Programmatic DOOH: Complete Guide to Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home Advertising
Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) is revolutionizing how advertising is bought and sold on digital signage networks. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about enabling programmatic advertising on your digital signage network, whether you're a media owner looking to monetize inventory or a brand seeking to reach audiences through digital out-of-home channels.
Understanding Programmatic DOOH
What is Programmatic DOOH?
Programmatic DOOH is the automated buying and selling of digital out-of-home advertising inventory using software and data. Unlike traditional OOH buying (which involves manual negotiations, fixed campaigns, and long lead times), programmatic enables:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TRADITIONAL vs PROGRAMMATIC DOOH │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ TRADITIONAL DOOH PROGRAMMATIC DOOH │
│ ───────────────── ───────────────── │
│ Manual negotiation Automated bidding │
│ Fixed campaigns (weeks/months) Flexible (hours/days) │
│ Minimum spend required No minimums (often) │
│ Limited targeting Data-driven targeting │
│ Manual reporting Real-time analytics │
│ Days to launch Minutes to launch │
│ Static pricing Dynamic pricing │
│ │
│ BUYING MODELS │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ PROGRAMMATIC PROGRAMMATIC REAL-TIME │ │
│ │ GUARANTEED DIRECT BIDDING (RTB) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ • Reserved inventory • Reserved/ • Open auction │ │
│ │ • Fixed pricing unreserved • Dynamic CPM │ │
│ │ • Guaranteed • Negotiated price • No guarantees │ │
│ │ impressions • Priority access • Highest │ │
│ │ • Automated delivery • Automated flexibility │ │
│ │ delivery │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
The Programmatic Ecosystem
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROGRAMMATIC DOOH ECOSYSTEM │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ DEMAND SIDE SUPPLY SIDE │
│ (Advertisers) (Media Owners) │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Advertisers │ │ Digital │ │
│ │ & Agencies │ │ Signage │ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ │ Networks │ │
│ │ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ ▼ │ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │ │
│ │ DSP │ ▼ │
│ │ (Demand │ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Side │ │ SSP │ │
│ │ Platform) │ │ (Supply │ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ │ Side │ │
│ │ │ Platform) │ │
│ │ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ └───────────────┬───────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ AD EXCHANGE │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ • Bid requests │ │
│ │ • Auctions │ │
│ │ • Matching │ │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────┴───────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ DATA │ │ MEASUREMENT │ │
│ │ PROVIDERS │ │ VENDORS │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ • Location │ │ • Audience │ │
│ │ • Audience │ │ counting │ │
│ │ • Weather │ │ • Attribution│ │
│ │ • Events │ │ • Brand lift│ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Players in the Ecosystem
Supply Side (Media Owners):
| Role | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Media Owner | Owns/operates digital signage | Mall networks, transit authorities |
| SSP | Connects inventory to demand | Vistar Media, Broadsign Reach, Hivestack |
| Ad Server | Delivers and tracks creative | Broadsign, Ayuda, Signagelive |
| CMS | Manages content & scheduling | MediaSignage, Broadsign, Scala |
Demand Side (Advertisers):
| Role | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Advertiser | Buys media exposure | Brands, retailers |
| Agency | Plans/executes campaigns | Media agencies, OOH specialists |
| DSP | Automates buying | The Trade Desk, DV360, Yahoo DSP |
| Trading Desk | Manages programmatic buying | Agency trading desks |
Enabling Programmatic on Your Network
Requirements for Media Owners
To enable programmatic selling on your digital signage network:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROGRAMMATIC READINESS CHECKLIST │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ □ CMS supports programmatic ad insertion │
│ □ Players connected to internet (latency <500ms ideal) │
│ □ Ad playback verification/proof of play │
