How digital billboards work?

Edits and updates to a billboard campaign will likely vary for each business, but overall the components to building a new billboard are uniform. We’re reviewing how billboards are made and how they can be enhanced to produce the most effective billboard marketing campaign.

Making a billboard is a process that consists of several key steps and a variety of different choices. Each one of the steps and choices that comprise the process of making a billboard is incredibly important and allows for a successful billboard marketing campaign.

Every billboard is designed to convey a very particular message that leads to a very particular result. Results such as “more website viewers” and “more people calling in”. But, as mentioned, in order for this result to be obtained a billboard must convey a message that entices people to engage with the offer in a way that leads to the desired results.

Once the intended results are known, a message must be formulated, for the billboard, so that those results can be created. Ideally, this message is clear, concise, and easily conveyable using visuals and as few words as possible.

Marketing messaging usually determines the mood and setting that the billboard can prove to be most effective. If humor is an underlying theme within the billboard messaging, bright colors might enhance the imagery and, thus, make it stand out a little more. Similarly, if the attempted theme is serious or professional, colors may correlate with these emotions. Hiring an expert graphics team that is experienced in billboard creativity is especially crucial because visual aids are one of the highest priorities. A good billboard makes use of the medium’s visual nature to entice and engage the viewer — who is most likely driving their car — so that they will then engage with what is being offered.

After the billboard has been designed, it must be set-up. Setting up the billboard involves several key choices. Choices such as choosing the material that the billboard will be made of, choosing where your billboard will be displayed, and choosing how long your billboard will be displayed.

Most billboards rely either on paper or vinyl, due to the strength and affordability of those materials. Of course, there are digital billboards and, as mentioned earlier, hand-painted billboards. Both options are also valid, but billboards made of paper or vinyl are far more conventional.

More often than not, a billboard made of those materials will need to measure 48-feet in width, and 14-feet in height. The reason for this is because most billboard frames possess those measurements, due to it being an industry standard. But, there are plenty of billboard frames that have different measurements, which is why it’s important to know where the billboard will be located before printing.

A standard billboard contract lasts for at least one month. If the billboard is doing well, then the contract should be extended, but if it isn’t, then the billboard should be revised or moved somewhere else.

To better explain how billboards work, here are the most important factors that make billboards an excellent part of an advertising campaign.

Billboards work by using a giant print to market a particular brand, product, or campaign. Ideally, billboards are placed in high-traffic areas to increase brand awareness.

It is estimated that a person sees about 1,000 advertisements daily, with only 7 that can be remembered. Therefore, if you drive a car every day, you will see many billboard ads.

Now that we have a fair idea of how billboards work, there are vital factors that you need to keep in mind that affect their cost. So here are some tips for creating an eye-catching billboard.

We must be cautious when creating a billboard because not all are good for your brand; several factors make an excellent and coveted billboard.

Every billboard consists of three major facets. The frame that holds the billboard, the billboard itself, and the electrical mechanisms that illuminate the billboard. If one of these facets was missing from a billboard, then the billboard medium would be very different.

How are billboards made and what is the process during the physical build? Most billboards are supported by tall steel poles that hold up a large frame. To support the large frame, the steel poles are designed for durability and longevity, relying on stainless steel to support both the frame and the billboard that it holds.

Right at the top of the steel poles, there’s the frame itself. Within this frame, a billboard can be held, as well as various pieces of lighting and electrical equipment. These components are particularly vital as they allow the billboard to display an ad for longer periods rather than just in daylight.

All across the surface of the frame, there’s a material known as “facing”. Facing allows the art that comprises the billboard to be attached to the frame. Large sheets of paper or vinyl artwork are spread across the frame’s surface.

Most billboards rely on using printed sheets of paper and vinyl, rather than hand-painting the frame of a billboard because it’s much cheaper. But, there are still a variety of hand-painted billboards around, and many of them are quite popular due to the fact that they are hand-painted.

