Roadside billboards stand on the roads that people use every day: arterial routes, suburban main roads, commercial strips and the streets approaching shopping centres and industrial parks. Traffic is slower than on a freeway, queues build at traffic lights, and the same drivers pass the same face again and again.
That repeat exposure makes roadside billboards strong for local awareness, promotions and brand building around a business or a neighbourhood. They also cost less to build than a freeway structure, because the face and height are usually more modest.
Typical specifications
- Structuremonopole, modest unipole, double-sided or vertical, per the plot
- Face formatsfor example 6 m x 3 m or 12 m x 3 m, subject to the municipality
- Heightlower than freeway structures, set by the site and local rules
- Foundationreinforced concrete, coordinated around services and kerbs
- Face materialPVC/flex, mesh or backlit material; LED where permitted
- Lightingfrontlit or backlit for evening visibility
- Servicingladder or platform, often reachable without road closure
How roadside sites work
A roadside site is normally a private stand on or beside a road that is managed by the municipality, with a pavement, kerb and building lines close by. Standard faces such as 6 m x 3 m are common, with larger formats where the stand and the municipality allow.
Viewing time is longer than on a highway, so a roadside creative can carry a little more: a strong picture, a headline and a short line of detail, in place of the single word or logo a freeway message must rely on.
Structures we use
The usual choice is a monopole or a modest unipole, sometimes double-sided where the road carries traffic both ways. For narrow plots in business districts, a vertical unipole fits better.
On corner stands, a V-shape or double-sided layout can capture traffic from two roads. In some commercial settings, wall-mounted or rooftop faces make better use of what the site has.
Think about who actually uses the road. A route used by commuters, school traffic or delivery vehicles produces a different audience from a road used mainly by shoppers at weekends, and the best creative, flighting period and face position follow from that. We do not invent audience figures, but we help you reason through what the site gives you and ask the right questions before you commit.
Local conditions and approvals
Roadside approvals sit mainly with the municipality, which assesses the application against its outdoor advertising rules, including how close the structure is to intersections, schools and residential areas. Where the road is provincial or national, a roads authority will be involved. Landowner consent is always needed.
We assist with applications and supporting documents, but approval rests with the authority. Rules differ between municipalities, so what applies in Sandton, Soweto, Ekurhuleni or Cape Town may not apply in another area.
Site owners, rentals and upkeep
Many roadside billboards are placed on land owned by someone who is not an advertiser. If you own a stand on a busy road, we can build a billboard for you to manage or rent out. If you are an advertiser who needs space, we offer billboard space on available sites, with locations, sizes and flighting periods confirmed at enquiry.
Once installed, roadside billboards still need servicing: lamp replacements, skin changes, frame checks and clean-ups. Our maintenance and flighting teams cover these jobs and can set up a regular schedule.
Getting more from a roadside face
Because roadside viewers see the same billboard repeatedly, a campaign can change the creative at intervals to keep the site fresh without changing the structure. Flighting a new skin is far cheaper than building new, and a series of linked messages tends to hold attention better than a single static image.
Talk to us about how often you expect to change skins and we will plan access, printing and scheduling to match. Our campaign management service can coordinate multiple roadside sites for a broader reach across a suburb, a town or a province.
At a glance
Roadside billboards stand on arterial roads, suburban main roads and commercial strips where traffic is slower and viewers pass the same face again and again. Billboards Africa designs, fabricates, erects, flights and maintains roadside billboards for advertisers, property owners and media owners in Gauteng, the rest of South Africa and neighbouring countries. A roadside billboard can be a monopole, a compact unipole, a double-sided or vertical structure, and standard faces such as 6 m x 3 m suit streets in Randburg, Roodepoort, Soweto, Kempton Park, Centurion and many other suburbs and towns.
Because roadside billboards sit close to kerbs, pavements and neighbours, approvals are led by the municipality and local rules vary from place to place. We assist with applications and supporting documents, and with roads authority applications where those roads are involved, but approval rests with the authority. If you own a stand on a busy road we can build a billboard for you, and if you need space we offer billboard space on available sites, confirmed at enquiry. After installation we provide printed skins, lighting, flighting and maintenance.
Common questions
What is the difference between roadside and highway billboards?
Roadside billboards stand on slower arterial and suburban roads, so faces and heights are usually more modest and messages can carry more detail.
Do I need approval for a roadside billboard on my own property?
Yes. Outdoor advertising needs approval from the municipality, and a roads authority if the road is theirs, even on private land.
How long does the process take?
It depends on the structure, site and approvals. We confirm it on your quotation.
Can I rent a roadside billboard rather than build?
We offer billboard space on available sites. Locations, sizes and periods are confirmed at enquiry.
