Five Things to Know Before Buying Your First OOH Campaign
| Indoor Advertising 101
OOH is one of the older advertising categories around, but for plenty of marketers — especially those who came up in digital — it's brand new territory.
If you're planning your first out-of-home buy, here are the five things I'd want you to know going in.
## 1. Lead times are real, but shrinking
Traditional OOH used to mean 6+ week lead times for production and install. That's still true for some formats (large-format printed boards, custom installations). But digital OOH and indoor placements can often be live in days, not weeks. If timing matters, ask up front.
## 2. Impressions aren't all created equal
One network's 1 million monthly impressions might be 10x more valuable than another's, depending on dwell time, audience match, and viewability. Always ask whether the impressions are [Geopath-audited](/blog/what-geopath-measurement-means-for-advertisers) and what the dwell-time assumption is.
## 3. Creative matters more than people think
A great OOH ad is short, bold, and works at a glance. The most common mistake first-time buyers make is treating the creative like a digital ad — too much copy, too small a logo, too much going on. If you can't read it in 3 seconds, it won't work.
## 4. Geography and venue mix are everything
The wrong venue with the right creative won't perform. The right venue with mediocre creative often will. Be opinionated about where the placements go, and don't be afraid to push back if a proposal feels like a generic spray.
## 5. Plan for measurement up front
OOH measurement has matured, but you still get more out of it if you build in measurement before the campaign launches. A unique landing page, a promo code, a pre/post survey — pick something. Without it, you're left with vibes.
If you want to talk through any of this against a specific campaign you're planning, [we'd love to help](/contact). Even if indoor isn't the right fit, a 15-minute call can save a lot of guesswork.
Social Indoor is the nation's fastest-growing indoor digital out-of-home advertising network with 3,300+ venues across 20+ states. Reach real people in bars, restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues with 100% share of voice and zero bot traffic.