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VAPE MENTORS BLOG

Why Vape Shops Should Be Using Billboards

Vape Is Big Business

As of 2014, there were an estimated 35,000 vape shops in the United States and this number is expected to be much larger today. The global vapor product market is estimated to be worth around $22.6 billion as of 2018 compared to just $4.2 billion in 2013. This indicates more than a 400% increase in the global vape market in just 5 years.

As one of the fastest-growing markets around, the competition has exponentially grown over the years. With new vape shops and products being established on a regular basis, your business needs to stand out amongst the rest to remain successful. Cities often have multiple vape shops within just a couple of miles from each other and sometimes they are even in the same plaza. This can make it very hard to get noticed. Billboards are a fantastic way to get your brand recognized in this continually growing market

Don’t Bet On Digital

For vaping businesses, advertising can be a challenge. Advertising online has become complicated due to Facebook and Google banning tobacco-related advertisements. Tobacco products have been banned from television and radio advertising since the 1970s. Though vaping is not included in this ban, many TV and radio stations shy away from advertising vape products to avoid possible backlash or potential fines. So how do you advertise in the vape industry? The answer is billboards and other out-of-home (OOH) media. Besides billboards, OOH includes bus ads, taxi ads, bench ads, digital billboards, mobile billboards, and any other media that you see when you are outside of your home.

When it comes to vaping ads, laws and regulations differ depending on where your business is located. In areas where it’s legal to advertise, billboard companies have embraced vaping ads. With hundreds of thousands of billboard locations available, finding the perfect location to place your vape advertisement will not be a problem.

Brand Awareness Is Key

Seeing your brand and products on their way to and from work every day on a billboard is a great way to make potential clients aware of you. It establishes your brand while at the same time creates an emotional bond with potential customers. This is especially important for fledgling shops. If your ad is really creative it will be shared on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, all at no extra cost to you.

Why Use Billboards?

They work! According to the OAAA, of those who have seen an outdoor ad:

  • 41% are more likely to learn about the brand being advertised
  • 70% say outdoor ads are very, or somewhat likely, to influence a purchase
  • 58% search the web as a direct result of seeing an ad
  • 55% use mobile and social media to share information while viewing an outdoor ad
  • 35% buy a product after seeing an ad

More Than Just Blowing Smoke

Due to the restrictions placed on them, vape products and stores have not been easy to advertise. While the global vape market continues to grow and new businesses keep arising at a fast rate, it can be hard to stand out from the competition. Utilizing out-of-home media to display your ads is the most cost-effective and prominent form of advertising when it comes to the vape market. While it obviously varies depending on which market you are in, billboards are surprisingly affordable. They can be made to fit practically any advertising budget. Outdoor ads deliver the most value — in terms of cost-per-thousand impressions — of any type of advertising, even including digital. They’re generally much, much cheaper than newspaper, television, or magazine ads. Not only are billboards one of the only advertising options available to vape stores, but they are also the best option.