September 3, 2025 Buying Billboard Advertising
Looking out over Utah’s iconic landscapes, from the sprawl of Salt Lake City to the dramatic red rocks of St. George, marketers can’t help but notice the billboard opportunities lining these vibrant routes. The state’s main arteries, including Interstate 15 and Interstate 80, see astonishing daily vehicle counts and create a dynamic stage for eye-catching brand campaigns. Whether your goals involve launching a statewide initiative or zeroing in on key local markets like Lehi or Sandy, Utah’s billboard scene offers surprising flexibility and creative potential.
Let’s walk through the economics, location-specific pricing, and tactical approaches that set Utah apart as an outdoor advertising playground.
Utah’s billboard landscape caters to a range of budgets and ambitions, making it accessible to both regional newcomers and national campaigners. Costs tend to be quoted per four-week period, giving advertisers flexibility to target peak seasons such as ski months near Salt Lake’s canyons or visitor surges in spring and summer near national parks.
Typical statewide four-week pricing looks like this:
Minimum spends for statewide buys generally hover around $5,000, which can be allocated across multiple locations or campaign weeks.
Here are a few production and lifespan considerations for static billboards:
Digital boards, meanwhile, charge for time slots rather than materials, opening up opportunities for flexible campaigns and A/B creative testing.
Utah’s key cities and corridors bring unique pricing, traffic, and demographic factors to the table. Here’s a closer look at how cost, CPM (cost per thousand impressions), and reach shake out in major markets:
As Utah’s anchor media market, Salt Lake City provides broad reach with impressively efficient CPMs:
Breakdown by board type (True Impact Media estimates):
The city’s dense inventory means advertisers can achieve serious scale. A single static billboard might clock 435 million impressions per week, with average CPMs sitting comfortably below $5.
Known as a tech boomtown along the “Silicon Slopes,” Lehi’s boards command high visibility among professionals and families alike:
Lehi boards are prime real estate for tech recruiting, regional brands, and retail.
This southern Salt Lake County hub is popular for suburban exposure:
Sandy’s network of boards is particularly effective for brands wanting to reach households, commuters, and retail shoppers.
A magnet for tourists heading to Zion and beyond, St. George offers a different set of cost and audience dynamics:
Monthly costs range from $600 to $4,500 based on format and exact location.
Advertising access near Utah’s ski resorts is limited but can be impactful during high season:
The intensity of visitor traffic in winter makes boards (where available) highly targeted for ski gear, travel, and mountain dining campaigns.
The following table distills market-level billboard costs, CPMs, and reach by format:
| Location | Format | Cost (4 Weeks) | CPM / Impressions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Small Posters | from $383 | — |
| Statewide | Static Bulletins | $1,339–$5,261 | — |
| Statewide | Digital Billboards | $1,425–$4,862 | — |
| Statewide | Bus Panels | $398–$670 | — |
| Statewide | Poster Panels | $610–$969 | — |
| Salt Lake City | Avg Billboard | ~$4,091 | ~$3.46 CPM; 1.18M/month |
| Salt Lake City | By Format | $900–$4,000 | Varies by size/digital |
| Lehi | Avg Billboard | ~$4,322 | ~$3.18 CPM; 1.36M/month |
| Sandy | Avg Billboard | ~$4,214 | ~$3.60 CPM; 1.17M/month |
| St. George | Format Range | $600–$4,500 | Format dependent |
| Alta (Static) | Avg Billboard | ~$3,490 | ~$13.10 CPM; 241K/month |
| Alta (Digital) | Avg Billboard | ~$6,560 | ~$236 CPM; 160M/month |
As evident in both urban and destination markets, CPMs swing between exceptional efficiency (in dense Salt Lake, Lehi, Sandy) and higher per-contact spend in niche or resort-dominant zip codes.
Today’s outdoor advertisers in Utah are moving beyond simple impression counts by layering in digital and data-driven measurement tools for transparency and return tracking.
Here’s how successful billboard campaigns are held accountable:
Sophisticated campaigns may even integrate mobile location data, correlating consumer visits to a store or event after a billboard exposure. These efforts combine to turn static media into accountable, performance-driven investments.
Utah presents a unique balance of cost-efficiency, demographic diversity, and creative staging for OOH advertising. Here are a few tactics and considerations to maximize campaign performance:
When evaluating sites, prioritize boards with ample “dwell time” (traffic lights, congestion) or those proximate to relevant venues—arenas, universities, shopping centers—to boost recall for specific campaigns.
| Format | Example Size | Monthly Cost (Utah) | Advantages | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static Bulletin | ~48’x14′ | $2,500–8,500 | Constant exposure, high impact | Requires design refresh; static |
| Digital Bulletin | ~48’x14′ | $2,500–8,500 | Dynamic content, rapid updates | Scarce inventory; slot sharing |
| Medium Poster | ~22’x10′ | $1,000–1,500 | More affordable, local focus | Smaller footprint |
| Junior Poster | ~11’x5′ | $500–800 | Budget friendly, good for repetition | Shorter view distance |
| Wallscape/Mural | Varies | $2,000–20,000+ | Huge visual impact, custom art | High cost, long lead time |
| Mobile Billboard | Truck/Trailer | $500–3,000/day | Flexible routes, event targeting | Short-term exposure |
Billboard advertising in Utah isn’t just about gaining attention on a wide-open Interstate. It’s about placing your message at the intersection of cost, audience, and timing. Whether you’re a new entrant hoping to plant a flag in Silicon Slopes or a national travel brand seeking to attract millions heading to the red rock wonders, Utah’s options let you scale intelligently and measure real business outcomes.
By combining clear CPM benchmarks, careful market selection, smart creative, and modern tracking techniques, outdoor ads transform into a lever for growth. Creatives that capitalize on Utah’s vibrant commuter corridors, supported by digital tracking and thoughtfully chosen formats, consistently outperform campaigns that ignore context and measurement.
For brand leaders, marketers, and growth strategists, Utah’s billboard ecosystem is packed with opportunities. Each campaign can be sculpted for efficiency, creativity, and genuine impact, allowing advertisers to connect with the state’s ever-moving, opportunity-rich audience.
From Salt Lake City’s I-15 corridors to Provo’s commuter routes and Ogden’s main arteries, Utah billboards deliver unmatched exposure. Connect with Justin at [email protected] to buy billboard advertising that drives awareness and results.
