Issue #19: The Billboard Industry’s Growth Problem—And the Solution You Haven’t Considered Yet

Scale Your Digital Billboard Business Instantly—No New Land, No City Approvals, No Aquisitions, No Delays

Welcome to this issue of Digital Display Insider! In this issue, we are shifting gears a bit and talking directly to traditional billboard operators who want to grow their business and ranking within the industry.

For years, the billboard industry has operated under a simple growth formula—build more billboards, buy out competitors, or convert static boards to digital. But as regulations tighten, land costs rise, and acquisitions become more expensive, traditional expansion has become harder than ever.

That’s why this week’s issue is focused on a new way for billboard operators to grow—without permits, land costs, or regulatory roadblocks. Mobile Digital Billboards (MDBs) offer a scalable, flexible, and high-impact alternative to the traditional OOH model, giving billboard companies the ability to expand their ad inventory instantly.

If you’re ready to future-proof your business and add new revenue streams without waiting on city approvals or breaking the bank, this issue is for you. Let’s dive in!

The Challenge of Growing a Traditional Billboard Business in Today’s Market

For decades, billboard companies have been the dominant force in out-of-home (OOH) advertising. They’ve built their success on prime-location static and digital billboards, using high-traffic real estate to drive advertiser demand. But let’s be honest—growing a billboard business today isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Over the last several months, I’ve been talking to long-time billboard veterans and the concensus seems to be the same. Right now, if a billboard operator wants to expand, they have three primary options:

1?? Building new structures – This requires expensive land leases, navigating strict permitting processes, and waiting months (if not years) for approval. Even then, city ordinances and public pushback can block new development. And as cities expand, the black-out zones for OOH structures grows with it leaving HUGE gaps in geographical coverage.

2?? Buying out competitors – Mergers & Acquisitions are one way to grow, but high multiples on acquisitions make it increasingly expensive to secure new inventory. Many smaller operators can’t afford this path, and even larger companies are hesitant to overpay in an inflated market.

3?? Maximizing digital conversions – Swapping static boards for digital ones can increase revenue, but cities often limit the number of digital conversions allowed per year or require removal of a set number of older structures, making it a slow-growth strategy.

The reality is, traditional billboard expansion is expensive, slow, and full of regulatory challenges. What if there was a way to expand without dealing with these roadblocks?

Mobile Digital Billboards as an Expansion Strategy

Mobile Digital Billboards (MDBs) aren’t here to replace static and digital billboards—they exist to complement and expand what you’re already doing. Instead of fighting through bureaucracy or spending millions on acquisitions, billboard companies can add inventory instantly by integrating MDBs into their offerings.

MDBs provide high-impact advertising with none of the traditional barriers:

? No Land, No Permits, No Red Tape – Since MDBs don’t require physical structures, they bypass zoning restrictions and permitting delays entirely. You can add new ad inventory immediately, without waiting for government approvals.

? Reach More Locations, More Often – Traditional billboards are stuck in place. If your clients want to target a specific neighborhood, event, or competitor’s business district, they have to hope a billboard exists there. MDBs solve this by bringing the ad directly to the audience, wherever they are.

? Instant Market Expansion Without Overpaying – Buying another billboard company or their assets might cost millions. Adding an MDB costs a fraction of that while providing similar (or better) revenue opportunities. Instead of competing for static locations, you create new advertising opportunities where billboards don’t exist. Do your competitors own the prime locations in your market? Now you can compete!

? Dynamic, Event-Based Advertising – Unlike traditional billboards that require long-term contracts, MDBs allow advertisers to run campaigns for days or weeks, making them perfect for product launches, political campaigns, grand openings, and seasonal promotions where traditional inventory may not be available.

MDBs Expand Revenue Without Cannibalizing Existing Assets

Many billboard operators hesitate to adopt MDBs because they assume they will compete with their static or digital inventory. But that’s not the case. MDBs don’t replace traditional billboards—they fill the gaps where static billboards can’t reach.

Instead of competing with your existing billboards, MDBs open new revenue streams:

?? Target High-Demand Areas Without Available Billboard Space – Some locations simply don’t allow new billboard development, leaving advertisers without options. MDBs solve this by delivering ads directly to high-traffic zones, no permits required.

?? Extend Advertiser Campaigns Beyond Their Static Placements – Many businesses already buy billboard ads, but MDBs allow them to increase their reach without sacrificing their static inventory. A business advertising on a traditional billboard can now expand into new areas with an MDB campaign.

?? Serve Businesses That Don’t Have Billboard-Level Budgets – Some advertisers want outdoor visibility but can’t afford long-term static placements. MDBs let them run shorter campaigns with more flexibility, making out-of-home advertising more accessible.

?? Perfect for Time-Sensitive Campaigns – Election seasons, limited-time sales, and grand openings aren’t ideal for long-term billboard leases. MDBs allow businesses to run hyper-focused, short-term campaigns that drive immediate action.

Instead of viewing MDBs as competition, smart billboard operators will use them as an additional revenue tool—filling coverage gaps, expanding campaign reach, and bringing in advertisers who otherwise wouldn’t buy a traditional billboard spot.

Why Billboard Companies Are in the Best Position to Win With MDBs

Unlike a brand-new entrepreneur trying to start an MDB business from scratch, billboard operators already have everything needed to integrate MDBs seamlessly:

? You Have an Established Sales Team – Your team already sells advertising. Adding MDBs to your offerings is an easy upsell to existing clients.

? You Have a Built-In Customer Base – No need to start from zero—simply introduce MDBs to your current advertisers and show them how they can extend their reach.

? You Have Market Authority – Businesses already trust your brand when it comes to advertising. By offering MDBs, you position yourself as an innovator in OOH advertising, giving clients more reasons to work with you instead of a competitor.

? You Can Scale Quickly – Instead of waiting years for permits or competing in high-cost acquisitions, you can add MDBs immediately and start generating revenue without the usual barriers to expansion.

What Happens If You Don’t Adapt?

Right now, MDBs are still an emerging category—but they won’t be for long. I’ve been in the MDB business for 10 years, and I’ve never seen so many startup operators jumping into the mobile billboard business as right now. The question is, who will dominate the market first? You…or a startup you didn’t see coming!

? If you ignore MDBs, someone else will introduce them in your market before you do. ? If you don’t educate your advertisers on MDBs, another company will, and they’ll win that business. ? If you continue relying only on static placements, you’ll miss out on a rapidly growing segment of OOH advertising.

The billboard companies that integrate MDBs NOW will have a major advantage over those that wait.

Final Thoughts: Be the First to Own This Market

The opportunity is clear: Billboard companies that add MDBs to their inventory today will be ahead of the competition tomorrow.

Instead of fighting for permits, overpaying for acquisitions, or losing advertisers to digital-only platforms, you can expand your reach instantly, increase ad inventory, and drive new revenue—all without adding new locations or regulatory headaches.

The question is, are you going to take advantage of this first, or will you let someone else lead this category?

If you want to learn how to integrate MDBs into your business and position yourself as the leader in your market, let’s talk.

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