The Complete Guide to Billboards in Los Angeles

Billboard Advertising in Los Angeles is second only to Times Square in NYC. This type of advertising has always been a hot commodity since Sunset Strip and Rock N Roll.  Now, with the explosion of Streaming and Fashion Brands, advertising in Los Angeles is hotter than ever.

Because billboards offer the best way to promote your product to an active audience throughout LA. Everyone’s on the go, and they’ll notice your messages when you buy up space on the area’s most-traveled freeways or near its most exclusive neighborhoods. Netflix understood the power of sheer presence. Billboards across the city are in high demand.

So how do you decide where you should advertise, and what will it cost you? As an out of home agency located in the LA area, DASH TWO has the answers to these questions. We put together this guide to billboards in Los Angeles to help advertisers considering a buy in the Hollywood area and beyond. We’ll offer insider tips on finding the right placements, too. Let’s dive in.

Los Angeles Market Profile

Population
LA is the second-biggest city in the United States, with almost 4 million residents. The diversity of the city has increased in the past few decades, with Hispanics now making up nearly half the population. A little less than 30% are white, and Asians and African-Americans account for about 10% apiece.

Income
The median household income in the city is just below $56,000. The city is about half female and half male, and young — just 12% are over age 65. The median price of housing is $599,700.

Race
Los Angeles is one of the most diverse city’s in the United States. The city’s racial makeup shows an offering of several groups that can be marketed to using Billboards

• Hispanic 46.9%
• White 28.9%
• Asian 11.6%
• Black 8.3%

Types of Billboards Available in LA

The size of billboard in Los Angeles breaks down like other cities across the country. There are three main choices:

• Bulletins: These are the biggest boards, usually located in high-traffic areas, favored by big companies with big budgets

• Posters: Also referred to as 30 sheets, these are medium-sized boards that generally attract advertisers with smaller budgets who still want decent coverage

  

• Junior posters: Small businesses favor these small boards, also called 8 sheets and more often located in smaller neighborhoods

Digital Billboards in Los Angeles

Location of Digital Billboards in LA

Los Angeles currently has over 10o Digital Billboards.  Many of these billboards are located in:

• Downtown Los Angeles
• On the 405 Freeway
• In Hollywood
• Inglewood
• Melrose Blvd.
• Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles Digital Billboard Prices

Digital Billboards in LA range from $500-$15,000 a month  The price varies greatly depending on the location of the billboard.

Billboard Pricing in Los Angeles

In Los Angeles, average billboard pricing generally ranges from $3,500 to $17,000 per month, depending where you purchase space. The cost is more expensive than New York City but less than you’ll pay in Chicago or Philadelphia, two other big cities. But prices can go well above that for expensive areas depending on the time of the year.

Billboard Prices for specific areas of Los Angeles

The most in-demand places command the highest prices for billboards. Other factors come into play, too. Right-hand reads, or boards located on the right side of the street, are priced higher than left-hand reads because they are easier to read while whizzing past in a car.

Boards that are obscured by buildings or overgrown trees may also be priced lower. We always recommend riding out to see the placement of the billboard so you know exactly what you’re getting. You want prime location, but you also want people to be able to see your message clearly from their cars or when passing by.

Other factors that play into billboard pricing in Los Angeles include:

• Demand
• Neighborhood
• Location within the neighborhood
• Demographics of the neighborhood
• Impressions the billboard delivers
• Visibility to drivers/pedestrians

Where to Buy Billboards in Los Angeles

Where you decide to pursue billboards depends on what you’re selling and who you want to target. For instance, indie music labels want to connect with trendsetters and those most likely to know their artists and purchase their music. They favor areas such as:

• Echo Park
• Silver Lake
• Atwater Village
• Highland Park
• Sunset Strip

Many clients approach us with an interest in advertising in Santa Monica, but alas there are no billboards there. You can use transit advertising instead.

The 405 is a popular choice for advertisers. There you get a lot of dead time, too — people sitting in traffic who will notice your boards while they wait for accidents to clear.

Sunset Strip is the Gold Standard for Billboard Advertising in Los Angeles.  This is where everyone wants to be seen, and its the most expensive.

Here’s a breakdown of the most desirable neighborhoods and how much it costs to buy space in them.

Areas in Los Angeles for Billboards

Billboards on the Sunset Strip

The most expensive place to purchase Billboards in Los Angeles if not the entire world is the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood houses a great deal of out of home real estate. This one-mile stretch between Beverly Hills (where there are no billboards) and Los Angeles includes a lot of top nightlife venues, like The Viper Room and Whisky a Go Go. A billboard on Sunset can run $80,000 to $90,000 for a four-week stint.

Billboards at Melrose and Fairfax

Billboards at Melrose and Fairfax aren’t too far from the Strip, but they are a whole lot cheaper. Often advertisers who dream of the prestige of a Sunset Strip sign but can’t afford the pricetag can move to Melrose and Fairfax, where a four-week run on a billboard costs less than $20,000, usually around $11,500.

Billboards in Beverly Grove

Located in Mid City West, by the popular outdoor shopping center The Grove, Beverly Grove is popular with mid-range fashion companies. Boards average about $7,000 to $8,000 per month, though they can go for as high as $15,000.

Ad Categories That Do Well on Los Angeles Billboards

As you might expect, the ad categories that dominate Los Angeles billboards are largely entertainment industry-related. You will see tons of boards advertising:

• Streaming networks
• New movies
• New music
• Cosmetics
• Fashion

Of course, during awards seasons you’ll also see boards purchased by studios and music labels touting their big names for nominations.

Are you interested in buying a billboard in LA? We can make the experience easy for you. Contact us today to learn more about the best options available for you in the market.

Examples of  Billboard in Los Angeles

Here are several examples of Billboards in Los Angeles areas including Melrose Blvd., Sunset Blvd., Fairfax, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Silverlake, and West Los Angeles

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LMU Billboard in West Los Angeles on overland

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Dolce & Gabbana x Khaled Khaled Sunset Blvd billboard

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BLXT Billboard on Melrose Blvd.

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Elton John Hollywood Billboard

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bob marley billboard in los angeles

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k18 Billboard on Melrose Blvd

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Lil Wayne Billboard on Fairfax

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The Beatles Let it be Billboard la cienega blvd

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John Mayer Billboard on Sunset Blvd

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Led Zep Billboard on Fairfax Blvd

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YG Billboard on Fairfax

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Maroon 5 Billboard in inglewood

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Godsmack Billboard on Santa Monica Blvd

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Spero Lincoln Blvd Billboard in Venice Beach