What Small Businesses Should Know About Local Ad Types

Google Ads. Social ads. Direct mail. Radio. Billboards. Every one of them says it can reach your customers, so where should a small business put its budget?

Most local ad types do one of two jobs. They catch someone who's already looking for what you sell, or they put your name in front of people before they need you. The first job gets most of the budget. The second is how a local business becomes the one everybody knows.

What Are the Main Types of Local Advertising for Small Businesses?

The main types of local advertising are search ads, social ads, direct mail and print, radio and billboards, and local sponsorships.  

1. Search ads put you at the top of Google when someone is already looking.

2. Social ads reach people by location and interest while they scroll.

3. Direct mail and print land in a mailbox or the local paper.

4. Radio, streaming and billboards reach people while they drive, listen or watch.

5. Local sponsorships put your name where the community shows up in person, like high school games and community events.

You rent the attention, and the attention is split. Search and social run on auctions, so the price climbs every time another business bids on your customer, including national chains with far bigger budgets. The ad reaches people in the middle of something else, scrolling, driving, sorting the mail. And when the budget stops, so does the visibility.

Local sponsorships work differently. They gather attention in one place, from a crowd that came to be there, and the recognition and association you build keeps working after the budget stops.  

Why Is a Scoreboard Sponsorship One of the Best Local Ad Types for Small Businesses?

A scoreboard sponsorship is a form of high school sports sponsorship: advertising on the video scoreboards at local schools and arenas. It puts your business in front of parents, alumni and neighbors at every home game and event.

It ranks among the best local ads for small businesses because it puts a fixed-price ad in front of a local crowd that's actually paying attention.

The crowd is your community

Everyone in the stands lives, works or goes to school nearby. There are no targeting settings to get right, the audience is already the people within driving distance of your door.

They're looking at the board

Fans check the scoreboard all game long, for the score, the clock and the replay. Every time they look up, your ad is right there next to it.

The school's trust carries over

A high school is a place the community already trusts. When your business backs the team, that trust carries over to your name.

You show up again and again

Ads run at every scheduled home game, all season. At many of our partner schools that adds up to more than a million projected impressions a year.

The price remains fixed

You lock in one price for the full multi-year term, so you never bid against a national chain for the same crowd.  

You don't need a marketing team when you work with Scoreboard Media

The creative is free and we help guide you on the best ads for your business. We handle the uploads and updates, and you get proof of play confirming your ads ran, game by game.

What Ad Types Run on a Scoreboard?

Scoreboard sponsorships include video ads, static ads, persistent on-screen placements, courtside LED displays, commercials with sound, and on-site activations. What you get depends on your sponsorship level.

1. Video and static ads rotate on the board throughout the game, with video spots before the game, at halftime and during timeouts.

2. Persistent on-screen placements keep your brand in front of fans during play, from the ads along the bottom of the board to your brand built into the board's background at the top level.

3. Courtside LED displays sit at center court at some schools, right at eye level with the crowd.

4. Commercials with sound play during the game for top-level sponsors.

5. On-site activations put your business in the building on game night, face to face with the crowd.

What Kinds of Businesses See the Best Results With Scoreboard Advertising?

Scoreboard advertising works for any small business that wants to be known in its town. A few categories do especially well include:

1. Banks and credit unions. Kids grow up seeing your name at every game, so when it's time to open their first account, it's an easy choice. Industrial Credit Union saw membership growth within a month of going up on the boards.

2. Insurance agents. When it's time to call an agent, the one they've seen all season is the one they trust.

3. Home services. When something breaks in the house, the first name that comes to mind is the one that gets the call.

4. Restaurants. A video of the food on the screen gets the crowd hungry and stopping by after the game.

5. Realtors. When parents become empty nesters and it's time to sell, they already know you from years of games.

6. Car dealerships. Families shop for their kid’s first car in high school, and the dealership they've seen at every game is the first lot they visit.

How Scoreboard Media Helps You Get the Most Out of Your Scoreboard Ads

We work with local businesses in every kind of category, from banks to pizza shops, so we know what your ads should say, which placements fit your type of business, and which level fits your budget.

Our design team creates your ads for free, built around what you want the crowd to remember. And with several sponsorship levels to choose from, you can start where it makes sense and get the presence that works best for you.

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How to Start Advertising on Local Scoreboards

Find a school or arena we partner with near you, pick the sponsorship level that fits your goals and budget, and our team takes it from there, from the ad design to game night.

Your next customers are at these games. Find a school or arena we partner with near you at scoreboardmedia.com/advertiser

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Scoreboard Sponsorship FAQ

How much does a scoreboard sponsorship cost?

Scoreboard sponsorship costs vary from school to school based on the number of games, average attendance and the media included. Every school offers four sponsorship levels, so there's a fit for most budgets, and the price is locked for the full term.

How long does a scoreboard sponsorship last?

Sponsorships run on a 3-year term minimum. You can change your ads as often as you want during it, at no charge.

How do I know my ads actually ran?

We send documented proof of play, by school and by month, so you can see exactly when your ads were on the board.

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