In recent years, digital signage displays have become a common sight in city centres and shopping malls across the UK. From interactive in-store touch screen displays to colossal 48-sheet digital billboards, these eye-catching ad canvases are capturing the attention and imagination of customers and businesses all over the country.
What’s more, the rapid growth of digital signage appears to show no signs of slowing: the global market is currently in the region of £20 billion, and, with an anticipated CAGR of 6.3% over the next decade, analysts predict the market will be worth an astonishing £51 billion by 2023.
At present, the high installation and maintenance costs associated with digital billboard technology puts many of the most prominent sites in the hands of a select few publishers. As a result, many small- and mid-sized firms find they lack the experience, connections, or budget to target these firms and to get their business’ advertising materials on these digital signs.
This is where a media buying agency like The Bank can help. At The Bank, our marketing and media buying professionals have the knowledge, the expertise, and the industry know-how to get your images and advertising materials onto high-tech signs at various locations throughout the UK. Our bespoke locality analysis process allows us to develop the most cost-effective strategies for OOH advertising, while our network of accomplished creatives have the artistry and marketing savvy to get your ads looking great and generating tangible results.
Contact us today to learn more about our digital signage services, and in the meantime, take a look at our expert guide to all things digital!
How Do I Get My Ads on Digital Advertising Screens?
As mentioned, for companies new to the medium, the routes into the worlds of both indoor and outdoor digital signage can be unclear. This is particularly frustrating as the benefits of digital advertising screens are apparent from the moment they’re seen. These eye-catching, high-resolution panels are often in high-footfall locations, while their vivid colours and dynamic content dazzle audiences and offer the perfect platform for displaying branding messages. The statistics bear witness to this, with digital signage screens generating a recall rate of 83%, almost twice that which is offered by traditional advertising.
Closed Shop
Nevertheless, when it comes to utilising digital display screens as part of a business’ marketing campaign, there are some significant barriers to entry, including:
- High minimum investment, with uncertain returns and (in many cases) opaque performance reporting;
- Limited availability of digital billboard sites, with narrow options for locality targeting;
- Restrictions on the times and dates at which an advert will be displayed;
- Poor access to account services, with media publishers limiting sales to low-value clients.
Media Buying
Whilst from the perspective of media publishers these barriers are understandable, for the startup or small business looking to enter the space, they can feel insurmountable. This is why an increasing number of firms are choosing to retain the advertising services offered by a media buying firm.
At The Bank, we believe that marketing services represent an excellent investment for companies without in-house experience in this area. Our media buying team work tirelessly on behalf of our clients, liaising with media publishers and owners, negotiating rates, and ultimately covering the day-to-day operations of their digital screen campaigns on their behalf.
Furthermore, as a client of The Bank, you benefit from our firm’s increased purchasing power, meaning you can get your ads seen in digital screens for a fraction of the cost you’d pay were you to purchase them direct. As our client, you essentially have access to a larger pool of money for advertising, making it much cheaper to display your message in high-footfall locations or at major events.
The Types of Digital Displays
With a huge range of panel types to choose from, the modern advertiser is spoiled for choice when it comes to selecting a medium for screen-based advertising. However, whilst it might be tempting to go for the biggest, newest system you can find, it is essential to find the right signage solution for you, your business, your advertising goals, and your budget.
Take a look below for some info on the most common digital billboard and display screens available today:
Digital Billboards
Digital billboards are an extremely common sight on high streets and busy transit routes. Frequently wall-mounted, a digital billboard offers huge exposure to a range of audiences and potential customers.
As a media buyer, we work with partners such as Clear Channel, whose Billboard Live portfolio of 48-sheet digital billboards is found on 320+ screens across 70+ towns and cities. With prominent placement on busy arterial routes, their sites generate 23 million impacts every two weeks for businesses who choose their services.
Digital Posters
Like the 6-sheet poster display commonly found in bus stops and transit shelters, digital posters combine consumer familiarity with computer technology. Along with transit locations, digital sign formats are often wall-mounted in shopping centres, hung in retail or estate agents’ shop windows, or installed as stand-alone units.
Whilst printed 6-sheets are still far more common, screen-based billboard and ad display technology is slowly replacing this antiquated form in rural and suburban locations.