│ □ VAST/VPAID support for video ads │
│ □ Dynamic content insertion capability │
│ □ Real-time availability reporting │
│ │
│ DATA REQUIREMENTS │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ □ Accurate location data (lat/long for each screen) │
│ □ Venue/environment classification │
│ □ Screen specifications (size, resolution, orientation) │
│ □ Operating hours │
│ □ Audience data (traffic counts, demographics if available) │
│ □ Loop length and ad spot duration │
│ │
│ BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ □ Pricing strategy defined (floor prices, CPMs) │
│ □ Content policies documented │
│ □ Category exclusions identified │
│ □ Separation rules for competing brands │
│ □ Approval workflows (if required) │
│ □ Terms and conditions │
│ │
│ SSP INTEGRATION │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ □ SSP partner selected │
│ □ API integration completed │
│ □ Inventory registered and validated │
│ □ Test campaigns successful │
│ □ Reporting reconciliation verified │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
SSP Selection Criteria
When choosing a Supply Side Platform:
| Criteria | Questions to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Demand Access | Which DSPs are connected? | More DSPs = more potential buyers |
| Integration | API complexity? CMS compatibility? | Easier integration = faster launch |
| Floor Pricing | Dynamic floors? Negotiation support? | Protects your rates |
| Reporting | Real-time? Granularity? | Optimize performance |
| Fill Rate | Historical fill rates for similar inventory? | Revenue potential |
| Support | Dedicated account team? | Ongoing optimization |
| Fees | Revenue share? Fixed fees? | Net revenue impact |
Integration Architecture
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PROGRAMMATIC INTEGRATION ARCHITECTURE │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ CMS / AD SERVER │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ • Content scheduling │ │ │
│ │ │ • Ad slot management │ │ │
│ │ │ • Playback verification │ │ │
│ │ │ • Reporting aggregation │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ ┌───────────┴───────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ API INTEGRATION │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ • Availability feed │ │ │
│ │ │ • Bid requests │ │ │
│ │ │ • Win notifications │ │ │
│ │ │ • Proof of play │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ └───────────┬───────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ └────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ SSP │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ • Inventory management │ │
│ │ • Auction management │ │
│ │ • DSP connections │ │
│ │ • Revenue reporting │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ AD EXCHANGES / DSPs │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ The Trade Desk │ DV360 │ Yahoo │ Amazon │ etc. │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How Programmatic Transactions Work
Real-Time Bidding (RTB) Flow
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RTB TRANSACTION FLOW │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ TIME ACTION │
│ ──── ────── │
│ │
│ T+0ms Ad slot becomes available │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ T+10ms CMS sends availability to SSP │
│ │ • Screen ID │
│ │ • Time slot │
│ │ • Duration │
│ │ • Floor price │
│ ▼ │
│ T+20ms SSP sends bid request to connected DSPs │
│ │ • Screen metadata │
│ │ • Audience data │
│ │ • Environmental data │
│ ▼ │
│ T+50ms DSPs evaluate against campaigns │
│ │ • Budget check │
│ │ • Targeting match │
│ │ • Bid calculation │
│ ▼ │
│ T+80ms DSPs submit bids (or pass) │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ T+100ms SSP runs auction │
│ │ • Second-price auction (typically) │
│ │ • Winner determined │
│ ▼ │
│ T+120ms Winner notified, creative URL returned │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ T+150ms CMS downloads/caches creative │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ T+XXXms Ad plays on screen │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ T+XXXms Proof of play sent to SSP │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ T+XXXms Impression recorded, billing triggered │
│ │
│ TOTAL TRANSACTION TIME: <200ms (typical) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Bid Request Components
