When you secure a legal parcel for a billboard and complete the ground lease and permit, that's only the first step. The tougher question is: will the sign actually attract an advertiser? One key factor often overlooked is how far the billboard is from the road—and whether that distance renders the message unreadable. Here's what you need to know when evaluating a potential site.
Visibility Duration Matters
A general rule in outdoor advertising is that readers need a minimum amount of time to absorb a message. Many professionals consider around five seconds of clear "read" time to be a practical threshold. At highway speeds of 55 mph, that translates to roughly 500 feet of unobstructed visibility. Anything much less drastically limits what the advertiser can say—and reduces the sign's appeal.
While newer data are limited, design standards still indicate that if the viewer only has two or three seconds of exposure, it becomes difficult to make the case for leasing that space.
Letter Size and Message Length
When a billboard is far off the road, compensations are required in design: letters must be taller, fewer words used, fewer lines of copy. For example:
- From longer distances you might require 5-foot-tall letters to be legible.
- That means your headline may be limited to two lines, with only around four words plus a logo.
That restriction limits what type of advertiser will find the sign attractive. A simple message like "Exit 10 – Diner" works, but anything more complex becomes ineffective. The farther the sign, the less flexibility and value it holds.
Orientation ("V" Angle) Can Help
One design variable you can control is the angle of the billboard relative to the road—often called the "V" of exposure. A sign placed at a sharper angle toward the roadway gives drivers more readable time before it becomes perpendicular to their line of sight.
Ideally, a sign almost parallel to the highway provides the longest visibility window, though this isn't always practical. If you're building a single-face sign, orienting it more directly toward traffic can help salvage a site that's set back too far. Without that adjustment, distance plus poor angle equals weak visibility.
Market and Competitive Realities
Even if a sign looks viable on paper, you must assess whether advertisers can be convinced to rent it. Consider:
- Are there nearby signs with better visibility that remain vacant?
- Is this route significant enough to attract consistent advertisers?
- How many potential advertisers are active in this area?
If prime locations in the same market aren't leased, it's unlikely that a harder-to-see sign will perform better. Advertisers recognize poor exposure when they see it, and that usually means lower demand or lower rent.
Conclusion
Not every legal location is a profitable one. Distance from the road directly affects visibility, message clarity, and ultimately, advertiser interest. Before committing to build or lease a billboard, ask yourself: can drivers clearly read and react to this message in the few seconds they have? If the answer is no, then it's best to move on to a more visible opportunity.