From Impressions to Conversions: Creating Custom Audiences in DOOH Advertising

It is a fact that digital out-of-home advertising has become an integral part of any brand’s media mix, and it continues to evolve as one of the best resources for successful mixed-media marketing campaigns.

The advancement of programmatic capabilities in DOOH does not seem to back down any time soon, bringing new scopes onto the table and enabling features such as real-time performance optimization, omnichannel integration, data-driven content delivery, and custom audience targeting, which is proving to be absolutely rewarding for businesses.

Leveraging custom audiences as part of the DOOH marketing strategy or running a tailored DOOH campaign based on the singularities of a targeted audience will most likely improve your brand’s ability to turn impressions into conversion, which is ultimately the goal of digital advertising itself. In this article, we will explore the development and influence of custom audiences in DOOH campaigns.

Custom audiences: that “made for you” feeling

Creating custom audiences for advertising campaigns involves leveraging data and targeting capabilities to reach specific groups of people that are more likely to engage with the brand. Advertisers are already taking advantage of audience segmentation techniques and technologies, as they know that the more personalized a campaign feels, the more chances it has of causing a positive impact. In other words, audience segmentation and targeting allows advertisers to create more relevant and memorable campaigns.

Digital channels like Facebook or Google implement audience analytics and segmentation techniques to create custom audiences they can reach specifically. Can this be done in OOH advertising, though? The answer is yes. Over the last decade, programmatic technologies have allowed DOOH advertising to benefit from audience segmentation as well.

Some DOOH advertising resources, such as Beyond's latest segmentation tool called TrueReach, can build and utilize custom audiences by leveraging consumers’ data and targeting capabilities, in order to reach specific groups of people within the audience spectrum. Creating custom audiences in DOOH not only is possible, but it is also key for any brand looking to make the most out of their DOOH investments.

Going granular: custom audiences in DOOH advertising

Custom audiences in DOOH advertising refer to targeted audience segments created based on specific criteria such as demographics, interests, behavior, or location. Let’s take a look at the some of the key contributors used to define custom audiences for DOOH campaigns:

Data sources

To create custom audiences for DOOH, advertisers can leverage various data sources, including first-party data (collected directly from their own customers or website visitors), second-party data (shared data from trusted partners), and third-party data (purchased from data providers).

Custom audiences in DOOH advertising can be seamlessly integrated with digital channels, such as mobile, social media, or online platforms. Combining and analyzing these data sources provides insights into audience characteristics and preferences.

For instance, a women’s clothing brand may be able to collect third-party mobile data such as online purchase history or social media interactions to create a custom audience of women that are looking to shop for clothes. Cross-channel integration enhances the effectiveness of campaigns, enabling consistent messaging and reinforcing brand presence at the right time in the right places.

Targeting capabilities

Effective custom audience creation involves segmenting audiences based on specific attributes. There are several capabilities that can be considered when targeting audiences, such as demographics (age, gender, income), psychographics (interests, lifestyle, attitudes), behavior (past purchases, online activity), and location (proximity to specific venues or points of interest).

Custom audiences in DOOH advertising can be dynamically updated in real-time. By integrating with data management platforms (DMPs) and demand-side platforms (DSPs), advertisers can leverage real-time data to modify audience segments based on changing conditions, such as weather, traffic, or audience behavior. They can also apply contextualization strategies to analyze factors such as the time of day, season, or specific events, ensuring that ads are relevant and always timely.

That women’s clothing brand, for example, could create a custom audience to target young women passing by shopping malls on a cold winter day, in order to tailor their AW collection campaign specifically to them and potentially increase successful conversions. This allows brands to focus their DOOH advertising efforts on the consumer journey, so they can impact people rather than just panels.

Benefits of audience segmentation in DOOH campaigns

Without a doubt, delivering highly targeted messages is the key for a successful DOOH campaign. Creating custom audiences not only increases campaign effectiveness, but also optimizes ad spend, and enhances overall ROI. By reaching the right audience with relevant content, advertisers can improve engagement and conversion rates.

If you are looking to boost your brand’s presence out in the streets without negatively impacting your campaign budget, audience-based DOOH buys should definitely be a top choice when outlining your strategy. Beyond's TrueReach offers a wide range of segmentation options and features to help you create the perfect custom audiences for your brand - contact us now and learn more about this amazing tool.