A Complete Checklist for Choosing the Perfect Outdoor Advertising Spot
Choosing the right OOH (Out-of-Home) location is just as important as choosing the format or creative. A great billboard in the wrong place won’t deliver results – while a well-selected location can dramatically improve visibility, reach, and campaign ROI.
This guide helps you evaluate any OOH site before booking it, ensuring you make a smart, high-impact decision.
⭐ 1. Understand Your Audience’s Daily Journey
Before assessing a location, ask:
Where does your audience live?
Where do they work?
Where do they shop, dine, commute, and spend weekends?
OOH works best when your ad appears along your audience’s real-life routine.
For example:
- Professionals → Business Bay, DIFC, SZR
- Tourists → Downtown, Marina, JBR, Airport
- Families → Mirdif, JVC, Al Barsha
- Students → DSO, Academic City
Match location to lifestyle.
⭐ 2. Check Traffic Volume & Patterns
High traffic = high impressions.
When evaluating a spot, check:
✔ Vehicle traffic
How many cars pass daily? Is it a busy highway or a local road?
✔ Pedestrian footfall
Important for DOOH, MUPIs, malls, and transit ads.
✔ Peak hours
Is the location busy during the times your audience is most active?
✔ Stop-and-go traffic
Traffic lights, roundabouts, and junctions offer longer dwell time.
⭐ 3. Assess Visibility & Line of Sight
A location is only valuable if it’s clearly visible.
Check:
✔ Viewing Distance
Can people see the board from far away?
✔ Angle of Visibility
Is it head-on, or is it hidden until the last second?
✔ Height of the Billboard
Too high or too low reduces impact.
✔ Obstructions
Trees, buildings, signboards, and flyovers can block your ad.
✔ Lighting Condition
Day & night readability is essential.
Good visibility = strong recall.
⭐ 4. Analyze Surrounding Environment
The environment influences brand perception.
✔ Nearby Landmarks
Premium areas (SZR, Downtown, Marina) elevate brand prestige.
✔ Surrounding businesses
Is the area full of boutiques, offices, malls, or residential towers?
✔ Road type
Highways vs residential roads vs internal community streets.
✔ Demographic profile of the area
Affluent residents? Tourists? Office professionals? Students?
Your environment communicates your brand status.
⭐ 5. Evaluate Long-Distance Impact
Some locations offer strong visibility over long stretches.
Look for:
✔ Long straight road
Drivers see the billboard for several seconds.
✔ Slow-moving highways
SZR, Al Khail, MBZ Road, Business Bay.
✔ Transportation choke points
Traffic builds a captive audience.
Long-distance view = better memorability.
⭐ 6. Identify the Competition in the Area
Check if:
- The area is cluttered with other ads
- There is a “visual noise” issue
- Competitor brands dominate this corridor
- You can stand out or get lost
Ideally, choose a location with strong visibility and low clutter.
⭐ 7. Understand the Format Strength
Different locations suit different formats.
Excellent for billboards:
Highways, flyovers, bridges, long-distance stretches.
Excellent for DOOH:
Malls, metro stations, business districts, pedestrian zones.
Excellent for lampposts/MUPIs:
Community roads, residential hubs, school areas.
Choose a location format that fits your campaign objective.
⭐ 8. Verify Technical Specifications
Before booking, confirm:
- Exact size (height x width)
- Illumination details
- Orientation (unipole A vs B side)
- Viewing direction (towards/away from traffic)
- GPS coordinates
- Material and production requirements
- Digital screen resolution & ad rotation duration (for DOOH)
The technical details matter for creative quality.
⭐ 9. Request Day & Night Photos or Video
Always ask the media owner for a complete site pack including:
- Daytime site photo
- Nighttime site photo
- Distance shots
- Traffic-angle view
- Short video drive-by
This gives you a realistic sense of how your ad will appear.
⭐ 10. Consider Seasonality & Time Frame
Traffic patterns may change based on:
- School seasons
- Tourist peaks
- Holidays
- Expo/events
- Weather (outdoor vs indoor DOOH preference)
Always align booking dates with expected peak visibility.
⭐ 11. Review the Cost vs Value
Price alone doesn’t determine value.
Ask:
- What is the CPT (Cost Per Thousand Impressions)?
- Is the audience premium or mass-market?
- Is this location iconic or just functional?
- Does it fit your brand image?
Choose the best ROI, not the cheapest option.
⭐ 12. Confirm Availability & Permit Compliance
Ask the media owner:
- Is the location legally approved?
- Are all permits up to date?
- Will they handle artwork approvals with authorities?
Compliance ensures your campaign won’t be delayed.
⭐ Final Checklist Before Booking
✔ Is the audience right?
✔ Is the visibility strong?
✔ Does the location match your brand image?
✔ Does the format suit your messaging?
✔ Is the price justified by the value?
✔ Do you have real photos and videos?
✔ Will traffic deliver the impressions you need?
If the answer is yes to most – it’s a strong location.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is the most important factor when choosing an OOH location?
Audience relevance and visibility are the top two factors.
- Should I choose premium locations or cheaper community spots?
Choose based on your audience and campaign goals – not price alone.
- How do I know if a location has good traffic?
Media owners can provide traffic data. You can also do your own site visit.
- Does height matter for billboards?
Yes – too high reduces readability; ideal height depends on road speed.
- Are night-lighted billboards better?
Yes – they offer 24/7 exposure and higher visibility.
- Is DOOH better than static for high-traffic zones?
DOOH works better for dynamic messaging, but both perform well in premium corridors.
- Do I need to physically visit the site?
Recommended – but not required if you get full site photos and videos.
