analysis Using Billboard Advertising with a QR Code to Promote Your Domain Portfolio or a Domain Landing Page

[Eric Lyon]

I was thinking about all the creative ways to market a domain portfolio today and one that jumped out was Billboard Advertising.

• Does it even make sense with the cost involved in renting a billboard?
• Would there be enough people visiting the portfolio after seeing the billboard?
• How many of those visitors will actually buy a domain name from you?

With those questions in mind, I decided to dig into it a bit and find some answers.

Let's dive right in to see what I found...

QR Codes​

A QR code (Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional barcode that stores information such as URLs, contact details, or payment links. It allows users to scan and instantly access digital content.

How Billboard Advertising Works & Typical Costs​

Billboard advertising is a form of out-of-home (OOH) advertising that places large-scale ads in high-traffic areas. Costs vary based on location, size, and duration:

• Small to mid-size cities: $1,000–$5,000 per month
• Major cities: $8,000–$100,000 per month
• Digital billboards: $10 per day to $175,000 per month in prime locations.

Benefits of Renting a Billboard Ad with a QR Code & Domain Name (Portfolio URL)​

Adding a QR code and domain name to a billboard enhances engagement:

• Instant access: Viewers can scan the QR code to visit the domain investor’s portfolio instantly.
• Trackable engagement: QR codes allow investors to measure ad performance.
• Increased conversions: QR codes simplify the process of accessing domain listings.
• Brand recall: A memorable domain name reinforces brand identity and trust.

Average Conversions from Billboards Per Month​

Billboard advertising reaches 80% of U.S. consumers weekly, but only 10-15% of viewers visit a website advertised on a billboard. Actual purchases depend on domain pricing and audience targeting.

Sales Needed to Justify Billboard Rental for Domain Investors​

To determine the break-even point, consider:

• Billboard cost: $3,953 per four-week campaign (national average).
• Conversion rate: 10-15% of viewers visit a website.
• Domain sale price: If an investor sells domains at an average price of $790 each, they would need at least 5 sales per month to cover billboard costs. If average price of $1,317 each, they would need at least 3 sales per month to cover billboard costs.

Chart: Billboard Advertising Analysis​

Factor	Details
Billboard Cost	$3,953 average per month
Conversions	10-15% of viewers visit a website
Break-even Sales	~3-5 domain sales per month (at $1,317 to $790 each)
Benefits of QR Code	Instant access, trackable engagement, increased conversions

Conclusion​

if your average monthly sale price is higher than $3,953 already, it might help justify testing a billboard ad to see if it increases sales. However, if you are not already generating that amount or can't afford to take a $3,953 loss (In the event there are no sales), then you may want to pass on billboard advertising.

It seems that Billboards are a big boy and girls game when it comes to getting exposure, creatively for your portfolio.

Further exploration (Premium 1-word Domains)​

However, It might be interesting to see someone use a billboard as a single premium domain landing page (E.g. This domain may be for sale: Word.com + QR code to the NamePros landing page with purchase options). The sale of a short single-word premium might justify the billboard cost 10x fold. Though, it would need to be in a very high traffic area where known investors and entrepreneurs frequent.

Top U.S. Cities & Business Districts​

1. Wall Street, New York City, NY – Financial hub with high investor traffic.
2. Silicon Valley, CA – Tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
3. Downtown Los Angeles, CA – Business executives and startup founders.
4. Chicago Loop, IL – Major financial and business district.
5. Downtown Houston, TX – Energy sector investors and entrepreneurs.
6. Boston Financial District, MA – Home to major investment firms.
7. Miami Brickell, FL – Banking and real estate investors.
8. Washington, D.C. K Street – Lobbyists, investors, and business leaders.
9. Dallas Uptown, TX – Corporate headquarters and startup scene.
10. San Francisco Financial District, CA – Venture capital hub.

High-Traffic Airports & Conference Centers​

1. JFK International Airport, NY – Business travelers and investors.
2. LAX Airport, CA – High-profile entrepreneurs and executives.
3. McCarran Airport, Las Vegas, NV – Convention attendees and investors.
4. Chicago O’Hare Airport, IL – Business professionals and investors.
5. Miami International Airport, FL – Latin American investors and entrepreneurs.
6. Las Vegas Strip, NV – Home to major business conventions.
7. Times Square, NY – High visibility for global investors.
8. SXSW Conference Area, Austin, TX – Startup founders and tech investors.
9. CES Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV – Tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
10. Downtown San Diego, CA – Business district with startup activity.

These locations ensure maximum exposure to business-minded individuals, which could result in the sale of your premium domain name faster.

