Death of the hyperlink, rise of zero-click content and why OOH advertisers win

As Rand Fishkin, cofounder of Sparktoro recently stated: “Attribution is Dying. Clicks are Dying. Marketing is Going Back to the 20th Century.” Sounds like a ringing endorsement for out of home (OOH) doesn’t it? It is. We highly recommend you watch the video he shared in the post we linked above. It’s an extraordinary statement as Rand is one of the original digital marketers and leaders in the space.

The internet's early days were a time of openness and collaboration, where independent creators and diverse forums thrived by sharing ideas and linking to the broader web. Social media platforms were originally designed to be digital town squares that encouraged this free exchange of ideas, including the use of hyperlinks that connected users to the wider internet. However, the narrative has shifted dramatically in recent years as big tech companies have tightened their grip on the flow of information.

These platforms, once symbiotic with the open internet, have become gatekeepers, pulling up the digital drawbridge and trapping users within their walled gardens. The humble hyperlink, a foundational element of internet culture, is now under siege as major social platforms aggressively throttle the reach of external links. Even search is eschewing hyperlinks in favor of answer boxes and AI generated replies. This shift not only stifles the free exchange of ideas but also threatens the vitality of independent creators and publishers who rely on these links to reach their audiences.

This is where out of home (OOH) advertising stands out as a powerful and resilient alternative. Unlike digital platforms that manipulate algorithms to control what users see, OOH ads offer an unfiltered, direct connection with the public. Billboards, transit ads, and the myriad of other OOH formats don’t rely on the whims of tech giants; they stand as a testament to the power of tangible, real-world engagement. They exist in the physical world, where the content is delivered without interference, censorship, or throttling.

In a time where online platforms are increasingly dominated by opaque algorithms and restrictive policies, OOH ads offer a breath of fresh air. They are a reminder that not all marketing needs to be done through the narrow channels of social media and bottom of funnel attention of search. OOH ads provide a way to reach audiences in a meaningful, unmediated, "larger than life way"—something that is increasingly rare or in many cases impossible in the digital space. Simply put: the internet is becoming a red ocean for ads, and OOH remains a blue ocean. And using technology like AdQuick, it's finally easy to do at scale.

Moreover, OOH advertising allows brands to bypass the digital noise and directly engage with consumers in their everyday environments, where they are fully awake and paying attention. We’ve been talking about this trend for many years, and advertisers are taking note: OOH ads capture attention without the distractions and limitations of the online world. They are not subject to the same algorithmic penalties or gatekeeping that have become so prevalent online.

As big tech companies continue to throttle the reach of external content and biases to shareholders instead of users, the value of OOH ads continues to come into focus. It’s a channel that respects the audience’s attention and offers a level of visibility that digital platforms are increasingly unwilling to provide. In an era where the promise of the open internet is being eroded, OOH ads represent a powerful tool for brands to reclaim control over their messaging and reach their audience in an authentic and impactful way.