Watchfire Blog

  • Digital Billboard Timeline: Technological Advancements Lead to Profitability

    Okay, let's everyone hop into the tardis and go back in time a little bit. Quiz: What Year Was It? President Reagan passed away. Facebook made its debut. Shrek 2 was tops at the box office. Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunctioned. A gallon of gas only cost $2.00. And the Red Sox ended the Curse of the Bambino.

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  • Using Digital Billboards to Outsmart Your Competition

    Last year, I had the pleasure of talking with dozens of digital billboard operators throughout the United States. With more than 250 independent operators as customers, I often hear about the challenges operators face and best practices they employ to succeed, whether they are installing their very first digital billboard or already have many in operation. No matter the size of the company or their market, these operators are forecasting future sales, choosing locations and developing sales strategies to determine if digital is the right choice for them. There are three important developments that I think will contribute to a competitive advantage for digital billboard operators in 2013:

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  • Target Signs Converts Six Billboards to Digital

    Target Signs, the premier outdoor advertising company in Gillette, Wyo., has made the move to digital in a big way. Converting six static faces at once to digital billboards from Watchfire Digital Outdoor, headquartered in Danville, Ill., Target Signs owner Ken Musser has made a bold step forward for his business and for outdoor advertising in the state.

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  • Boosting Digital Billboard Returns: The Magic is in Multiples

    As billboard operators convert static faces to digital, a key question is often how best to optimize to the perfect number of advertiser "slots." For someone new to digital billboards, the ideal rotation — six to eight advertiser slots with hold times ranging from five to 10 seconds before advancing to the next slot in the rotation — may be a typical starting point.

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  • Digital Billboard Inventory - Using Empty Space to Your Advantage

    In the past few months we’ve talked with independent operators about sales calls they’ve made on small, local advertisers. To no one’s surprise, many business owners have said they are holding tight to their surplus cash. If they do decide to invest that cash in advertising, it will have to be in a medium that has shown a proven return. Of course, because digital billboards are the new kid on the block, most local advertisers have yet to try us, and don’t have experience to fall back on. Instead of a roadblock, we view this as an opportunity.

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