To illuminate the billboard, there are lighting and electrical systems embedded within the frame and right outside of it. Most of these lighting and electrical systems rely on automatic timers because it’s far more convenient than manual activation.

In answering the question, how are billboards made, you must also account for their continued maintenance.

Maintaining a print billboard is quite easy, due to the fact that print billboards rely on very few individual components and facets. Most print billboards are made of strong and durable materials that last for a considerable amount of time. Unless a billboard has been displayed for a very long time, it’s unlikely that fresh sheets of paper or vinyl will be needed.

Maintaining a digital billboard is far more complex, due to the variety of systems and components that comprise a digital billboard.

What can be problematic, though, is the lighting systems that billboards rely on. If a bulb goes out, then that bulb must be replaced. If the lighting system is damaged, then it must be repaired. Without the proper lighting, drivers will be unable to see the billboard at night.

Maintaining a digital billboard is quite different from maintaining a print billboard. Digital billboards rely on complex hardware and software, all of which must be maintained on a regular basis. Most of the time, digital billboard maintenance consists of things like making sure the software is up-to-date, that the display is set-up properly, that each cord and cable is connected, and that the billboards are being displayed in the manner intended.

These displays can be remotely controlled using a screen management software. These software allow changing content in real time, eliminating the need for physical interactions with the hardware.

Unlike traditional billboards, their electronic counterparts are several times more efficient in grabbing the passerby’s attention. You can quickly update the content, launch large-scale ad campaigns across multiple locations, play dynamic videos, and live media, and even make the billboards interactive.

Billboard advertisers have seen a massive increase in numbers thanks to the boom of digital outdoor media over the last few years. But this isn’t the sole contributor. Billboard advertisers earn an average of $5000 per location at the lowest end on leasing out their space (more appropriately screens). The numbers can go up higher depending on the type and location of the billboard.

Outdoor digital billboards come in all shapes and sizes. Let’s see a few of the most popular types.

Flat-screen LED billboard

The typical guy we see at all crossroads, skywalks, and bridges!

These electronic displays use an array of light-emitting valves as pixels with an auto-adjusting brightness technology that makes the content visible during the day and even from afar. Most digital billboards around the globe are flat-screen LED displays for advertising purposes.

3D Digital billboard

3D digital display boards combine 3D technology with conventional signage players. These combine two images of an object taken from distinct angles and put them together, making our left and right eyes perceive the visual as one with more depth.

3D digital boards have found success across marketing channels; these are the hot-trending advertising medium!

Interactive billboards

If you thought billboards couldn’t be made interactive, here is a wildly creative billboard campaign that will open your eyes.

On 5th March 2015, Women’s Aid installed a sentient digital billboard in the UK to raise awareness about domestic violence against women. It showed a woman’s battered face, and the longer people looked at it, the screen could sense that, and gradually the bruises cleared. In the end, the woman said thank you to the viewers.

With various motion sensors, face detection technology, and voice activation, any screen, big or small, can be turned into an interactive display.

QR code technology is another easy way to make digital billboards useful for viewers and brands alike. These QR codes aren’t just the gateway to access an interest-stirring product but a tool to analyze how many people are intrigued and spend time searching about your business or what you make! Through digital signage analytics , companies can gather intelligence on the total number of scans and most active hours of the day, which could help you analyze how to optimize your ads!

Watch how Subway campaigned for their subs using QR codes on digital billboards:

Mobile digital billboard

Mobile billboard trucks are fitted with digital screens on all three sides, showing up advertisements, often programmatic ads, based on the vehicle’s real-time location.

For example, in the middle of a crowded subway on a hot summer’s noon, you might spot a truck displaying great offers from the nearest cafe offering the most refreshing mocktails! Heading to your neighborhood mall for some retail therapy? Who knows when you might watch a truck taking rounds showing the latest discounts and 1-on-1 freebies at the store about a mile farther? That’s mobile digital billboards for you!

