7 Ways to Make Your Bike Share Ads Great

It only took a few short years for bike share programs to go from a fringe idea to a central part of city living. Commuters, tourists, and everyday folks now enjoy the convenience of bicycle access at a great price, saving everyone time and money in the long term.

Bike shares are a winning idea all around, even for advertisers. If you’re in search of the next big advertising opportunity for your brand, bike share locations offer ad space and reach a demographic with money to spend.

Let’s explore the art and science of bike share advertising and offer some tips that will make your money go further in these crucial campaigns.

1. Understand the Opportunity

It always helps to understand the basics of an ad opportunity before you dive in headfirst. With bike share advertising, you’ll want all the relevant details upfront so you can create the best possible ads that yield actual results. Here are some data points to consider:

• Size and dimensions of the ads
• Availability of digital ad formats
• The scope and duration of campaigns
• Demographics that use bike shares
• Cost and upkeep need for ads

Although bike shares haven’t been around for exceptionally long, the advertising fundamentals remain the same! Figure out if and how these ads can benefit your brand and go down the list of core requirements before you launch a new campaign.

2. Design for Quick Impact

The average bike share user spends no more than a minute or two at the station before they hit the road and are off to their next destination. In other words, you don’t have much of a captive audience, and this must be factored in when creating your bike share ads.

Be sure that your ads are quick-hitting and don’t include excessive amounts of text or a complex message. Whether you need to run focus groups or just use your best judgment, feedback always helps steer you in the right direction design-wise.

3. Know Your Audience

Think about the type of person who uses bike shares and the unique aspects of their lifestyle. They could be interested in staying active, being involved in the community, or they have some extra time for leisure and exploration. 

Bike share users also tend to be commuters, or visitors from other parts of the country or world. Take all these variables into account and create ads that will resonate with your target audience, rather than trying to appeal to everyone. 

Also, remember that it’s not just cyclists who will be exposed to your bike share ads. Those passing by on foot or by car will also see them on display.

4. Include Action Steps

Your ad may have all the right design elements and perfect written copy, but without a call to action, campaigns will fall flat every time. 

Don’t forget that crucial ingredient of telling viewers “What to do next” once they’ve seen your ad. Calls to action don’t need to be pushy, they just need to work.

That could be a QR code scan, a social media follow, a website visit, or a discount code that includes a nod to the bike share community. Anything you can do to stand out and encourage immediate action – it’s all in your favor.

5. Capitalize on Local Flair

There’s something unique about every city, every neighborhood, and even certain streets. It’s your job as an advertiser to capture that distinctive vibe and create a strong message that relates to your brand in a bike share environment.

You want to include images of beloved local landmarks in your ads or make a reference to a famous type of cuisine or sports team. This is your chance to double down on that local flavor to avoid that corporate, cut-and-paste feel that nobody wants.

6. Add an Eco-Conscious Edge

Never pass up a chance to add a positive, environmentally sound message when working within a bike share ad format. Even if your brand doesn’t have an obvious link to environmental awareness, there are still ways to give your ad that green image.

See if you can craft an ad with outdoorsy imagery, health-conscious people, and an overall uplifting message if possible. Biking is about feeling good and making a positive difference.

7. Coordinate a Campaign

Let’s not forget that bike share ads are just one aspect of a much broader campaign for your brand at large. From social media feeds to search engines, and other out-of-home formats like digital displays and print ads, you need a campaign that covers all bases.

Coherent messaging and branding never goes out of style, so make sure there’s a level of consistency across all your marketing assets, online and beyond.

Tap Into a Growing Demographic

Countless communities have embraced bike share programs and the results have been phenomenal. Now is the time to jump into those sought-after ad spots and bring some more attention to your brand.