Extending DOOH campaigns online with social media

Digital Out-of-Home has become an established part of the urban media landscape. As a modern format, it combines the strengths of traditional billboard advertising with the flexibility of dynamic content and precise targeting. It is also one of the most positively perceived advertising environments. According to an OAAA study, 73 percent of consumers express a positive attitude toward DOOH, which is significantly higher than for other formats.

The value goes even further. Eighty percent of people say they take action after seeing an entertaining or visually striking DOOH ad, and 71 percent would share DOOH content if it features their favorite brands or products. This last point is key, because the impact of Digital Out-of-Home can grow substantially when it is connected to social media.

While digital screens create visibility in people’s everyday routines and generate memorable moments, social platforms carry these impressions far beyond the physical placement. Posts, stories, comments and likes multiply the initial attention. A single ad exposure on a screen can turn into a spark for conversations, participation and viral momentum.

DOOH as a catalyst for social media amplification

One of DOOH’s biggest advantages is its unavoidable presence. Outdoor ads cannot be skipped, blocked or scrolled past. When this kind of visibility is paired with social media, reach and brand presence grow significantly. This phenomenon is known as social media amplification. Every share, tag, post or hashtag contributes additional earned media, meaning exposure that would otherwise require paid budget.

To encourage this behavior, advertisers increasingly rely on interactive extensions. These range from live social feeds displayed on screens to call-to-actions using hashtags and handles, as well as QR codes or NFC triggers. A quick scan at a bus shelter can lead directly to a TikTok challenge, a Snapchat lens or an AR moment. A physical touchpoint instantly becomes a digital interaction.

The positive relationship between DOOH and social media has also been proven in research. A study by Lumen and JCDecaux UK found that social media advertising performs better when preceded by OOH exposure. Attention increases by 52 percent, and spontaneous brand recall rises by 133 percent. In other words, Digital Out-of-Home acts as a priming layer that boosts reactions to online content.

Creating relevance and measuring impact

A major strength of DOOH lies in its precise control. With geotargeting, content can be delivered at exactly the right moment and location, such as near events, hotspots or stores. People who see a screen in a specific area can then be reached again on social platforms, creating a consistent brand experience across touchpoints that is locally relevant and digitally scalable.

This combined approach also makes performance easier to measure. Hashtags, social listening and engagement metrics show how many posts or interactions a DOOH activation triggered. The Earned Media Value (EMV) helps quantify what this organic reach would have cost if it had been bought as paid media. For campaigns with strong social traction, this interplay between targeting and amplification highlights how effectively DOOH enhances the overall social media mix.

Conclusion: DOOH and social media

DOOH and social media complement each other exceptionally well. Digital screens put brands in front of people with impact, relevance and visibility, while social platforms extend these moments into engagement, community participation and viral spread. Through geotargeting, earned media and the priming effect on social content, brands benefit from a communication mix that multiplies reach and reinforces brand messaging more sustainably.