Questions for you​

• Have you ever used Billboard advertising for your domain portfolio or to sell a domain name linked to a landing page?
  • If so, where?
• Do you think a premium single-word domain name might sell faster on a billboard in one of the high traffic locations listed above?
  • If so, which one might be the best location?

Remember, at the end of the day, a domain name is truly only worth what a buyer and seller agree on.

What works for one may not work for another and vice versa.

Have a great domain adventure!

 

[bmugford]

I am not really a fan of QR code advertising.

There are times they are inconvenient to use and many people still don't understand how they work.

I have seen this in real life multiple times like at Cabela's where people were struggling to use the QR system for customer service. In fact, they removed it here.

QR codes also don't work with things like word of mouth advertising. They don't index in search engines like domains.

If you are driving, what are you supposed to do pull out your phone and scan the QR code?

Brad

 

[Eric Lyon]

I am not really a fan of QR code advertising.

There are times they are inconvenient to use and many people still don't understand how they work.

I have seen this in real life multiple times like at Cabela's where people were struggling to use the QR system for customer service. In fact, they removed it here.

QR codes also don't work with things like word of mouth advertising. They don't index in search engines like domains.

If you are driving, what are you supposed to do pull out your phone and scan the QR code?

Brad

Great point.

While the QR code works stationery, a short memorable domain can be voice activated/searched on a smart phone or typed in later.

Having both options on the billboard may be ideal.

 

[bmugford]

Great point.

While the QR code works stationery, a short memorable domain can be voice activated/searched on a smart phone or typed in later.

Having both options on the billboard may be ideal.

I understand QR codes more on things like business cards than billboards.

The only time you pass by a billboard is when you are driving (or in a vehicle). The only way you can use a QR code is by scanning it.

It's not like scanning a QR code on a billboard from a car is easy, never mind when you are driving. It presents a potentially dangerous scenario of distracted driving.

I have seen billboards before with just a QR code, nothing else. I have seen them with a QR code + company name, but no website.

It's a lot easier to remember a domain like SmithRealty.com than some QR code. The domain is also more useful in other ways.

Brad

 

[Eric Lyon]

I understand QR codes more on things like business cards than billboards.

The only time you pass by a billboard is when you are driving (or in a vehicle). The only way you can use a QR code is by scanning it.

It's not like scanning a QR code on a billboard from a car is easy, never mind when you are driving. It presents a potentially dangerous scenario of distracted driving.

I have seen billboards before with just a QR code, nothing else. I have seen them with a QR code + company name, but no website.

It's a lot easier to remember a domain like SmithRealty.com than some QR code. The domain is also more useful in other ways.

Brad

Some of the highest exposure areas in the lists have lots of foot traffic and some Billboards can be on bus stop benches, taxis, mobile box trucks, digital signage on a building, etc..

In those cases, where the qr code may be stationary long enough to scan it, it might work.

Definitely agree the domain needs to be in the ad though.

 

[bmugford]

Some of the highest exposure areas in the lists have lots of foot traffic and some Billboards can be on bus stop benches, taxis, mobile box trucks, digital signage on a building, etc..

In those cases, where the qr code may be stationary long enough to scan it, it might work.

Definitely agree the domain needs to be in the ad though.

If it something you can scan while stationary, it might make some sense as a supplemental option.

Something like on a highway doesn't really make sense. IMO.

Brad

 

[Mister Funsky]

I just had a stand off with a business owner about this.

I've got his name (actually a better/shorter version) and rather than pay me the gross rental for a dance floor for a night, dj included, he opted to spend 10K on QR promotions.

Now he has me thinking of starting my own party rental business.

 

[Eric Lyon]

I just had a stand off with a business owner about this.

I've got his name (actually a better/shorter version) and rather than pay me the gross rental for a dance floor for a night, dj included, he opted to spend 10K on QR promotions.

Now he has me thinking of starting my own party rental business.

Or maybe manufacturing your own party supplies to sell to him after developing the domain he passed on into a manufacturing service? Lol https://www.namepros.com/threads/50...th-your-domain-names-collecting-dust.1354703/

 

[Mister Funsky]

Or maybe manufacturing your own party supplies to sell to him after developing the domain he passed on into a manufacturing service? Lol

Great idea...I get him on both ends of the financial spectrum!

 

[Acroplex]

Billboards placed at high points above streets and on highways are an affordable solution to advertise goods and services. Surprisingly, most of them do it wrong.

Having designed several billboards in the past 25 years, I know exactly what needs to be part of the visuals and how the prompts/text should be laid out.

Domains should be legible & memorable. URLs that include the domain should be kept ultra short. Subdomains are ok, when short and memorable. Graphics should include attractive, contrasted colors. Phone numbers better be easy to remember.

