What Makes a Good Billboard Ad? A Design Guide for First-Timers
You have 3 seconds to make an impression. Here's what works on a billboard — fewer words, high contrast, one clear message — backed by research and real examples.
Most people designing their first billboard ad make the same mistake: they treat it like a flyer. Too many words, too much detail, too little contrast. A billboard isn't a poster someone reads up close — it's a message someone absorbs at speed.
You have about 3 seconds. Here's how to make them count.
The 3-Second Rule
The Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) found that the human brain can process approximately 8 words in 3 seconds. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) puts the average billboard viewing window at 3-7 seconds depending on vehicle speed and placement.
Donthu, Cherian, and Bhargava's 1993 study on billboard effectiveness confirmed what designers already knew intuitively: simplicity is the single strongest predictor of recall. The fewer elements competing for attention, the more likely the message sticks.
This means your billboard needs to communicate one idea, instantly, to someone who isn't trying to read it.
Keep It to 7 Words or Fewer
The billboard industry's standard rule: 7 words maximum. Not because it's a magic number, but because it's the upper limit of what people reliably read at speed.
Taylor, Franke, and Bang's 2006 study analysed 282 billboard campaigns and found that recall drops significantly as the number of visual concepts increases. One message, one image, a few words — that's the formula that performs.
| Good (7 words or fewer) | Bad (too many words) |
|---|---|
| "Fresh coffee. Two minutes ahead." | "Visit our cafe for freshly ground coffee, pastries, and lunch specials available daily." |
| "Your electrician around the corner." | "Professional electrical services for residential and commercial properties. Free quotes available." |
| "Half price cuts this week." | "Get 50% off all haircuts and styling services when you book this week at our salon." |
| "Open Sundays. Always have been." | "We're proud to announce extended opening hours including Sundays from 9am to 5pm." |
Read each "good" example aloud. That's about 2 seconds. Now try the "bad" ones. You'd have driven past before finishing the first line.
Contrast Is Everything
Colour choice on a billboard isn't about brand aesthetics — it's about physics. A driver 150 metres away needs to distinguish your text from the background. Low contrast means your ad is invisible until it's too late.
Blip's research on digital billboard effectiveness found that high-contrast colour combinations deliver 38% better recall than low-contrast designs.
| Combination | Readability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black text on yellow | Excellent | Highest visibility at distance |
| White text on dark blue | Excellent | Classic, professional |
| White text on black | Very good | High impact, bold |
| Yellow text on black | Very good | Attention-grabbing |
| Dark text on white | Good | Clean, but can wash out in sun |
| Red text on white | Moderate | Less readable at distance than expected |
| Light text on light background | Poor | Invisible at speed |
| Detailed patterns behind text | Poor | Competes with the message |
A well-designed billboard is readable from 150 metres. A poorly contrasted one only becomes legible at 40 metres — by which point you've lost most of your viewing window.
The 60% rule: Leave at least 60% of your billboard as negative space. This isn't wasted space — it's what makes the remaining 40% visible.
What to Include
Every effective billboard has three elements:
- One clear message. Not two messages. Not a message with a caveat. One thing.
- One call to action. A location, a website, a phone number — pick one.
- Large text. The industry rule: 1 inch of letter height gives 10 feet of readability. For a standard 48-sheet billboard, your headline should be at least 12-18 inches tall.
| Element | Good example | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Headline | "Best pizza in Brixton" | Bold claim, location, 5 words |
| CTA | "200m on your left" | Directional, immediate |
| Visual | One image of the product | Single focal point |
| Brand | Logo in corner | Present but not competing |
That's it. Headline, visual, CTA, logo. Resist the urge to add more.
What to Avoid
| Mistake | Why it fails |
|---|---|
| Phone numbers as the primary CTA | Nobody memorises a number at 40mph |
| QR codes as the only CTA | Drivers can't scan. Pedestrian boards are the exception |
| Multiple messages | "We do X, Y, and Z" means remembering none of them |
| Small text disclaimers | Legally required sometimes, but don't add them voluntarily |
| Busy photography behind text | Destroys readability |
| Clever wordplay that needs a second read | You don't get a second read |
| Website URLs longer than 15 characters | Keep it to brandname.com or don't include it |
The most common mistake is trying to say too much. Every word you add makes every other word harder to read. When in doubt, cut.
Does It Actually Work?
The data on well-designed billboard campaigns is consistent:
- 76% of consumers took some action after seeing a digital billboard ad (Harris Poll 2024)
- 43% visited a store within 30 minutes of seeing a nearby billboard (Morning Consult 2022)
- 93% of people who followed directional billboard signage made a purchase (OAAA)
That last stat is worth pausing on. Directional ads — "Turn left, 200m" — have a near-perfect conversion rate because they reach people who are already in the area and ready to act. If your business has a physical location, a nearby billboard with a directional CTA is one of the highest-ROI advertising moves you can make.
Quick Self-Test
Before you submit your billboard design, check it against this list:
- Can you read the entire message in 3 seconds?
- Is it 7 words or fewer?
- Does the text contrast sharply with the background?
- Is there one message and one CTA?
- Would someone driving at 40mph understand it?
If the answer to any of these is no, simplify.
The best billboard ads don't try to say everything. They say one thing so well that people remember it for the rest of the drive.