What Is Wild Posting Advertising?

You may be mistaken for thinking wild posting advertising is a new concept in marketing, but it’s actually been around for quite a long time. Wild posting advertising, also known as fly-posting, refers to posters that people place on walls, fences, the sides of buildings and other places around the city, such as light posts, shop fronts and really any surface that you can cover. This is a great way to advertise as people walk or drive by these structures daily, so it’s hard not to notice them. It is particularly effective in major hubs such as cities and busy towns, while less populated areas also feature wild posting advertising. 

Before you rush out and cover your town with posters advertising your business, keep in mind that there are right and wrong ways to do this and the last thing your business needs is a visit from law enforcement. So let’s take a look at how to make the most out of wild posting advertising and do it legally!

Is It Illegal To Put Up Posters In Public?

You may have a wall or the side of a building in your area that people have covered with flyers and posters. Some may even have faded or become frayed. The temptation may be to grab your collection of freshly printed posters and start plastering them all over town. STOP RIGHT THERE! In most towns and cities in the UK, it is illegal to put up posters in public areas. This includes walls, fences, buildings' sides, lampposts and other public space. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it is always best to check with local authorities before you start your wild posting advertising campaign. 

Where Can You Legally Put Up Posters In The UK?

As with any type of advertising or promotion, research is essential. Especially when it comes to wild postings, you need to find out where and how you can put up your posters legally. There are several options open to all those who want to take advantage of wild posting advertising, and they include:

Public Notice Boards – You can find public notice boards in most towns and even in major cities. These are great places where you can legally put up posters, and, indeed, many have been set up in these places specifically to contain wild posting advertising to a specific spot. However, keep in mind that although it is legal to put up posters on public notice boards, there are some limitations as to what you can and can’t put up. Therefore, it’s also a good idea to have your posters professionally printed by a printing service that understands the legalities of wild posting advertising. 

Work With Other Businesses – Many business owners work on the premise that they are constantly competing with everyone but, as a wise man once said, “No man is an island”. It helps to work with, rather than against, other businesses in your local community so that you all succeed. While this works best with companies that may be in the same field but a different industry to yours, there is no reason why you can’t work with any business, no matter how different or similar it is to yours. You can hand posters in each other’s windows or nearby (as long as it’s legal) and create joint advertising campaigns and promotions. 

Street & Farmers’ Markets – Outdoor markets see a whole lot of foot traffic so it makes sense to advertise where the action is. You will still need to seek permission from these outdoor market stall vendors before putting up your posters, and you should also check with local councils as well to ensure putting up your posters is legal. 

Any Business, Public Library, Universities – As long as these places have a notice board, you may be able to put up a poster there. However, you will need to ask the business or institution if they will allow posters to be posted and be prepared for rejection. Many of these places may have their own rules on what they will and will not allow being posted on their boards. 

Where Can I Post Flyers Legally?

Before you prepare your flyers for printing, you should ask, “Where can I post flyers legally?” The rules and regulations regarding posting flyers differ from one council to another, so you should always check first. Some councils may ask you to apply for a licence to post and distribute flyers, while others are somewhat more relaxed. Moreover, if you are posting and distributing leaflets in some areas, you may need to show your licence on demand. If you breach the laws, your licence may be revoked, and you may even be issued with a fine. You can certainly post your flyers legally in letterboxes, but if you want to post them through the mail service, you will need to pay for this service. 

Best Ways To Hang Posters

One of the most frustrating things about wild posting advertising is watching wind and rain rip your poster off the wall or post and send it flying down the street. Not only is this annoying, but you’ll also need to keep replacing posters which can be expensive. You also risk being fined for littering if your posters are strewn everywhere. 

Here are some tips on the best ways to put up posters:

• Try to find a door, fence or wall with a little shelter. This can be a doorway or a wall with an awning. It may not offer 100% protection for your posters, but any cover is better than none. 
• Get your posters laminated. Laminating posters ensures they won’t get soggy when it rains, and the colour should also last a little longer. 
• Frame your posters. Many bus stops have a dedicated frame for wild posting advertising. You can hang your posters in these where they look neat, and they won’t get wet or damaged. These frames are not free, though, so you will need to find out who owns these frames and rent the space for a given period of time.
• Use clear, strong adhesive tape. If you are putting up posters yourself, you can use strong, clear adhesive tape and hang your signs on a wall or a post (make sure this is legal first).
• Have good quality posters printed. Many printing companies offer waterproof posters, so all you need to do is find a good place to hang the signs. 
• A-Boards and Swinger Panels are a great way to advertise your business or event at street level, and you can take them inside at the close of business. These signs are easy to use and quite versatile. 

As always, do check with your local council to see where you can legally hang or display your posters. 

How To Hang Posters On Concrete Walls

Hanging posters on concrete walls can be tricky. The rough surface of concrete makes it quite a challenge to get things to stick to them. While you may be tempted to screw or hammer your posters to the wall, the owner of the wall may not be too impressed with you leaving permanent holes in their wall. The better option is to use mounting putty. Simply take some of this putty into your hands and roll it into a ball. Flatten the putty and place it in each corner of your poster and secure it to the wall by pressing firmly. The putty easily adheres to the bumps and ridges of the concrete wall, and, best of all, when it’s time to take the poster down, you can also remove the putty and leave no traces on the wall. 

Try Wild Posting Advertising For Yourself!

Wild posting advertising is a great way to advertise your business or special event. With all the foot traffic in towns and cities across the UK, it makes sense to grab the attention of all those people passing by. The main thing to remember is that you do so legally, and this means checking with your local council authorities to see what is and is not allowed. 

While there are restrictions on the types of wild posting advertising that are permitted, this method of marketing is often one of the best, especially if you are targeting your local community. You will need a good printing service to help you create a great poster with exceptional graphics that will catch the attention of all those passers-by, but it is certainly worth the time and effort. Finally, consider the location of your wild postings, as this is just as important as the posters. 

When done right and legally, wild posting advertising can be a valuable marketing tool for your business or organisation. It’s definitely a marketing tool that is worth considering. 

 

 

Sources

https://www.gov.uk/report-fly-posters#:~:text=Fly%2Dposters%20usually%20advertise%20events,local%20council%20or%20the%20police. 

https://medium.com/@info_16449/6-places-where-you-can-legally-place-posters-in-london-9504e0005f20

https://www.gov.uk/permission-to-distribute-leaflets 

 https://www.thespruce.com/ways-to-attach-things-to-cinder-block-walls-5080521