Billboards vs $50 Clicks: Why Small Businesses Should Escape the CPC Trap

Online advertising has a problem: it’s getting more expensive every year. For small businesses, paying $10, $20, or even $50 for a single click can eat up your budget before you ever land a customer.

Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising — especially billboards — offers a way out. With billboard CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) averaging just $7–$15, you can reach thousands of potential customers for the price of two clicks on Google.

The CPC Crisis: What Industries Pay Online

According to WordStream benchmarks, Semrush reports, and HubSpot data, here’s what advertisers are paying:

Industry Avg. CPC Range (Google Ads) Why So Expensive

Legal (Lawyers & Attorneys): $50–$100+ (keywords like “personal injury lawyer” >$150)
Why So Expensive: High case values, fierce competition.

Insurance: $20–$50+
Why So Expensive: Lifetime customer value justifies aggressive bidding wars.

Finance (Loans, Mortgages, Investments): $20–$40
Why So Expensive: Large transaction sizes and recurring revenue.

Healthcare (Specialist Clinics, Addiction Centers): $10–$35
Why So Expensive: High-value patients and urgent decision-making.

Home Services (Plumbing, Roofing, HVAC): $8–$20
Why So Expensive: Emergency services and local competition.

Marketing Agencies: $10–$25
Why So Expensive: Competitive B2B space with lots of players.

Why CPCs Are Unsustainable for SMEs

• You’re paying for clicks, not customers. A $50 click doesn’t guarantee a phone call, let alone a sale.

• Competition is driving costs up. Big firms and national brands can afford to outbid small businesses.

• Budgets vanish fast. At $20 per click, 100 clicks = $2,000 — often with very little to show.

Billboards: The Cost-Effective Alternative

Billboards flip the model. Instead of paying per click, you pay for guaranteed exposure.

• Billboard CPMs average $7–$15 (TastyAd, Broadsign).
• $500–$1,500/month buys a static board in many U.S. markets (Dash Two).
• For the cost of just 10 clicks in Google Ads, your message can reach 5,000+ drivers every day.

Why Billboards Work Better for SMEs

• Unmissable Presence: Unlike digital ads that get scrolled past, billboards dominate the roadside.

• Local Targeting: Perfect for businesses who rely on a 5–10 mile catchment (restaurants, clinics, retailers).

• Trust & Credibility: Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising study found OOH outperforms online ads in both recall and trust.

• Always On: A billboard works 24/7, whether or not someone searches for you.

Case in Point: Lawyers vs Billboards

• A law firm might pay $100 for one click on “personal injury lawyer near me.”

• That same $100 could buy 10,000 billboard impressions — and keep your firm’s name in the community’s mind long before they need you.

The same is true for insurance agents, contractors, dentists, and boutiques. Billboards make you the name people think of first — before they ever type a search.

The Smarter Strategy

1. Use billboards to build awareness and brand recall locally.
2. Let online ads capture demand from people who already know your name.
3. Stop fighting giants in the CPC auction — and win locally where it matters.