Outdoor vs Radio

A common topic of discussion among advertisers is whether billboards provide better ROI than radio advertising. It turns out that billboards actually provide better ROI than radio AND TV commercials and do so even when the radio and TV campaigns run longer than billboard campaigns!

In a 2003 study by The World Association of Research Professionals, it was found that radio and billboards drive similar amounts of traffic volume (radio being slightly higher), but billboards significantly outpaced radio in terms of pure ROI. Statistics and experimental conditions aside, there are a few simple reasons for this:

• Billboards are more cost effective compared to radio for the coverage offered.
• A listener can change a radio channel when interrupted, but a viewer cannot change a billboard when interrupted and is compelled to absorb the message.
• Each medium appeals to a different physical sense: radio appeals to hearing, and billboards appeal to vision, and this matters when it comes to making buying decisions.

The study also found that what billboard advertising earns in the short term would take radio advertising months or even as long as a year to yield the same return which demonstrates that billboards are not only better than radio in terms of raw ROI, but they’re also better if you want to see quicker returns.

Given the various media outlets today like Google, radio, magazines and TV commercials, it can be tricky to determine which performs best in comparison to others. Yet one thing is for certain: billboards are time-tested, tried and true and continue to bring revenue and brand awareness for advertisers around the globe.

Sold on the idea of billboard advertising? Give Accel Advertising a call today and learn more about how we can showcase your brand to the world.