A digital billboard displays the content you have prepared on an electronic display rather than on a vinyl board. A digital billboard works using three chief components― the Hardware, the Software, and the Content.

A. Hardware

Your hardware consists of two essential components—

B. Software

Next comes the brain of your digital billboard― the digital billboard software. This software is the content management platform that allows managing your billboard screens and publishing media files to the network.

Nowadays, most billboard software platforms are hosted online, giving admins immense flexibility to access their dashboards and remotely change the content from any geographic location.

C. Content

Finally, it is your content that rules! A digital billboard screen can show several kinds of content, such as images, social media posts, scrolling text, animations and more. Modern digital billboard software lets users publish live content like real-time weather updates, traffic updates, and news flash.

The cost of setting up a digital billboard depends on the type of screen, location, and kind of technology. Usually, 3D electronic displays cost between $1200 to $15,000/month; standard LED displays can fall in the lower bracket of $750/month.

Billboard advertisements have always caught our attention thanks to their larger-than-life appeal. But for businesses, what makes them so effective? Let’s find out!

• Simplicity is the key to creating great out-of-home design. A billboard's main purpose is functionality.
• Make the Text Large.
• Use Bold, Non-Serif Fonts.
• Stick to One Message or Idea.
• Be Short and Sweet.
• Color.
• Avoid White Backgrounds.
• Use bright, bold colors.

With everyone competing for a bigger market share, setting up an LED Billboard for your business can definitely give you a competitive advantage and help level up your game!

LED billboards can be costly, so if you want to learn more about factors that can impact the cost of digital displays, check out our article on the subject.

If you just want to learn more about how LED billboards work in advertising, we have put together some information based on our 25+ years of service in the industry.Before we dive in, let us go over some basic information for those needing background details.

LED Billboards, also known as Digital Billboards, are digital displays made up of tiny lights called Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). These tiny diodes come in three colors—red, green, and blue (RGB)—and work together to form a pixel.

There are two main types of LED modules.

Generally speaking, DIP LED Display Modules are used outdoors, and SMD LED Display Modules are used indoors, however technology has improved over the years where SMD is now bright enough to be a great outdoor solution as well. Anything 16mm and greater will be DIP and anything below 16mm will be SMD.

Since LED billboards work in both environments, they make a flexible and excellent signage solution.

Amazingly, a nearly endless number of colors can be created just by changing the intensity of the individual color diodes, resulting in the classic, eye-popping look that you see in LEDs.

And that is pretty much the cornerstone of how they work.

Everything you see advertised on LED billboards operates off this principle of color mixing.

It naturally follows that LED billboards utilize this technology to create large advertising displays. Of course, the technology itself is quite complex, even though the basics are simple.

For more information, you can call us at 702-909-6059. We will be happy to answer any questions you have!

We provide all the information you need regarding LED screen types, recommended minimum viewing distances, optimal resolution, and more.

Usually, when you want to get an LED billboard, you find a supplier, put in your order, and then keep your fingers crossed, hoping they deliver the product to your specifications.

With projects in over 112 countries and 50,000 successful installs, we save you time by manufacturing what you need exactly, which beats having to search for a reliable manufacturer.

Programming an image or video onto an LED billboard is the next step once you have received your LED billboard and created your advertisement. Digital LED billboards use software to adjust their displays and determine advertisement run times.

During the programming process, you get to pick whether you want the screen to be synchronized to an input source or sent to a control card. Changes can be made using the modem connected to the billboard.

Installing your LED billboard is not the final phase of the project. Natural wear and tear will definitely impact the quality of your LED billboard, and you will want to make sure it does not sustain significant damage over time.

We provide ongoing services for our clients to keep their digital signage in top shape.

Digital billboards work by emitting light through LEDs. On most digital billboards, each individual dot of color is created by using a single red, green and blue LED. By varying the brightness in each color, any color in the spectrum can be created.