How to Measure Billboard Advertising ROI

Measuring return on investment is important for any advertising campaign. Billboard advertising is no different, but it requires a different approach than online marketing.

Unlike digital ads, billboard advertising influences people over time. The impact is often indirect and happens after repeated exposure. This makes measuring billboard advertising ROI less obvious, but still possible when the right methods and metrics are used.

Understanding how billboard advertising ROI works helps businesses make better decisions, set clear goals, and improve future campaigns.

What is billboard advertising ROI?

Billboard advertising ROI refers to the value a business gains from a billboard campaign compared to the cost of running that campaign. This value is not limited to direct sales or immediate actions. Billboard advertising often influences people over time.

ROI for billboard advertising can include brand awareness, website visits, store traffic, phone calls, online searches, and long term customer trust. Because billboards are seen repeatedly during daily travel, their impact builds gradually rather than instantly.

Understanding billboard ROI requires looking at both visible actions and indirect results that appear after exposure.

Why is measuring billboard advertising ROI different?

Measuring billboard advertising ROI is different from digital advertising because billboards operate offline and influence behavior over time.

When people see a billboard, they usually do not take action right away. They may remember the brand and act later by searching online, visiting a store, or making a purchase days or weeks after seeing the advertisement.

Billboards also rely on repetition. A single view may not create impact, but repeated exposure strengthens memory and trust. This makes billboard ROI more cumulative rather than immediate.

Another difference is that billboard advertising reaches people passively. Viewers are not actively looking for ads, which makes attribution more complex but also increases brand recall.

What metrics are used to measure billboard advertising ROI?

Multiple metrics are used to measure billboard ROI because no single metric tells the full story. Each metric highlights a different part of the customer journey.

Reach and impressions

Reach measures how many unique people are likely to see the billboard. Impressions measure how many total views the billboard receives over a specific period.

These metrics help estimate exposure and visibility. They are useful for understanding audience size but do not measure engagement or action.

Brand awareness lift

Brand awareness lift measures how well people remember a brand after seeing a billboard. This is often measured using surveys, brand recall studies, or post campaign interviews.

An increase in brand awareness shows that the billboard message is being noticed and remembered.

Website traffic changes

Website traffic can increase during a billboard campaign, especially when a short website address is displayed on the billboard.

Traffic spikes during and after the campaign often indicate interest generated by billboard exposure.

Branded search growth

Branded search growth tracks how often people search for a brand name online. An increase in branded searches during a campaign suggests that people remember the billboard and want to learn more.

This metric is especially useful for awareness focused campaigns.

Foot traffic data

Foot traffic data measures visits to physical locations after billboard exposure. This is often tracked using mobile location data.

This metric is useful for retail stores, restaurants, and local businesses that rely on in-person visits.

Direct ROI vs indirect ROI in billboard advertising

Billboard ROI can be divided into two main categories. Direct ROI and indirect ROI.

Direct billboard ads ROI

Direct ROI refers to actions that can be tracked clearly and linked to the billboard.

Examples include:

·       Phone calls from a dedicated call tracking number

·       Visits from a short or unique website address

·       QR code scans

·       Coupon redemptions

Direct ROI is easier to measure but usually represents only a small portion of total billboard impact.

Indirect billboard ads ROI

Indirect ROI refers to outcomes that influence future behavior rather than immediate action.

Examples include:

·       Increased brand familiarity

·       Higher trust and credibility

·       Improved recall during purchase decisions

·       Long term customer loyalty

Indirect ROI is harder to measure but is often the primary benefit of billboard advertising.

Common methods to track billboard advertising ROI

Different tracking methods are used depending on campaign goals. Using more than one method usually provides better insight.

QR codes

QR codes allow people to scan the billboard using a mobile phone and visit a specific landing page.

This method works well for events, promotions, and limited time offers. However, it only tracks users who take immediate action.

Short website addresses

Short website addresses make it easier for people to remember and visit a site later. This method captures delayed actions and works well for brand awareness and product campaigns.

Call tracking numbers

Call tracking uses unique phone numbers to measure incoming calls from a billboard. This method is effective for service based businesses such as healthcare, real estate, and home services.

