Five Winning Bus Stop Advertising Strategies

Anyone venturing into making a bus stop advertisement should collaborate closely with a graphic designer, layout artist, and – depending on the medium you’ll use – a reliable printer. This is because you’ll want to use as many “graphic devices” as possible to make your ad look visually appealing and eye-catching.

Bold colors, striking images, and clear fonts can grab attention quickly. Remember, people often have just a few moments to notice and absorb the message.

The key is to keep it simple, yet attention-grabbing. Embrace an innovative design that resonates with your brand’s identity and values.

​For example, “Apple MacBook Air Swing Ad” promoted their launch of the new Apple MacBook Air. The ad included pictures of Apple's new slick MacBook Air design, a swing, with a woman sitting on top of the swing, floating.

It resembled people actually sitting at the bus stop. And it was a clever way to advertise.

Clarity is the king of success when it comes to bus stop advertising because, again, these ads are often seen by people in a hurry or those just passing by.

They only have a few seconds to even glance at an advertisement, so a clear and concise message ensures that the audience can get a quick grasp of the message being conveyed.

Use attention-grabbing headlines, concise body copy, and clean visual design elements to communicate the USP or the unique selling proposition of your product or service. It’s best to avoid lengthy words, complicated jargon, and ambiguity.

Imagine this: you’re sitting at a bus stop, and there’s an ad next to you that says something like “Revitalize Your Day!” in clear, bold letters. Under that is a nice, vibrant image of an energy drink with refreshing condensation on the can. The subheading is about how natural energy can help you power through the day, blah, blah, and the CTA tells you to buy the drink now at the nearest store.

Obviously, you’ll know right away that the ad is promoting an energy drink, right? Okay.

Now, imagine the complete opposite.

The main heading is the same, but now the image is an overcrowded collage of various things: a man jogging with his poodle, a clock, an abstract illustration, and so on. Underneath that is a jumble of text with no clear hierarchy or focus, just random phrases like “Power Up,” “Unlock Potential,” – and the CTA just says “Visit us Now!”
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​It’s a complete mess, and anyone glancing at it for 5 seconds would have nothing to gain, no idea of what the product is, or what the ad is even trying to say.

When your bus stop advertisement is clear, it’s more likely to capture attention. It will properly convey your service or product’s benefits, and prompt the viewer to follow your CTA.

Bus stop advertisements are seen by a diverse group of people in a local area.

If you’re promoting something, connect it to the community or location where the bus stop is. Research the demographics, interests, and preferences of people commuting, living, or working in your chosen bus stop location.

A common practice is to strategically plan a bus stop advertisement in specific locations, taking into account the specific context of the area surrounding the bus stop. This could include references to local landmarks, colloquial language, or even events that happen nearby.

If you have a local business with a bus stop in the area, you could invest in an ad just to bring attention to your shop, clinic, car repair service, and so on. You’re easily accessible to people in that vicinity, and a bus stop advertisement would be a great way to bring awareness to that fact.

Additionally, people are more likely to stop and engage with ads that feel relevant to their surroundings.

Tailor your ad design to align with the local culture, events, or trends. Relatable ads are noticed and remembered the most – especially if it speaks to a viewer’s interests or needs.

This relevance can contribute to a positive perception of your brand and its offerings.

For example, if your chosen area is near an apartment complex, then your target audience will most likely be comprised of urban millennials.

A modern and tech-savvy design approach should be most effective, however, you should still consider conducting surveys or focus groups to gain valuable insights into their perceptions and reactions to your bus stop advertisement.

Consider using QR codes, hashtags, or other interactive elements that offer a hands-on experience rather than just a static display. Using an interactive element can help grab attention from any commuters passing by, inviting them to actually stop and participate with the advertisement.

It adds a sense of novelty and innovation – and when people encounter something new and unique, they are more likely to share their experience with others. This is basically free word-of-mouth promotion.

Additionally, an interactive feature can extend the amount of time people may spend with your ad. Instead of just a quick glance, individuals may stop to explore and interact. You can use this to your advantage if your bus stop ad is on the digital side, because now you also have a platform for collecting valuable data on consumer behavior.

You can use sensors, touchscreens, and other interactive technologies to gather information about user preference, demographics, or engagement patterns – which will ultimately aid you in future targeted advertising strategies.

The world of advertising and transit advertising is always changing, so you need to keep up with the times. The best way to do that is through A/B testing.

A/B testing will allow you to experiment with different versions of an ad. You can test various design elements, messages, colors, or formats.

By identifying what resonates best with your target audience, you can optimize the effectiveness of your campaign.

The wording and messaging in bus stop advertisements are critical.

A lot of things can go wrong, so it’s important to fine-tune your copy – the language that you use and the content of your ad. You should experiment with different taglines, CTAs, and promotional messages to find the most effective and persuasive communication style for your target audience.

The key to creating the best bus stop advertisement is to create ads that resonate with your target audience, are visually appealing, and take advantage of the unique opportunities offered by the area around the bus stop.

If you’d like to learn more about advertising strategies, you can do so, by registering for our NO B.S Newsletter – but if you want to go much much MUCH deeper, I recommend joining us at Diamond, where we host monthly masterclasses, Q&A, and so much more!