Touch Screen Displays
Touch screen displays are frequently found in shopping centres, allowing advertisers to communicate directly with consumers in an engaging and tactile way.
Employing state-of-the-art Bluetooth and social media connectivity, this sign technology is loaded with features that allow your brand to convey a message and—ultimately—generate sales.
Transport (Advans, Adbikes, and Digital Headrests)
From mobile digital billboards, to taxis and buses that install advertising screens within their headrests, the number of digital options for reaching customers via transit networks is huge.
Whichever form of advertising display you think will work best for you, contact us today to see how we can help.
The Benefits of Digital Advertising Display Screens
As we touched upon before, from the moment you first encounter a digital advertising billboard, the advantages are obvious; whether indoor or outdoor, digital ads grab your attention like nothing else!
Let’s look at some of these advantages in a little more depth:
Efficacy
As mentioned earlier, digital advertising displays provide supreme recall rates; what’s more, however, evidence also suggests there is a tangible link between digital billboard exposure and consumer spending, with 68% reporting that digital signage would make them more likely to buy an advertised product.
Control
Unlike traditional OOH advertising—which requires significant commitments with regards to campaign length and ad spend—when advertising via screens and OOH digital media, your brand has more complete control over the way in which customers will be exposed to materials. For example, let’s say you want to create a 6-sheet poster campaign:
Example: Traditional OOH Advertising
First of all, you need to produce your poster materials. This procedure is often time-consuming and expensive (not to mention environmentally unfriendly!)
At this point, you will approach your media buyer, who will often select sites based on convenience than on their efficacy for you as an advertiser.
With your advertising campaign up and running, you notice customer feedback is poor. To change you’re ads, you’ll need to go through the process of production and installation again—not ideal!
Example: Digital OOH Advertising
With a digital display campaign, you get to decide whether you advertise on multiple screens or on just one. No physical production or installation is needed, and installing your ads into digital displays is as easy as inserting a USB stick.
Need to make a change? No problem! With a digital display campaign, your images and video media files can be changed or updated with a simple upload. What’s more, with many of these digital signs favouring wi-fi connectivity over internal storage, switching out your campaign materials can be done remotely with the click of a button.
Passing Trade
If you are working in the retail space, digital screens used as window displays have been found to be extremely useful at generating passing trade. 63% of consumers report that digital signage catches their attention, while 42% of retail video viewers claimed that they would prefer to shop at stores that show engaging videos.
Point of Purchase
The efficacy of window screens has been replicated in studies of retail displays for indoor use.
Retail store displays at the point of purchase have been shown to influence 44% of consumers to purchase the advertised product instead of that which they’d already planned.
Even more fascinating is the number of retailers who are embracing a digital signage solution for combating perceived wait times; research indicates that video and digital images can reduce perceived wait times by as much as 35%.
Future-Proof
Encouraging news for shopping centres and city retailers is the overwhelming preference among Gen Z consumers to shop at a physical location.
For advertisers looking to employ digital signage, these screens can engage web and Bluetooth connectivity to communicate their brand message directly with these young consumers.
How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on Digital Display Panels?
Pricing a digital brand campaign is complicated. Size, location, rental period and artwork type all play a huge part in the amount you’ll pay.
As a rough guide, a 48-sheet digital billboard will usually cost between £250 and £350 per week (+VAT), while a 96-sheet campaign can cost £500 to £700 per week.
Economies of Scale
Whilst this may seem like an expensive proposition, if you choose The Bank to operate your billboard and digital advertising campaign, you’ll benefit from our increased buying power and relationships with media publishers.
One of the biggest influences on price is the loyalty and repeat business that the publisher feels they will get. As one of our clients, you’ll benefit from discounted rental and production rates that come from working with an agency that has a large roster of clients.
Call to Action
When it comes to digital advertising services, The Bank are the last agency you’ll ever need!
From campaign strategy and location analysis, to artwork design and performance tracking, as our client you will receive only the best service and ROI. We have unparalleled experience creating and developing OOH marketing campaigns, and our team will never let you down!
Whether you’re looking for a single digital billboard, or want to reach huge audiences through a nationwide billboards campaign, our experts are here to guide you through every step of the process.
Give us a call today! We can’t wait to get started!