QR codes? Not good for a moving vehicle! Social media icons? Waste of real estate.

Overall, it's a medium that can be utilized to sell a lot of products via the leads it generates—when done right, that is!

 

[alop]

Time servers all

I had signed up for Google ads but they was wrecking me

 

[alop]

My portfolio aint large but I assumed primoooo


These days im on edge of renewing a domain or paying for another Netflix membership

 

[HotKey]

Instead of a QR code, which are ugly look like something that should be on meat packaging, we should be able to point our phone to a DN on a billboard or wherever it's placed and it activates to the link.

 

[Future Sensors]

The only useful application for QR codes on billboards along the highway is for car insurers and car repair shops.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Instead of a QR code, which are ugly look like something that should be on meat packaging, we should be able to point our phone to a DN on a billboard or wherever it's placed and it activates to the link.

Something like Text to speech, but with AI to identify a domain name within text, extract it and instructed to put it in your phone's default browser?

Sounds like an interesting ai app idea.

 

[bmugford]

The only useful application for QR codes on billboards along the highway is for car insurers and car repair shops.

And lawyers.

Brad

 

[HotKey]

Something like Text to speech, but with AI to identify a domain name within text, extract it and instructed to put it in your phone's default browser?

Sounds like an interesting ai app idea.

Exactly. For example, my photo app can extract text from an image I took. So why not DNs, and then resolve them.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Exactly. For example, my photo app can extract text from an image I took. So why not DNs, and then resolve them.

FWIW, it looks like there are already a bunch on the market (Many are free).

Here's just a few of the ones I found:

1. Google Lens This free app uses your camera to capture text in real time. It intelligently recognizes URLs within an image and turns them into clickable links so that you can directly tap and visit the corresponding website.
2. Microsoft Office Lens Designed primarily for document capture, Office Lens converts photos to digital text using OCR. Once it extracts the text, you can quickly locate and act on domain names, copying them for a fast browser switch.
3. Adobe Scan A robust scanning tool that automatically applies OCR to your snapshots. It identifies text, including website URLs, in your scans, making it easy to tap on a detected domain and open it in your browser.
4. CamScanner Widely used for document scanning, CamScanner offers precise OCR capabilities. After scanning an ad, you can extract any text portions (like domain names) and then either copy or, if the app hyperlinks them, open the site immediately.
5. ABBYY TextGrabber Celebrated for its strong text-recognition engine, TextGrabber captures text from signs, posters, and advertisements. It even highlights URLs as actionable links so that tapping on a domain name can launch your browser.
6. Genius Scan Although primarily a document scanner, Genius Scan incorporates OCR that lets you extract text from images. With a quick review of the captured text, you can select any domain name and use it to navigate online.
7. Scanbot (now known as ScanPro) This sleek scanning app offers excellent OCR accuracy. Once you scan an ad, Scanbot usually makes recognized text, such as domain names, tappable, paving the way to quickly open up a website.
8. Text Fairy A free option for Android users, Text Fairy specializes in converting photographed text into editable form. It picks up on domain names within the text, enabling you to easily copy or tap them for website access.
9. Evernote Scannable Ideal for digitizing receipts and paper documents, Scannable by Evernote quickly extracts text from snapshots. This lets you identify any printed domain names and then transfer or tap them to visit the relevant site.
10. Prizmo Tailored for iOS users, Prizmo combines powerful OCR with an intuitive interface. It scans printed text—including domain names—and offers features that let you interact with those links, such as opening them directly in a web browser.

Note: While these apps excel at converting images to text (and many automatically recognize and hyperlink URLs), some may require you to copy the extracted domain name and then paste it into your browser (Which would be useless for your needs). Because app functionalities are frequently updated, it’s a good idea to explore each tool’s latest features to see which best fits what you were needing.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

Thanks for the article including typical costs and statistics on conversion in sense of consulting the website, @Eric Lyon.

It seems to me that it is more likely to work for rapidly rising major players in the domain space, like a new marketplace. For most portfolio holders their potential clientele is global, while any billboard just boosts local awareness.

I have often wondered if there are cost effective solutions in promoting domains in venues where startup owners, venture capital investors, tech enthusiasts, etc. congregate though, like at trade shows or conferences or other events.

-Bob

PS Can I ask a probably dumb question about QR codes. Can the image be hacked so that it sends the device scanning it to a different site, one with a risk? I've always wondered about that.

 

[Acroplex]

PS Can I ask a probably dumb question about QR codes. Can the image be hacked so that it sends the device scanning it to a different site, one with a risk? I've always wondered about that.

Yes it can. E.g. if someone plastered a new QR code on top of yours. It'd take a long ladder and lack of fear of heights to do that on a highway billboard.