Billboards vary in size, design, and the way content is displayed, and this diversity directly affects how the advertising message reaches the target audience.
There are static, traditional billboards, as well as advanced digital ones that allow for moving and changing content, in addition to innovative shapes designed specifically to suit the campaign concept or the nature of the geographic location.
Understanding billboard types is one of the foundational steps when planning a successful outdoor advertising campaign, alongside choosing the location, defining the audience, and understanding what visual identity is and designing the appropriate visual message.
What is meant by billboards?
Billboards are one of the most prominent and important tools of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising. These boards are used to reach the audience in public places, squares, and while commuting on the streets.
Billboards are not limited to one shape or style; they vary and differ based on several specific factors:
Location: (highways, side streets, public squares).
Size: (giant, medium, small).
Orientation: (horizontal, vertical).
Content display method: (static printed, dynamic digital).
Campaign duration: (long-term for reinforcement, or short-term for promotion).
Nature of the target audience.
What are the Billboard Types?
Billboards can be divided into several main types according to the method of displaying the advertisement and the technology used in the board's design:
1. Static Billboards
These are fixed boards that rely on a printed design (usually made of durable vinyl material) that is installed and stretched over the board's structure.
Suitable for:
Building cumulative brand awareness.
Long-term local advertising campaigns.
Advertisements that rely on a static visual message that does not need constant updating.
2. Digital Billboards
These boards rely on high-resolution electronic (LED) screens that allow for the display of images, videos, and changing content. Their most prominent features:
The ability to change content electronically from a remote location.
The ability to display more than one advertising message for multiple advertisers.
Support for the use of motion and video, especially through technologies motion graphics design to attract quick attention.
High flexibility in content scheduling (e.g., a different ad for the morning and evening).
3. Illuminated Billboards
They use lighting systems (internal or external) to highlight the design and make the advertisement more visible, especially in high-traffic areas during evening and night hours.
4. 3D Billboards
One of the latest global trends; they leverage advanced design techniques and visual effects to add a sense of depth and illusory motion. These boards make the advertisement appear as if it is coming out of the screen, making them ideal for campaigns seeking to create a very strong visual impact (Viral).
5. Interactive and Innovative Billboards
These boards go beyond the traditional rigid frame shape by adding interactive elements or creative solutions that integrate with the location or the surrounding environment, and they rely on:
Interactive touch or motion-sensitive screens.
Quick Response (QR) codes.
Moving mechanical parts.
Designs that utilize the shape of the building or weather conditions (Ambient Advertising).
What are the types of roadside billboards?
Roadside billboards are among the most widespread and influential forms of billboards. Billboards on roads vary according to the nature of the road and traffic flow:
Highway Billboards: Target drivers and passengers moving at high speeds. Therefore, they require extremely concise messages and a highly clear visual design that can be grasped in a fraction of a second.
Main Road Billboards (within cities): Spread throughout the heart of cities and on their main axes, providing a recurring and daily opportunity to reach residents, employees, and regular commuters.
City Entrance Billboards: Used as visual gateways to reach the audience when entering cities and provinces, and they are excellent for introducing brands and major destinations.
Intersection and Traffic Light Billboards: Placed in locations that experience slow vehicle movement or complete stops, which gives the audience (Dwell Time) more time to read details and interact visually with the advertisement.
What are the most popular billboard shapes?
The difference is not limited to the technology used only, but also includes the shapes of billboards and their geometric dimensions:
Horizontal Billboards: This is the most common (traditional) shape. They provide a comfortable panoramic space to display the brand logo, headline, image, and essential elements of the advertisement clearly.
Vertical Billboards: Used when the nature of the location (such as high building facades or bridge pillars) dictates a vertical space, and they are very suitable for designs that focus on people (portraits) or elongated products.
Spectaculars: Provide a massive visual space and are often used in strategic locations and major squares to ensure the advertisement is seen from very long distances.
Custom-Shaped Billboards: Their edges are designed according to the campaign concept instead of adhering to the traditional rectangular shape (such as a product model protruding from the board frame), and they suit creative campaigns seeking to grab attention.
How do you choose the right billboard type for your campaign?
Choosing the right type among Billboard Types does not depend only on the size of the board or the fame of its location, but is subject to a precise equation that includes the following factors:
Campaign Goal: Is the goal to increase general awareness, launch a new product, strengthen local brand presence, or direct the audience to visit a nearby branch?
Target Audience: The type and location of the board must align with the places your audience frequents regularly, rather than just relying on random traffic density.
Nature of the Message: Simple awareness messages work excellently with static boards, while messages that require explanation or constant updating (or a countdown to an offer) benefit from digital boards.
Campaign Duration: For long-term annual or seasonal campaigns, static printed boards are a safe investment, while digital boards offer higher flexibility for successive short-term campaigns.
Location and Viewing Speed: The location decisively determines the required board size, its clarity, and the actual time available for the audience to read the advertisement.
Available Budget: The cost varies drastically depending on the location, size, type (digital or static), and display duration. The choice of board must be linked to the total budget to achieve the best ROI.
How does billboard design affect campaign success?
Even if you choose the best and most expensive types of billboards, they will not achieve the desired result if you do not enlist professional services professional advertising design company that ensure the visual design is compatible with the harsh nature of outdoor advertising (speed, distance, distraction).
Keep the message extremely concise: The audience must be able to understand the core idea and read it in its entirety in 3 to 5 seconds without needing to read long text.
