When you hear (or see) the words “Digital Media” what comes to your mind?
Websites, TikTok videos, YouTube videos, graphic design, emails, streaming platforms, etc. Something like that, right? That’s valid. Those are all correct. Especially when it comes to digital marketing.
There’s one touchpoint of digital media marketing that no one seems to be talking about but it’s quickly becoming one of the most valuable messaging channels in 2023. Digital Out-of-Home Media or DOOHM.
What is DOOH?
Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising is one of the fastest growing messaging options. It consists of digital screens located in public spaces. They are popping up everywhere. Billboards, shopping malls, train stations, grocery stores, elevators, anywhere you can imagine a poster could be placed, a digital screen can replace it.
DOOH is not a new channel but it’s been slow growing as it relies on the physical infrastructure of screens to be in place. This adoption has been rapidly accelerating over the past decade. The number of digital billboards increased 43% between 2016 and 2020.
As more of these screens are installed the more enticing a programmatic DOOH advertising approach becomes.
What Advantage Does DOOH Offer?
Traditionally digital marketing takes place through the portal internet connectivity. A person must be actively on their phone, in front of their computer, or in front of their TV to see your advertisements.
DOOH exists outside of the box and projects your messaging into the “real” world. There’s no ad-blocker that can restrict visibility of your content. There’s no stop-the-scroll battle for users’ attention like on saturated social media platforms.
For brick-and-mortar businesses, this means they can own the means of their own messaging distribution. Investing in digital screens that can be updated constantly is more effective than repeatedly printing physical media to advertise at their location.
Our research has shown that DOOH ads hold attention 2x longer on average over social media ads. From 3 seconds to 6 seconds. 62% of people say they’ve noticed ads on digital billboards.
Billboards and posters are nothing new so what’s the big deal just because it’s on a screen instead of on paper? It’s the cost. Instead of investing in physical print material you purchase air time on a specific screen at a specific time.
At the time of this article, DOOH has an over supply of digital screens for the current demand of ad space. This means a great deal of savings for businesses and advertisers!
What Are The Disadvantages of DOOH?
While DOOH is a digital medium it still requires physical real estate to operate. The screen infrastructure requires real-time connective access to update the content being displayed and any bugs in this system could lead to down time. Since many of these screens are outside they can also be damaged, meaning you could be paying for your ad to be shown on a broken screen.
Unlike traditional digital marketing, DOOH ad results are impossible to measure with the same degree of accuracy. This means you cannot target specific audiences or have them directly enter any sort of online sales funnel. For example, you can’t track website traffic and attribute it to DOOH since there is no digital footprint to follow.
DOOH advertising is a slower process than traditional digital marketing channels. The buying process is typically longer. It takes longer for the content to go live on the screens. While in theory the medium allows you to A/B test creative, the lack of tangible metrics makes this process harder to nail down.
Laws for DOOH differ greatly from county to county in the United States. Some places will allow video to be shown on digital billboards, others restrict you to only static images at fixed levels of brightness. This makes designing creative for DOOH a challenge if you’re unfamiliar with the exact area you intend to advertise.
Should You Consider A DOOH Option?
We don’t believe DOOH is a perfect fit for every brand and business. If your business already utilizes a billboard or print strategy then DOOH is the next logical step for you. A business that services a fixed local area would greatly benefit from DOOH. A brand that targets a wide audience market (i.e. all women ages 24-35) would also be a perfect fit for DOOH.
If you are interested in exploring more about what DOOH can offer you, visit us online at 6fimedia.com