When an ad slot becomes available, the bid request includes:
| Data Category | Specific Fields | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Screen ID | Unique identifier | Targeting specific screens |
| Location | Lat/long, venue type, address | Geographic targeting |
| Specifications | Size, resolution, orientation | Creative matching |
| Timing | Start time, duration, loop position | Scheduling |
| Audience | Traffic count, demographics | Audience targeting |
| Environment | Indoor/outdoor, venue category | Contextual targeting |
| Floor Price | Minimum acceptable CPM | Price protection |
| Restrictions | Category blocks, competitor separation | Brand safety |
Pricing Models & Strategy
CPM (Cost Per Thousand) Pricing
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DOOH CPM CALCULATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ STANDARD CPM FORMULA: │
│ │
│ Total Campaign Cost │
│ CPM = ───────────────────── × 1,000 │
│ Total Impressions │
│ │
│ │
│ DOOH IMPRESSION CALCULATION: │
│ │
│ Impressions = (Audience × Ad Plays × Visibility Factor) │
│ │
│ WHERE: │
│ • Audience = People passing/viewing screen │
│ • Ad Plays = Number of times ad shown │
│ • Visibility Factor = % likely to see ad (typically 30-70%) │
│ │
│ │
│ EXAMPLE: │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Screen in mall with 50,000 daily traffic │
│ Ad plays 6x per hour, 12 hours/day = 72 plays │
│ Visibility factor: 50% │
│ │
│ Daily Impressions = 50,000 × (72 plays ÷ ~360 loop plays) × 0.5 │
│ = 50,000 × 0.2 × 0.5 │
│ = 5,000 impressions │
│ │
│ At $10 CPM: Daily cost = (5,000 ÷ 1,000) × $10 = $50 │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Typical CPM Ranges
| Venue Type | Low CPM | Mid CPM | Premium CPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roadside Digital Billboards | $4 | $8 | $15+ |
| Transit (Airports) | $8 | $15 | $30+ |
| Transit (Stations, Buses) | $5 | $10 | $18 |
| Retail/Malls | $6 | $12 | $22 |
| Place-based (Gyms, Offices) | $8 | $15 | $25 |
| Spectacular/Iconic | $25 | $50 | $100+ |
Factors Affecting CPM:
- Audience quality and demographics
- Location prestige
- Screen size and quality
- Time of day/dayparting
- Competition for inventory
- Targeting specificity
Floor Price Strategy
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ FLOOR PRICING STRATEGY │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ SETTING FLOOR PRICES │
│ │
│ Consider: │
│ • Direct sales rates (programmatic should not undercut) │
│ • Operating costs per impression │
│ • Competitive market rates │
│ • Historical programmatic performance │
│ │
│ RECOMMENDED APPROACH: │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ DYNAMIC FLOORS │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ • Time-based: Higher floors during peak hours │ │
│ │ • Demand-based: Adjust based on fill rate │ │
│ │ • Event-based: Premium during high-traffic events │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ EXAMPLE STRUCTURE: │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Base Floor: $6 CPM │ │
│ │ Peak Hours (11am-2pm, 5pm-8pm): $9 CPM (+50%) │ │
│ │ Weekends: $8 CPM (+33%) │ │
│ │ Special Events: $12 CPM (+100%) │ │
│ │ Remnant (low-demand times): $4 CPM (-33%) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ FLOOR OPTIMIZATION │
│ │
│ Monitor and adjust based on: │
│ • Fill rate (target 40-60% for healthy auction) │
│ • Average winning CPM vs floor │
│ • Revenue per available impression │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Audience Targeting
Available Targeting Capabilities
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DOOH TARGETING CAPABILITIES │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ LOCATION TARGETING │
│ ├── Geographic (country, state, city, zip) │
│ ├── Proximity (radius around point) │
│ ├── Venue type (mall, airport, gym, etc.) │
│ └── Point of interest proximity │
│ │
│ TEMPORAL TARGETING │
│ ├── Dayparting (morning, afternoon, evening) │
│ ├── Day of week │
│ ├── Specific dates/events │
│ └── Weather conditions │
│ │
│ AUDIENCE TARGETING │
│ ├── Demographics (age, gender, income) │
│ ├── Behavioral segments │
│ ├── Mobile device data (aggregated, anonymized) │
│ └── First-party data (CRM matching) │
│ │
│ CONTEXTUAL TARGETING │
│ ├── Venue environment │
│ ├── Adjacent content │
│ ├── Event proximity │
│ └── Real-time triggers (weather, scores, stocks) │
│ │
│ INVENTORY TARGETING │
│ ├── Screen size/type │
