Google out-of-home ads available for Display and 360

Google has just announced digital out-of-home ads for Display & 360. The new ad formats help to engage shoppers when they’re “out in the real world” in front of screens in public places such as stadiums, airports, bus stops, shopping centers, elevators, taxis, and more.

How they work. With digital out-of-home ads in Display and 360, brands can harness the same power of traditional advertising with placements on public screens, all in one dashboard where they can control strategy, reporting, and optimization.

Digital out-of-home ads also allow brands to run multiple versions of their message and can be based on location and time of day.

Google’s programmatic partners. “Display & Video 360 already partners with exchanges Hivestack, Magnite, PlaceExchange, Ströer SSP, VIOOH and Vistar Media. These exchanges give access to large media owners around the world like ClearChannel, Intersection, JCDecaux, Lamar and Ströer. All of this inventory can be secured via programmatic deals.”

Limited targeting and personalization. Google says that digital out-of-home ads are not personalized and no unique identifiers are used, as well as no user location data. However, advertisers are able to reach people based solely on contextual information such as the screen location.

For example, Google says a fast food business can quickly advertise on a billboard in a busy spot during lunch hour. Later that day the same billboard can promote a concert or event.

Early testing. Retailer ASOS used digital billboards in heavy footfall areas to generate awareness for their brand and drive passersby to visit their online store. Their marketing team arranged Programmatic Guaranteed deals with leading publishers like Intersection in the U.S. and JCDecaux in the U.K. and booked hundreds of digital billboards, generating 22 million viewed impressions across the two countries.

Learn more about digital out-of-home ads. You can read Google’s announcement here. If you’re interested in purchasing out-of-home inventory you can visit the Display & 360 help documentation.

Why we care. Digital out-of-home-ads are similar to traditional billboards, but instead of paying to have your ad shown in one location, all the time, you can elect to have your ad shown at certain times, in multiple locations.

These new ad types may work well for national or global brands like ASOS, Nike, Mcdonald’s, or Facebook, but small and local businesses may have a tougher time justifying their use. If you can’t specify the audience you’re targeting, and can only adjust their location or screen type, it’s likely not a solution for brands hyper-targeting a certain demographic or audience. But if you have the budget, it may be worth it to test a few cities where you operate.

About The Author

Nicole Farley is an editor for Search Engine Land covering all things PPC. In addition to being a Marine Corps veteran, she has an extensive background in digital marketing, an MBA and a penchant for true crime, podcasts, travel, and snacks.