Make the visual identity clear: The logo, official colors, and other visual identity elements must be clear and distinctive to the brand.
Use a logical visual hierarchy: Arrange elements (image ← headline ← logo) according to their importance; so the viewer knows what they should see first.
Choose images with extreme care by using professional product photography, as a single strong, high-resolution image helps convey the message immediately, especially when the audience sees the board while driving.
Consider distance and traffic speed: Test the readability of fonts and color contrast from the actual distance from which the audience is expected to see the board.
The difference between static boards and digital boards
Comparison | Static Billboards | Digital Billboards |
Nature of content | Static design that cannot be changed instantly. | Dynamic and changing content. |
Changing the ad | Requires new printing and manual installation. | Done electronically from a remote location in seconds. |
Motion | Limited (static). | Supports subtle motion and video clips. |
Flexibility | Less flexible. | High flexibility in scheduling times and days. |
Multiple messages | One message throughout the contract period. | Multiple messages or offers can be displayed in rotation. |
Best use | Suitable for continuous and long-term campaigns. | Suitable for dynamic and fast-paced campaigns. |
What are the advantages of using billboards?
Billboards help brands, whether they are startups or huge corporations, to:
Increase Brand Awareness and cement the brand image in people's minds.
Reach a very wide audience in precisely defined geographic areas.
Enhance visual presence and establish dominance in local markets.
Support digital campaigns, which doubles the credibility of the ads the customer sees on their phone.
Achieve constant repetition in the appearance of the advertising message to people who take the same route daily.
Effectively reach the audience while on the move and away from home distractions.
Mistakes to avoid when choosing billboards
Choosing a location based on traffic density only: The busiest road is not necessarily the best if its audience is not compatible with your product's target segment (such as an ad for luxury cars in an industrial area).
Putting a large amount of text: Too much information kills outdoor advertising and reduces the speed of message comprehension, especially on roadside billboards.
Ignoring the surrounding environment (visual noise): Buildings, dense trees, and crowded neighboring boards may affect the clarity of the ad and hide parts of it.
Using a design that is not suitable for the board's dimensions: The ad must be designed precisely according to the board's dimensions (horizontal/vertical) while considering the viewing distance and direction.
Lack of brand clarity: One of the worst mistakes, similar to visual identity design errors is that the audience remembers the ad and the creative idea, without remembering the brand name or the service provided! The identity must be prominent and clear within the design.
How do you choose between different billboard types?
The decision-making process can be simplified by linking your campaign's primary goal to the appropriate type:
Primary Campaign Goal | The appropriate choice and type |
Increasing general brand awareness | Large static Billboards. |
Reaching travelers and passengers | Highway roadside billboards. |
Displaying changing content or instant offers | Digital Billboards. |
Launching a product in a striking and unconventional way | Large or innovative digital boards. |
Targeting a live audience or a local area | Medium-sized boards on main roads and streets. |
Creating a distinctive and viral visual impact | 3D billboards or custom designs. |
The NOURSCENE team helps companies transform their visual identity into integrated advertising designs, ensuring that billboards maintain message clarity and consistency with the brand's personality across various touchpoints.
Frequently Asked Questions about Billboard Types
Do billboard types differ according to their installation location?
Yes, the type of board and its design vary according to its location; boards placed on highways require space and visibility suitable for high speeds, while more detailed designs can be used in locations where audience movement slows down.
Does the billboard size affect the way the ad is designed? Certainly, when preparing any commercial ad design
the design must fit the board's dimensions and viewing distance, so that essential elements like the headline, logo, and image remain clear from the distance from which the ad is viewed.
Can more than one design be used on billboards during the same campaign?
Yes, it is possible, and it is more flexible with digital boards that allow content to be changed and scheduled. As for printed boards, they usually require replacing the design when changing the message. What elements should appear in a billboard design?This varies depending on the goal, but the design usually needs a clear main message, a brand identity consistent with
Brand Guidelines
, and a supporting visual element. A contact method or a call to action can be added if it is appropriate for the nature of the campaign.
Are billboards suitable for ads that contain a lot of information?
Often no, because the audience may see the board for only a few seconds while on the move. Therefore, concise and clear messages are more appropriate than long texts and many details.
Can a QR code be used on billboards?
Yes, a QR code can be used to link the ad to a landing page, website, or specific offer, but its size and location must be appropriate so that it can be seen and used in conditions that allow for it.
How long does an ad stay on a billboard?
The duration varies according to the nature of the campaign, the type of board, the location, and the advertising agreement. It can range from short periods for seasonal campaigns to longer periods for brand awareness campaigns.
Can the billboard shape be customized to fit the campaign idea?
Yes, some creative campaigns use boards with unconventional designs or extensions instead of adhering to the usual rectangular shape, with the aim of grabbing attention and linking the shape to the advertising idea. NOURSCENE From traditional static boards that build cumulative awareness, through digital and 3D boards that keep pace with the language of the era, to custom and innovative designs that help
companies achieve their goals; the choice remains open to the creativity of companies.But always remember that the success of any billboard does not depend on technology or type alone; the geographic location, the strength and conciseness of the message, and the professional visual design that starts from how to design an integrated visual identity
and a clear visual identity are integrated and interconnected factors that ultimately determine the impact of your ad and its return on investment.And if you are planning to use billboards as part of an integrated and strong strategy for outdoor advertising, you can delve deeper and learn about various channels and methods by returning to .
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