Billboards signage has been around for over a century, in Australia, billboard advertising is still an important, and efficient way to reach audiences. However, if you are going to invest your money in a huge billboards advert, you want to make sure it’ll be a success.
How do you ensure your billboard signage is eye-catching and effective? Read on to learn the rules of impactful billboard signage design.
1. Get Your Story Straight
If your billboard is by the side of a road on which people will be (literally) speeding by, then a design without a basic story simply will not be memorable. To help you create your story, you need to think about the one message you want people to take away from your billboard ad. Do you want people to remember your website address? To be able to recognise your brand the next time they’re out shopping? Or do you simply want people to over to buy some burgers?
Use your key message to find the story. To find your story, you need to take the critical message and give it some meaning: it could solve a problem, maybe evoke an emotional response, or fulfil some need.
Why is a story important?
Simply because humans are terrible at remembering basic facts but excellent at remembering good stories.
Billboard signage design is a very visual medium, which means the next step to take is how to tell that story through pictures and text. You ’ll need to be very strategic when creating a design. Here are a few ideas from ProCloud Signage ideas to get you started:
One traditional way to make an impact is by utilising a curt and fun play on words that’ll create a chuckle or two, maybe a short verse that will help your message stick.
They say a picture is also worth a thousand words, right? A large dynamic image can tell it all. In fact, an image will help people remember your message better than by using just words. Just ensure the image really does make an impact you need in 5 seconds or less. You can test ad copy by sharing your design ideas and asking your friends to view the design concepts for only a couple of seconds. If they smile, great work! If they look at all puzzled you’ll need to go back to the drawing board.
2. Keep it short and sweet and safe!
On average a driver will only have between 5 to 10 seconds to view your billboard signage design, read the text, and understand the message. In those 5 to 10 seconds, the driver will also be glancing from the billboard to the road, and then back to the billboard again, depending on how heavy the traffic is. That’s even less viewing time on your ad, so one of the most important rules to follow will be – keep your message short. As short as possible! Aim for a maximum of 7 words, ideally less.
After your key message, you need to consider any other pertinent information. Do people need to see a phone number? What about a company logo? How about an address. Just be sure to prioritise this (other) relevant information, so your billboard doesn’t become too cluttered or illegible.
3. Be Loud
The huge format of a billboard layout is not made for a meek message! Make sure all of the text in your design is printed in a clean, bold font to ensure the best legibility. Also, its worth remembering that the larger the font size, the more time a driver has to read and understand your message from a distance. So go big & be loud!
4. Be Colorful
Use bright colours or a bold image in your design to effortlessly attract eyes to your billboard. Contrasting colours within the design will also create an even bigger impact that will help improve the retention of your message.
However, for your image to be useful, you’ll want to keep your background as simple as possible to ensure the foreground isn’t fighting for attention. Also, stick to one large image or photograph. One dynamic image will create much more striking visual impact than a few images that each take up a quarter of the layout – for example.
5. Check Your Map
If you find you’re still in need inspiration for a fun message for your billboard, then consider the location where your ad will be displayed and use that environment for an original message.
You can also take advantage of motorways with several miles of open space between towns to arouse the interest of any hungry, tired, or bored travellers with simple signage that repeats itself. Have a unique attraction that shouldn’t be missed? A comforting place to stop & rest for travellers in need of a break? If so let drivers know the closing distance between them and your destination, by setting up several designs; placed a few miles apart from each other, to let drivers know they’re almost there. No need to be too smart if you don’t want to, but your message will still need to be short, bold and readable.
Contact ProCloud Signage About Signage Design
Procloud Signage offers the best quality custom designed signage to businesses & companies all over Brisbane. Our team of designers create outstanding, memorable custom designed signs that’ll make you stand out in the jungle.
Call 1300 722 659, Email info@Procloud.com.au.
