The Billboard Buzz

The High Price of Being Ignored Missed Impressions = Missed Opportunities A billboard may be in the perfect location, but if it’s hard to read or visually cluttered, you’ve wasted that high-traffic real estate. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), billboards generate an ad recall of 70% or more  when done right, but poor design can reduce that by more than half. The Speed Test: You Have 5 Seconds Drivers glance at billboards for an average of 5–7 seconds . If your design doesn’t communicate instantly, it fails. Fonts that are too small, images without context, or excessive text can all compromise clarity. Brand Erosion Over Time Consistently bad creative does more than waste money—it hurts your brand. Billboards are large-format reputation builders. A blurry, dull, or awkward design makes your company look unprofessional, even if your service is excellent. The Most Common Creative Mistakes 1. Too Much Text Your bill...

Americans are back on the move—and that’s good news for anyone in the billboard business. Whether you're running roadside bulletins or transit-based ads, more eyes are now passing your messages every single day. After a few shaky years of uncertainty around travel habits and commuting patterns, the numbers from early 2025 are giving advertisers something they haven’t seen in a while: real, sustained momentum. Let’s break down what’s happening and why it matters for out-of-home advertising. Road Traffic Keeps Climbing According to the Federal Highway Administration’s April 2025 Traffic Volume Trends Report , total travel on all U.S. roads grew by 1.5% compared to April 2024. That means more cars on the road and more potential impressions for roadside billboard campaigns. This growth isn’t just a one-off, either. From January through April 2025, cumulative vehicle travel is up 0.8% compared to the same time last year. Here’s a regional breakdown o...

If You’re Not Ready, You’re Already Behind Search has officially entered a new era—and it’s not subtle. With Google’s AI Mode now fully rolled out and Deep Search picking up steam, the way people search (and how Google responds) has changed. This shift is more than a feature update—it’s a complete reconfiguration of the search engine behavior we’ve been optimizing for over 20 years. If you're running SEO the same way you were even six months ago, you're leaving visibility—and conversions—on the table. We’ve been tracking this transition across live campaigns, watching as traffic patterns shift, user behavior evolves, and traditional strategies become obsolete. The takeaway is clear: businesses that adapt now are gaining ground quickly. Those waiting for “proof” are already watching rankings fade. Let’s break down what’s changing and how you can pivot before it’s too late. AI Mode: Search Just Got Smarter (and Tougher) Google’s AI Mode isn’t ju...

Digital Billboards Earn Five Times More Attention Than Online Ads If you work in advertising, you know the attention game keeps getting harder every year. Online ads are everywhere but easy to ignore, and most brands are stuck fighting for a few fleeting seconds in crowded digital feeds. However, a new study from the UK has just flipped that script—and the results are significant for anyone investing in billboards or digital out-of-home (DOOH) media. A major research report, titled “The Attention Dividend,” released by Ocean Outdoor in partnership with Lumen Research, shows that premium large-format digital billboards don’t just stand out—they win the attention battle by a landslide. We’re talking five times more attention than typical online ads. In today’s media world, that kind of impact isn’t just a win for brand recall, it’s a serious driver of long-term business growth. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the research, including what the numbers mean for brands and...

Budgets Are Tight, But Bulletins Are Booming Ad budgets are shrinking. Attribution is more complex than ever. And digital platforms are drowning in noise and inflated pricing. Yet, one channel is standing tall above the rest—literally. According to the latest June 2025 Select Media & Entertainment Activity Report from Media Monthly, bulletins in the out-of-home (OOH) category deliver the lowest cost per thousand impressions (CPM) among all advertising channels, ranging from $3 to $10. That makes them the most cost-efficient large-scale advertising format in the game right now. Quick Note: What Is CPM, Exactly? CPM stands for Cost Per Mille , or Cost Per Thousand Impressions . It’s one of the most common ways to measure the efficiency of advertising. A $10 CPM means you’re paying $10 every time 1,000 people see your ad . Lower CPMs mean you’re reaching more people for less money, which is precisely why bulletins are getting so much attention in 2025. How Bu...

Marketing in a Crunch Year Marketers are under pressure in 2025. Budgets are tighter. Channels are noisier. And proving ROI is now a top priority, not a bonus. Nielsen’s 2025 Annual Marketing Report , based on feedback from 1,400 global marketers, outlines a clear shift: every dollar must now work harder and smarter. And yet—amid this crunch—out-of-home (OOH) advertising is rising. Billboards are gaining more interest, more investment, and more strategic relevance. It’s a sharp turn away from the idea that OOH is outdated. It may be one of the most underutilized tools in a modern marketer’s toolkit. What’s Driving Marketing Strategy in 2025? Budgets Are Down. Scrutiny Is Up. According to Nielsen, 54% of marketers plan to reduce ad spending in 2025 . That stat holds across all regions and industries. The global economy remains shaky, and brands are being pressured to deliver more with less. That means marketers are laser-focused on: Efficiency Cha...

Search engines have always shaped the way businesses market themselves. The landscape is shifting dramatically, from Google's dominance to AI-driven search like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE). Digital marketers are now faced with a critical question: How can their offline marketing strategy, especially billboards, adapt to keep their brand visible? If your business depends heavily on website traffic generated through search engines, recent changes are probably causing you headaches. Google’s latest AI enhancements and new search interfaces significantly reduce website clicks. This shift, known as "zero-click searches," means users get answers right on the search page without visiting your website. However, there’s an effective tool to offset these digital challenges: billboards . Why Search Engine Changes Matter Search engines have long been a dependable traffic source. Historically, businesses have relied heavily on clicks generate...