Home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and millions of small businesses, Texas is an entrepreneurship hub and national center of business success. The neighboring cities of Dallas and Fort Worth (comprising the thriving metroplex known as DFW), offer rich advertising opportunities. However, there are a few key differences and a rivalry between these popular cities, and you might be asking yourself: Where do I promote my business?
Dallas and Fort Worth: What’s the Difference?
Though both cities can boast of their thriving nightlife, a plethora of tourist attractions and recreational opportunities, and delicious dining options, Big D and Cowtown vary in their pace, feel, and cost of living.
Dallas is physically bigger than Fort Worth and is home to about 1.3 million people, while Fort Worth has roughly 930,000 residents. As a result, you can expect a wider variety of businesses in Dallas, higher expenses, and more traffic.
Making the Most of the Traffic Jam
When it comes to rush hour traffic, no one is a fan except for businesses who’ve invested in billboards. Fort Worth and Dallas have major interstate highways with plenty of daily commuters and out-of-state travelers. You can expect traffic in both cities, but drivers can expect to spend far more time observing advertisements in Dallas while stuck in a jam.
While Dallas may give your static or digital billboards more exposure, Fort Worth billboards tend to be less expensive. Most OOH advertising options are cheaper in Cowtown than in Big D. Fort Worth also has comparable billboard options to Dallas, depending on which advertising company you choose.
Public Transportation
As with most major cities, residents and visitors often opt for public transit to avoid traffic congestion and parking hassles. Both Fort Worth and Dallas have reliable transportation options, giving businesses the chance to target commuters and place ads in areas with high pedestrian foot traffic.
You can leverage the benefits of both cities and increase your brand awareness by advertising at DFW International Airport. When comparing the costs of public transit advertising between the two cities, Fort Worth, perhaps surprisingly, has a higher average cost and minimum price for mobile billboards, subway and taxi ads, and bus interiors.
In Dallas, you can capitalize on its popular transit system, DART, which hosts over 60 rail stations. Fort Worth’s system, the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), connects to popular areas in Dallas and the DFW airport.
Tourist Attractions and Community Spaces
Slower-paced than its bustling neighbor, Fort Worth still has a thriving downtown. Its Sundance Square hosts several dining options, concerts, and gardens. If you advertise in Fort Worth, you can be sure to attract the attention of individuals and families alike, which is particularly helpful if you are a family-oriented or small business. Though it’s a metropolitan area, its surrounding suburban communities are known for their country roots and rancher lifestyle. With such diversity, you can easily curate your OOH ads to reach your target audience.
Fort Worth also has more green spaces than Dallas. Its Botanical Garden and community parks attract nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Depending on your business’s core values and products, you can appeal to recreation and environmental protection efforts. Fort Worth also helps companies promote themselves on prime real estate for a fraction of the cost it would take to advertise using wallscapes in Dallas.
Both Dallas and Fort Worth provide plenty of excitement for tourists. For example, each has a zoo and hosts many special events. Dallas offers more for sports lovers with its array of stadiums and complexes. It also provides advertising opportunities in its Arts District and famous Farmers Market.
If students are part of your target audience, you can capitalize on both cities’ universities and seminaries.
Small Business Friendliness
Thumbtack, a home management platform based in San Francisco, CA, conducts an annual small business friendliness survey to determine the best locations for starting a business in the United States. They base their results on several factors, including ease of hiring, tax codes, and training programs.
Each year, Dallas and Fort Worth receive consistently high rankings from the survey. In 2019, for example, Fort Worth received an A+ in overall small business friendliness, and in 2021, Dallas received an A-, making them prime locations to start and advertise a business in the U.S.
Conclusion
The Lone Star State is rife with opportunities to launch and promote your business. Its DFW metroplex offers affordable OOH advertising options to help you find new customers. Deciding between Big D and Cowtown depends on who your target audience is and what your marketing budget looks like.