Billboard advertising has been used by large brands like Coca-Cola, BMW, McDonald’s, Nike, etc., for decades. Now that these brands focus more on digital advertising techniques, smaller companies have the perfect chance to use this marketing tool and give their brands local exposure. They have always been great marketing tools for reaching the masses.
Companies can set up their billboard signs in places where their target audience members live, commute, socialize, and work. Plus, it is awfully difficult to ignore a well-designed billboard ad. On the other hand, other mass advertising techniques such as TV ads or internet ads can be easily switched off. Here’s how small businesses use them to promote their brands.
Guaranteed Exposure
When you are running the ad department of a small company, your main goal is always to reduce costs. Since digital marketing is getting more expensive by the day, many smaller brands fail to compete with the ‘big boys’ with unlimited resources in this avenue. Billboard advertising offers companies of all sizes the same chances of gaining brand exposure.
The size and nature of billboard advertisements are inherently advantageous. It is impossible to avoid a well-crafted billboard ad with large, eye-catching graphics. Even if you are driving, a well-designed billboard ad will always leave a lasting impression in your mind. According to a recent study;
- 71% of consumers said that they look at roadside billboards every day of their lives.
- 37% of consumers say that they carefully read every ad they come across.
Such levels of exposure are not guaranteed with other advertising techniques. Since small business owners cannot risk spending their limited marketing budgets on tactics that may or may not work, investing in high-quality billboard ads is their safest bet.
Free but Effective
Consumers can watch TV ads only if they spend their time switching on their TV sets. Consumers can watch Internet ads only if they browse the web for long periods (and do not have ad blockers). Print ads can only be seen by people who buy newspapers or magazines. On the other hand, ads are free to be viewed by anyone who passes by them.
Consumers have to put in zero effort to view the marketing messages presented on their billboards. The Internet is full of fake ads and marketing messages. Most avid Internet users are tired of spammy advertisements and fake websites. Such consumers are likely to trust billboard advertising.
This free yet extremely effective nature of billboard ads makes them so appealing to small businesses. Smaller companies can easily reach more people at cost-effective rates with this mass marketing tool. Plus, they offer guaranteed audiences. The more views they receive, the more ingrained the brand gets inside a target consumer’s memory. Further, let us discuss some billboard design tips.
Simplicity is the key
While thinking of all the great billboard signage we have ever seen, one can see that simplicity is the secret behind the success of all these. The major purpose of a billboard is its functionality. The effectiveness is all about making it readable and easily digestible to all. Even the coziest design may go worthless if it is not easily readable from a distance. So, legibility is the primary factor a billboard creator must follow at the first point. You can get top-notch billboard print designs here. Let’s next view some tips in terms of effective billboard design.
Use large text
Billboards are usually outdoor signage designs, which should be clear and must be easy to read from a distance. Standard billboard bulletins should be visible even from 500 feet distance. The ideal approach while designing a billboard is to stick one single message or idea to share. Brevity is the key to success. As the audience of a standard billboard is mobile, you need to decide what is most important when sharing your message through it.
Use non-serif bold fonts
Along with making the text large, you need to use legible typefaces too. As we have seen above, it should be visible from 500 feet away. Remember that thin lines used may easily break up or fade. So always use bold letters by avoiding any italic, decorative, or serif finish. As a rule of thumb, lower and upper sans serif fonts may offer the best readability from a distance. While designing outdoor billboards, it is ideal to use a thin dark stroke around the text area to distinguish between the background and text.
Stick to a single message
As discussed at the first point, try to simplify each and everything related to your banner. A billboard is not the right medium to showcase a complex message. You also should not put numerous images in it. Just put a single thing that you want your audience to recognize through it easily. The best outdoor media is something that cuts short a complex message to easily understandable elements.
Usage of color
As of late, it is advisable to use only RGB colors for making digital display prints. Design out digital signage as you design a website banner for a computer or TV monitor. To achieve a white finish, you may use the combination of all three colors to optimum brightness. Also, white backgrounds may wash out and effectively compete with your creative remains. Always try to stick to the fully saturated hues. Use complementary colors with the help of a color board based on their complimenting values. As you can witness, a contrasting combination of colors will work the best while viewing outdoor designs at a distance. Along with ensuring better viewability from a distance, contrast in color values and hue is also important for creating the best banners.
You also need to be very careful in choosing the billboards’ images and graphics and effectively use the white space for the best contrasting impact. It is also advisable to test your idea first in computer simulation to get a first-hand look and feel of how the billboard will look like in the actual setup.
Lastly, billboard advertisements are active 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If the billboard designers add URLs or QR codes to their ads, they can even track their campaigns’ efficiency. All these advantages of traditional billboard advertising make it extremely important for small-scale businesses trying to promote their brands amongst local audiences.