Location based tracking

Location based tracking measures foot traffic changes by analyzing mobile device movement data. This method is commonly used for stores, restaurants, and dealerships to measure in store visits.

Surveys and brand studies

Surveys help measure brand recall, message understanding, and perception changes. This method is useful when the main campaign goal is awareness rather than direct response.

What is a good ROI for billboard advertising?

A good ROI depends on the purpose of the campaign. For brand awareness campaigns, success is measured by increased recall, reach, and branded searches rather than direct sales.

For action focused campaigns, success is measured by calls, visits, leads, or purchases. Local billboard campaigns often see results faster due to smaller target areas. National campaigns usually focus more on long term brand growth.

How long does it take to see billboard advertising ROI?

Billboard advertising ROI typically builds over time.

Initial responses such as website visits or calls may appear within the first few weeks. Strong brand recall and awareness often develop after one to two months of continuous exposure.

Longer campaigns generally produce better results because repeated views strengthen memory and recognition.

Challenges in measuring billboard advertising ROI

Measuring billboard ROI comes with several challenges.

·       Viewers may see the billboard multiple times before acting

·       Actions may occur long after exposure

·       People may interact with multiple marketing channels

Because of these factors, billboard ROI should be evaluated using multiple metrics rather than relying on a single measurement.

How billboard advertising ROI connects with cost and effectiveness?

ROI should always be reviewed alongside campaign cost and overall effectiveness.

Understanding billboard advertising costs helps businesses set realistic expectations.

Reviewing the effectiveness of billboard advertising provides insight into awareness and recall impact.

Advertisers who want advanced tracking options often explore digital billboard capabilities {What Are Digital Billboards and How Do They Work?} for greater flexibility.

Final thoughts on measuring billboard advertising ROI

Measuring billboard advertising ROI requires patience and a broad perspective.

Billboards influence people gradually through repeated exposure and visibility. Success should be evaluated using awareness, engagement, and action based metrics together.

When the right tracking methods are applied and results are reviewed over time, billboard advertising ROI becomes clearer and more valuable for future campaigns.

FAQs

What is billboard advertising ROI?

Billboard advertising ROI is the value a business gains from a billboard campaign compared to its cost. This value can include brand awareness, website visits, store traffic, phone calls, and long term customer interest.

Can billboard advertising ROI be measured accurately?

Yes, billboard advertising ROI can be measured using multiple methods. These include website traffic tracking, call tracking, foot traffic data, branded search growth, and brand awareness studies. Using more than one metric improves accuracy.

Why is billboard advertising ROI harder to measure than digital advertising?

Billboard advertising ROI is harder to measure because billboards work offline and influence people over time. Most viewers do not take immediate action, and results often appear days or weeks after exposure.

What metrics are most important for billboard advertising ROI?

The most important metrics include reach, impressions, brand awareness lift, website traffic changes, branded search growth, phone calls, and foot traffic. The right metrics depend on campaign goals.

How long does it take to see billboard advertising ROI?

Billboard advertising ROI usually appears gradually. Some actions may happen within a few weeks, while brand awareness and recall often improve after one to two months of continuous exposure.

What is considered a good ROI for billboard advertising?

A good ROI depends on campaign objectives. Brand awareness campaigns focus on recall and visibility, while performance focused campaigns measure calls, visits, or sales. There is no single benchmark that fits all campaigns.

Can billboard advertising ROI include brand awareness?

Yes, brand awareness is a major part of billboard advertising ROI. Increased brand recognition, trust, and recall often lead to future customer actions even if they are not immediate.

Do QR codes help measure billboard advertising ROI?

QR codes help measure immediate engagement by tracking scans. They are useful for promotions and events but do not capture the full impact of billboard exposure.

How do businesses track store visits from billboards?

Businesses track store visits using location based foot traffic data. This data shows whether visits increase during and after a billboard campaign in nearby areas.

Should billboard ROI be measured using one metric only?

No, billboard ROI should not be measured using a single metric. Combining awareness, engagement, and action based metrics provides a clearer and more accurate view of campaign performance.