│ ├── Indoor vs outdoor │
│ ├── Network/media owner │
│ └── Premium vs standard │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Data Sources for Targeting
| Data Type | Source | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Location | GPS, venue classification | Geographic targeting |
| Traffic | Sensors, mobile data | Audience sizing |
| Demographics | Panel data, mobile SDKs | Audience targeting |
| Weather | Weather APIs | Trigger campaigns |
| Events | Ticketmaster, sports APIs | Event targeting |
| Purchase | Card transaction data | Behavioral targeting |
| Mobile | Aggregated device data | Audience enrichment |
Privacy Considerations
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PRIVACY IN PROGRAMMATIC DOOH │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ DOOH PRIVACY ADVANTAGE │
│ │
│ Unlike digital advertising, DOOH is inherently more │
│ privacy-friendly: │
│ │
│ ✓ No cookies or device-level tracking │
│ ✓ Audience data is aggregated and anonymized │
│ ✓ One-to-many medium (not personalized) │
│ ✓ No PII collection required │
│ │
│ BEST PRACTICES │
│ │
│ • Use modeled audiences (probabilistic, not deterministic) │
│ • Aggregate data at venue level, not individual │
│ • Comply with local privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) │
│ • Transparent about data sources in media kits │
│ • Partner with privacy-certified data providers │
│ │
│ AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT WITHOUT PII │
│ │
│ Modern DOOH uses: │
│ • Computer vision (counts, not identification) │
│ • Mobile location data (aggregated, anonymized) │
│ • Panel-based projections │
│ • Footfall sensors │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Campaign Measurement
Key Metrics
| Metric | Definition | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions | People exposed to ad | Varies by screen |
| Reach | Unique people exposed | 30-60% of impressions |
| Frequency | Avg exposures per person | 2-5x typical |
| CPM | Cost per 1,000 impressions | $5-25 typical |
| SOV (Share of Voice) | % of total ad time | 5-20% typical |
| Fill Rate | % of available inventory sold | 40-70% healthy |
Attribution & Outcomes
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DOOH ATTRIBUTION METHODS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ FOOTFALL ATTRIBUTION │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Measure store visits from people exposed to DOOH │
│ │
│ Method: Mobile location data comparison │
│ • Exposed group: Devices near DOOH screens │
│ • Control group: Similar devices, no exposure │
│ • Measure: Lift in store visits for exposed group │
│ │
│ Typical lift: 15-30% increase in visitation │
│ │
│ │
│ BRAND LIFT STUDIES │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Survey-based measurement of brand metrics │
│ │
│ Metrics measured: │
│ • Ad recall │
│ • Brand awareness │
│ • Purchase intent │
│ • Brand favorability │
│ │
│ Typical results: │
│ • 65-85% ad recall (DOOH vs 15-25% digital display) │
│ • 10-25% brand awareness lift │
│ • 5-15% purchase intent lift │
│ │
│ │
│ ONLINE ATTRIBUTION │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Connect DOOH exposure to digital actions │
│ │
│ • Website visit lift (exposed vs control) │
│ • Search query volume increase │
│ • Social engagement spike │
│ • App downloads │
│ │
│ │
│ SALES ATTRIBUTION │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ Match DOOH exposure to purchase data │
│ │
│ • Card transaction matching │
│ • Loyalty program data │
│ • Sales lift analysis │
│ • Market mix modeling │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Measurement Vendors
| Vendor | Specialty | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Geopath | Audience measurement | Industry standard |
| IRI/Circana | Sales attribution | Purchase data |
| Foursquare | Footfall | Location data |
| Lucid/Cint | Brand lift | Surveys |
| Placed/Foursquare | Attribution | Mobile data |
| LoopMe | Outcomes | AI-powered |
Revenue Optimization
Maximizing Programmatic Revenue
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ REVENUE OPTIMIZATION STRATEGIES │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ INVENTORY OPTIMIZATION │
│ │
│ 1. RIGHT-SIZE AD SLOTS │
│ • Standard lengths: 10s, 15s, 30s (avoid odd durations) │
│ • Match industry standards for better fill │
│ │
│ 2. MAXIMIZE ADDRESSABLE INVENTORY │
│ • Connect all screens (even lower-traffic) │
