The first billboard was invented in the 1830s, becoming a hugely popular way to advertise in the 1860s. Billboards have long been a staple in law firm advertising, featuring clean-cut lawyers smiling in a crisp suit, claiming to fight for justice and help you receive the compensation you deserve. In fact, it’s one of the top channels used in today’s legal industry. But who exactly is looking at these billboards, and how many new clients are you receiving from these advertisements? While a billboard can be an extremely effective channel for building brand recognition within a town or community, it’s still questionable if they are a cost-effective idea or just a nod to earlier times.
Today, they still comprise a large portion of the advertising market, although they’re not as wildly popular as they once were. If you’re thinking about adding billboard advertising to your law firm’s repertoire of marketing tactics, the advertising experts at The Hive are briefing you on some general issues that are slowly making this method a thing of the past within the legal industry.
Billboard Advertising: Pros and Cons
The idea behind a billboard is quite simple. Individuals drive by your ad, frequently if they’re following a regular travel pattern, and if they see a need for your business, they will call. According to an Arbitron National In-Car Study:
- 71% of Americans look at billboard messages while driving
- 37% reported looking at a billboard each or most of the time they pass one
- 26% noted a phone number written on a billboard
- and 28% registered a website address written on a billboard
While these figures seem promising, there are still some pros and cons to consider before you choose billboard advertising for your firm.
Pros:
- They can be cost-effective when compared to TV or radio ads
- Boosts brand recognition
- Establish a presence within a town or community
- Puts a face to a name
- Visually appealing way to capture an audience
- Can supplement radio and television ads
Cons:
- Space is minimal – word economy is important as you have minimal space to work with
- Can be costly – the cost of billboard advertising depends on many factors, including location, format, and demographics. In Pennsylvania, the average cost of a billboard is just over $2,500 a month but can reach upwards of $20,000 in larger markets
- Hard to target a specific audience
- Exposure time is limited
- Hard to track how it’s performing
- Can come off as unprofessional or cheesy to some audiences
While a billboard might seem like a good way for potential clients to reach you, it’s almost impossible to target an audience or follow up with leads. And because your ad can only be viewed for a second as they drive by, the messaging must be direct and to the point, which can prove to be difficult with a minimal amount of space.
Generate Better Results with Digital Advertising
With so many other channels to explore, especially in the digital age, your legal firm should invest in online advertising for lawyers. From PPC advertising to running strategic social media campaigns, your firm can reach an exponentially larger audience. When you partner with beMarketing, our team can target specific zip codes, age and income brackets, and areas of interest, ensuring you’ll be able to reach more clients than ever before. Advertising for lawyers is our specialty at The Hive. We understand that you’re working hard to attract new clients, win cases for your current clients, and help get them the justice they deserve. That leaves little time for you to focus on your legal firm’s marketing efforts. And that’s where we can help. We will help you put a variety of digital marketing strategies into motion so you can get the results your firm deserves. If you’re ready to get started on a project, let’s talk.
