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Being able to identify where your target market is gives you the unique opportunity to target them more specifically than most. A lot of consumers commute, especially for businesses that are targeting professional customers or B2B clients, and that gives you what is effectively a captive audience. So, what can you do to reach them? Here, we’re going to look at some of the most effective means of reaching an audience on the move, and the benefits of each.
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Don’t Underestimate Posters And Billboards
Commuters, whether on foot, in the car, or on the bus, are going to be much more likely to come into contact with highly visible physical marketing. Billboards and bus stop ads, for instance, are amongst the most effective ways to reach them due to their high visibility. Positioned in high-traffic areas and often designed to be in a large visual format, these are designed to grab attention, especially during routine journeys where customers are a lot more likely to notice what stands out about their usual route. Your time to make an impact is limited, so bold colors, short messages, and strong visuals tend to be the most effective way to make a lasting impact. With QR codes and social handles, you can integrate them into your online strategies, as well.
Put It On Some Wheels
Billboards aren’t the only way to get big-format visibility in public spaces, either. Turning vehicles into mobile marketing platforms can do a lot of good in exposing as many people as possible to your marketing message. This can include investing in custom wraps or decals for your own vehicles, but you should also consider investing in bus advertising, not only because it offers a lot more room for your brand, but also because it spends a lot more time on the road and is likely to travel much further afield than your own vehicles. Expanding your geographic reach can expose your brand to thousands every day, and lend it a degree of legitimacy and trust, building recognition amongst your audience.
Hit The Airwaves
You should focus not just on how you can appear outside of your target audience’s vehicles during their commute, but how you can share the ride with them, as well. Radio is still one of the most powerful channels for reaching audiences who are driving to and from work. People still tune in when they’re on the road, be it in their own car or on public transport, and crafting radio ads that resonate with them emotionally, tell a good story, or even just get stuck in their head with a jingle can be highly effective. Radio is even more effective for local advertising, as getting on local stations tends to be a lot more budget-friendly on top of it all.
Don’t Forget About Podcasting
Radio’s star has slightly dimmed as a result of the rise of podcasting. Audiences are a lot more able to tune into the things they want to hear during their commute, but this also opens up a new modern marketing strategy for brands. If you have a niche product or service, then finding podcasts that align strongly with that niche can help you target your audience much more specifically. Aside from sponsoring podcasts in order to get ad reads, you might even be able to appear on some podcasts yourself to represent your team, brand, and product directly. You need to think about what kind of content your audience is most likely to listen to, as it’s the B2B and professional class customers who are more likely to listen to service providers directly.
Use Geolocation To Your Advantage
Mobile advertising through social media and other online advertising networks allows you to reach commuters digitally while they’re scrolling on their phones. This can be particularly effective for those who tend to rely on public transport like trains or buses. With geotargeting and behavioral data, you can get even more specific, delivering personalized ads to those who might be traveling near or to the location of your store, for instance. These campaigns are highly flexible and trackable, so you can see when the peak times are and which locations tend to result in real impressions and conversions, then adjust as you see fit.
With the tips above, you can make sure that you’re able to target those members of your audience on the move. Of course, you still need to craft a marketing message that’s likely to hit them where it converts, but knowing how to reach them is one half of the battle.