│ • Different floors for different quality tiers │
│ │
│ 3. HEADER BIDDING / MULTI-SSP │
│ • Connect to multiple SSPs │
│ • Let them compete for inventory │
│ • Typically 15-30% revenue lift │
│ │
│ DEMAND OPTIMIZATION │
│ │
│ 1. PRIVATE MARKETPLACES (PMPs) │
│ • Premium pricing for select buyers │
│ • Guaranteed deals with key accounts │
│ • Average 40% higher CPMs vs open exchange │
│ │
│ 2. AUDIENCE DATA ENRICHMENT │
│ • Partner with data providers │
│ • Richer targeting = higher CPMs │
│ • Typical 20-50% CPM lift with good data │
│ │
│ 3. CREATIVE OPTIMIZATION │
│ • Support dynamic creative │
│ • Enable interactive capabilities │
│ • Premium for special formats │
│ │
│ YIELD MANAGEMENT │
│ │
│ 1. WATERFALL VS UNIFIED AUCTION │
│ • Unified auction preferred (fair competition) │
│ • All demand sources compete simultaneously │
│ │
│ 2. FLOOR PRICE OPTIMIZATION │
│ • A/B test floor prices │
│ • Use machine learning for dynamic floors │
│ • Balance fill rate vs CPM │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Revenue Waterfall
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ REVENUE PRIORITY WATERFALL │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ PRIORITY SOURCE TYPICAL CPM % INVENTORY │
│ ──────── ────── ─────────── ──────────── │
│ │
│ 1st Direct Sales $15-30+ 30-40% │
│ (Sales team sold) │
│ │
│ 2nd Programmatic Guaranteed $12-25 10-20% │
│ (Reserved, fixed price) │
│ │
│ 3rd Private Marketplace $10-20 15-25% │
│ (Invite-only buyers) │
│ │
│ 4th Open Exchange RTB $6-15 20-30% │
│ (All qualified buyers) │
│ │
│ 5th House/Filler $0 10-20% │
│ (Self-promotion, PSAs) │
│ │
│ │
│ BLENDED REVENUE EXAMPLE: │
│ ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── │
│ 100,000 available impressions │
│ │
│ Direct: 35,000 @ $22 CPM = $770 │
│ PG: 15,000 @ $18 CPM = $270 │
│ PMP: 20,000 @ $14 CPM = $280 │
│ RTB: 20,000 @ $9 CPM = $180 │
│ House: 10,000 @ $0 CPM = $0 │
│ │
│ TOTAL REVENUE: $1,500 │
│ EFFECTIVE CPM: $15.00 │
│ FILL RATE: 90% │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
For Advertisers: Buying DOOH
Campaign Planning
| Planning Element | Considerations |
|---|---|
| Objectives | Awareness, consideration, traffic, sales |
| Audience | Who, where, when |
| Geography | National, regional, hyperlocal |
| Budget | Total spend, CPM targets |
| Timing | Flight dates, dayparts |
| Creative | Formats, versions needed |
Buying Checklist
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ADVERTISER BUYING CHECKLIST │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ PRE-CAMPAIGN │
│ □ Define clear, measurable objectives │
│ □ Identify target audience and locations │
│ □ Set budget and CPM targets │
│ □ Develop creative (multiple versions if testing) │
│ □ Choose buying method (RTB, PMP, direct) │
│ □ Select DSP or work with agency │
│ □ Set up measurement/attribution │
│ │
│ CAMPAIGN SETUP │
│ □ Upload creative (meet specs: size, format, duration) │
│ □ Configure targeting parameters │
│ □ Set frequency caps if available │
│ □ Define category exclusions │
│ □ Set bid strategy (max CPM, target CPM) │
│ □ Confirm tracking tags in place │
│ │
│ DURING CAMPAIGN │
│ □ Monitor pacing and delivery │
│ □ Review placement reports │
│ □ Optimize targeting based on performance │
│ □ Adjust bids if needed │
│ □ Request proof of play reports │
│ │
│ POST-CAMPAIGN │
│ □ Collect final delivery reports │
│ □ Review measurement results │
│ □ Calculate actual CPM and ROI │
│ □ Document learnings for future campaigns │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Creative Best Practices
| Element | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 10-15 seconds | Matches standard loops |
| Text | Large, minimal | Quick read time |
| Branding | Always visible | No guarantee of full view |
| CTA | Simple, memorable | Can't click |
| Contrast | High | Varying ambient light |
| Animation | Subtle | Avoid motion sickness |
| Versions | Multiple | Dayparting, weather triggers |
Frequently Asked Questions
Next Steps
- State of Digital Signage - Industry market analysis
- ROI Calculator - Calculate advertising ROI
- DOOH Best Practices - Creative optimization
- Analytics & Measurement - Measuring campaign success
This guide is maintained by MediaSignage, pioneers of digital signage technology since 2008. The programmatic DOOH landscape evolves rapidly; information reflects current industry practices as of publication date.