on the edge of your market. For a deeper look at why large-format bulletins often deliver the strongest CPM and value, see Bulletins Dominate the 2025 CPM.

How to brief a designer and create effective billboard artwork

What to include in your creative brief

Once your locations and dates are set, you need artwork. A clear brief saves time and reduces revisions. Include the goal, target audience, offer or message, required logo, brand colors, timeline, and any legal or compliance needs. At Whistler, when a potential customer sends a request for proposal, our art team builds solid example billboard concepts first, then tweaks layouts and copy to match the client’s specific needs.

Share photos of each location so your designer can see angles and surroundings. Note whether the main viewing is from the left or right side and roughly how far away drivers will be when they first read the board.

Billboard design basics for readability

Billboard creative should be bold and straightforward. Aim for six or seven words or fewer in your main line. Use large, high-contrast fonts and avoid thin scripts. Keep logos clear and avoid stacking multiple small elements.

Use one strong image rather than a collage. Make sure your key contact method is easy to recall. Many advertisers rely on a short URL, brand name, or simple phrase instead of a long phone number. For more design tips, see resources like Best Practices for Designing a Billboard.

How to keep your message aligned with your website and ads

Billboards work best as part of a larger system. Match your key message and visual style to your website, search ads, and social media creative. That way, when someone searches after seeing your board, they recognize the brand immediately.

Use the same headline or core benefit across channels during your campaign window. This builds mental availability and reduces confusion. If you have multiple services, pick one or two for the first flight and expand later.

How to launch your billboard campaign and go live smoothly

What happens between signing and installation

After you sign the contract and pay the required deposit, your billboard company will move into production. For static boards, this includes printing the vinyl or substrate and scheduling installation. For vinyl billboard ads, there is usually a production cost to build the vinyl once final artwork is approved, often around $1,500 per face. For digital boards, production includes preparing files in the correct specs and loading them into the system.

Confirm all creative files are approved before printing or upload. Ask for a proof that shows the file at scale. Double-check phone numbers, URLs, and compliance language. Corrections after printing can add delay and cost.

How to review proofs and installation photos

Request final proofs before anything goes live. Once installation is complete, request installation photos showing daytime and, where relevant, nighttime views. Compare them to your expectations. Check that the creative displays correctly, the colors look accurate, and there are no unexpected obstructions. At Whistler, all of our billboards have cameras set up to not only help us react to any unforeseen issues quickly, but also help us provide Proof of Performance or POPs for our clients.

Keep these photos in your records. They are helpful for internal reporting, social media posts, and future planning when you review which locations worked best.

How to promote your billboard on digital channels

Once your board is live, let people know. Share photos on your social channels, email list, and website. Tag your location and explain why you chose that area. Encourage customers to share their own images when they see the board.

This simple step adds incremental reach at no extra media cost. It also helps you connect out-of-home activity to your online presence. Many advertisers see a lift in branded search when they promote new boards online.

How to measure billboard results and improve the next flight

Which metrics to track during a billboard campaign

Start with the basics. Track website sessions, call volume, and form submissions during the campaign window and compare them to a similar period before your boards went live. Watch for changes in branded search and direct traffic in analytics platforms.

If you use call-tracking numbers or unique URLs, monitor them as separate sources. For lead-driven businesses, track the number of qualified leads and closed deals during the campaign. Compare those metrics to the campaign's total cost to understand return on ad spend over time.

Simple ways to tie billboards to search and web traffic

Use a branded term or phrase on the board and then monitor that exact term in your search data. If you include a short URL, set up tags or a dedicated landing page to capture visitors. Match traffic spikes to installation dates and creative changes.

When you combine billboard exposure with strong search and web performance, you start to see how out-of-home supports your whole marketing mix. For a deeper look at long-term brand impact, you can reference thinking similar to Billboard Brand Marketing Payoff vs Short Term Cuts.

When to rotate creative or move locations

After your initial term, review performance and anecdotal feedback. If awareness is strong but response is lower than expected, you may need clearer calls to action or a stronger offer. If results are strong in one location and weaker in another, consider moving underperforming boards into stronger corridors.

It is normal to treat the first campaign as a learning phase. Use what you learn about timing, message, and placement to shape your next flight instead of starting from scratch.

Final thoughts on planning your first billboard campaign

Planning a billboard campaign is easier when you follow a straightforward process. Set goals, decide on a budget and term length, choose locations that match your customers, request detailed proposals, and keep your creative simple and consistent with your other marketing. Then launch, track, and improve each time you run.

Billboards are not only top-of-funnel awareness tools. They influence search, support digital campaigns, and help people remember your brand when it matters. With a structured plan and the steps outlined in this guide, your first billboard campaign can be a solid, repeatable part of your marketing mix.

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