Top 5 considerations for OOH media planning in 2023

Digital advertising may command a fair share of ad spend today, but 2023 is poised to usher in new changes

In the next year, advertising budgets will come under the microscope amidst rising inflation and concerns around global economic instability. As they do, marketers are looking to shake things up and broaden the funnel. This shift presents a new growth opportunity for out-of-home (OOH), a medium already on track to grow to $33.5 bn by 2023.

More marketers are looking to OOH for its ability to maximize audience reach and drive consumer action across other channels. At $3-$8 per thousand impressions, it’s an exceptional CPM value compared to online ($17.50). With audience segmentation and moment triggers via programmatic digital-out-of-home (DOOH), the medium also supports audience targeting that closely resembles online targeting. Continued programmatic developments in the space and increasing inventory digitization will only move the needle forward, making it easier to adapt DOOH campaigns to suit real-time contexts like weather and traffic.

Executed properly, pDOOH ads can help marketers connect with audiences on a new level. They provide the ultimate flexibility in an era where the ability to adjust campaign goals, budgets, and purchases on the fly is essential. To make the most out of the medium in 2023, check out these tips:

1) Explore the road less traveled

Roadside billboards may have put OOH on the map, but recent evolutions in the space are creating new inventory opportunities – from shopping centers and grocery stores to event venues, office buildings, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and beyond. Moreover, much of this inventory is available via programmatic platforms, making it easier to integrate into omnichannel campaigns.

Whether or not traditional roadside ads are appealing, now is the time to explore DOOH screens with high frequency and reach in areas where your competitors have yet to venture (i.e., In-store RMN displays, EV charging station screens, etc.). You should also seek out OOH inventory in venues where dwell times are longer (i.e., Link NYC kiosks, metro station information displays, health care waiting rooms, mall wayfinding kiosks, etc.).

At the same time, take advantage of technologically advanced inventory that can give you a visual edge, such as anamorphic displays or those that support high-quality live video streaming. If you choose to lean into anamorphic displays, the ads tend to have a higher price tag but are so unique, and can make a huge splash, so be sure to find ways to use social media to share and amplify the campaign.

Generally speaking, social media should be a consideration in any OOH campaign you book – anamorphic or not. The two play so well together that the term “social out-of-home” is popularizing. Footlocker recently launched a social-out of home campaign for the holidays that showcased its employees, and Outfront announced new social-out-of-home offerings at the end of November. We expect more developments like these to come.

2) Plan ahead

When OOH is a campaign planning afterthought, the execution often falls flat. You can get around this by bringing all the stakeholders together early when booking an omnichannel campaign with an OOH component or a standalone OOH campaign. Gather the agency, brand, and ad tech vendors, and collectively discuss the overall campaign goals, target audiences, and geographies. It will help ensure seamless campaign execution across various OOH displays and other media channels.

Also, consult with DOOH experts to establish the best campaign strategy and creative to match each platform to deliver on your goals, but be ready and willing to make changes on the fly. This could mean planning to combine audience-based and traditional POI (point of interest) buys, with unique day parting or a data trigger (such as weather) to reach your audience in the most relevant locations, at the right time, and with the right creative approach.

3) Be smart about your OOH budget

It’s no secret that digital ads are only getting more expensive. In an inflationary period, getting the most mileage out of your budget can be tricky depending on campaign goals (and the players advocating for placements). OOH ads provide one of the most cost-efficient ways to make an impact, but to get the most out of your OOH media spend, you need to incorporate it into your larger ad budget early.

At the same time, using OOH on an ongoing basis is the best way to enhance brand lift. Leave enough wiggle room in your budget for OOH advertising throughout the year so that you can capitalize on spontaneous opportunities. Establishing an always-on budget for OOH that you can access via programmatic tools enables you to flip the switch to scale campaigns as needed. There’s no more scrambling for budget because it’s already there.

4) Make the most out of your creative canvas

OOH can capture an audience’s attention in ways unmatched by mobile or banner ads. Although the size of its sprawling creative canvases can seem intimidating, that’s where the magic lies. It’s also important to remember that just because the canvas is large doesn’t mean the design and production fees need to be. Sometimes, you can get a lot of mileage out of a simplified version of your existing creative for OOH with less text and/or a QR code that drives audiences to your website, mobile app, or social media site.

While traditional OOH executions can be impactful in their own right, we’re also seeing more brands make a splash with anamorphic creative, interactive content, and other tactics. Making the content interactive in such a way further engages customers and can extend/deepen the activation, as we saw with the Netflix “Stranger Things” campaign earlier this year. It used outdoor ads across London to cue audiences into the secret location of a recreation of the series’ “Upside Down.”

5) Seek out the right media planning tools

Buying OOH media doesn’t have to be complicated. An intuitive demand-side-platform (DSP) like Broadsign Ads with a workflow built specifically for DOOH can go a long way in helping you easily navigate options and make choices that will generate a more significant ROI. If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for omnichannel campaign planning with DOOH, more than 40 DSPs offer access to premium inventory available on our SSP.

Whatever path you take, lookfor solutions that support the entire purchase, from planning to execution, with an added layer of industry of expertise and insights. Platforms that offer premium inventory and transparency are also vital. Furthermore, your team might also benefit from tools that allow you to set contextual parameters and data points for campaigns to target audiences at the right place and time within your budget.

If OOH isn’t already on your radar for 2023 media planning, it should be. It’s a tried and true medium and one of the most trusted today. OOH presents unprecedented brand-building capabilities, and a host of other advantages that can help you broaden your funnel at an incredible value compared to other channels. If you focus on the impact you want to make and your top campaign goal, you’re setting yourself up for success. For more tips on making the most out of OOH in campaign planning next year, click here.