According to Jolene Wiggins, Chief Marketing Officer at Gravy Analytics, unlike other types of data, location intelligence provides digital Out of Home (DOOH) advertisers with insights on where consumers go in the real world.
By understanding current consumer movement patterns, DOOH advertisers can not only find the best places to advertise but also gain significant insights into who is seeing digital billboards. Location intelligence that provides information about consumer foot traffic, interests and habits is a smart approach for achieving maximum ROI from DOOH advertising campaigns in a post-Covid world.
While it might be tempting to go back to billboard locations that have succeeded in the past, DOOH advertisers should first reevaluate ad placement using real-world data analytics.
Finding the right location
Digital billboards are a big investment for any business. Investing in ad placement shouldn’t be guesswork; otherwise, the risk of losing money and time is high. A location with high foot traffic might seem appealing, but it may not be the right fit. First, narrow down a list of locations where your business might want to advertise. Consider geofences for these locations. Then begin analysing consumer behavior patterns at these locations. Which areas are seeing the most or least amount of foot traffic? Once the top locations have been identified, it’s important to take a step back and dive into consumer interests.
Reaching the right consumers
After identifying high-traffic areas, DOOH advertisers should begin to drill down on top consumer personas. Personas aren’t just for online activity; they can be used to understand consumers’ offline activity as well. These customer profiles provide businesses with more in-depth information about the customer journey from ad exposure to purchase.
Consumer personas powered by location intelligence provide advertisers with a real-world understanding of consumer preferences. Each location will have different consumer personas, but there is always a possibility of overlap. The locations that reach more of your target personas (or audiences) will be the best fit for your ads. Savvy advertisers can take this one step further by using consumer personas to enrich their own customer data.
Retargeting and creative messaging
Once the DOOH campaign launches, it’s time to start monitoring ad performance. Is the ad reaching the right consumers? Should the messaging be adjusted? Outdated data and static messaging can hinder the success of any DOOH campaign. The introduction of new DOOH technology has only made it easier for advertisers to keep track of campaign performance and to adjust campaigns in real time. Real-world consumer insights gathered from location intelligence can help guide changes to creative messaging as consumer personas change around the ad location over time.
Consider how a data solution can help for retargeting campaigns as well. Before planning out creative, DOOH advertisers should compare current and historical customer data to determine which locations reach brand loyalists and which reach new customers. Through audience segmentation, the DOOH advertiser can then launch a retargeting campaign with messaging that appeals to each customer group.
Beyond the campaign launch
As the DOOH market continues to grow, advertisers will need to use real-world data to help brands choose the best locations and audiences for digital billboards. Ultimately, this data can improve campaign performance and ROAS, proving the value of DOOH campaigns to brand leaders. Location intelligence shouldn’t be an afterthought for DOOH advertisers looking to get ahead in the industry. Now is the time to start using real-world data to drive your DOOH advertising strategy.
This article appears in Digital Signage Today.
