Designing an effective billboard ad is all about clarity, impact, and readability. Whether you’re new to billboard advertising or looking to refine your approach, here are some essential do’s and don’ts to ensure your ad stands out for the right reasons.
Do’s: Best Practices for Billboard Design
1. Prioritise Readability & Visibility
- Keep text large and legible – billboards are viewed from a distance, so use bold, simple fonts.
- Ensure strong contrast between text and background for maximum visibility.
- Maintain consistent text alignment to keep the design clean and professional.
2. Use High-Quality Images & Graphics
- Use sharp, high-resolution images and logos – blurry or pixelated visuals look unprofessional.
- Ensure proper formatting – logos & images should not be stretched or distorted.
- Use a solid background – transparent backgrounds are not permitted.
3. Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
- Tell people what to do next – add a website, phone number, or business location. Note that this isn’t just good practice, it’s also a requirement on CAASie.
- Ensure QR codes (when permitted) are functional and scannable – test them before submitting your ad.
4. Keep the Layout Clean & Balanced
- Maintain a clear message hierarchy – make key elements stand out at a glance.
- Ensure the main content takes up at least 70% of the ad space.
- Use space wisely – Blank or black areas used to artificially extend ad size are not permitted.
5. Maintain Strong Branding & Identity
- Include your brand name and logo clearly – your audience should instantly recognise who you are.
- Ensure brand identity aligns with the ad content for consistency and brand recall.
Don’ts: Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Hard-to-Read Text
- Avoid small, thin, or decorative fonts – they won’t be readable from a distance.
- Don’t use low-contrast text and backgrounds – if it’s hard to read, it won’t be effective.
2. Poor Image Quality
- No blurry, pixelated, or stretched images – they reduce credibility.
- Don’t include white or other colour blocks behind a logo where it is not part of the overall ad design
3. Weak or Missing CTA
- No ‘dead-end’ CTAs – broken websites, inactive phone numbers, and unscannable QR codes they make your ad ineffective.
4. Cluttered or Unbalanced Design
- Don’t overload your ad with too much text or unnecessary graphics – simplicity is key.
- Void empty or black filler spaces – your design should fully utilise the available ad space.
5. Branding Issues
- Don’t omit your brand name or logo – people need to know who’s advertising.
- Don’t assume your brand will be instantly recognisable just because you use a small portion of your logo - brands like McDonalds can do this successfully because they've spent decades building strong brand recognition
Layout matters!
A strong layout is the foundation of an effective ad, ensuring your message is clear and impactful at a glance.
Hierarchy is key - the most important information, such as your main message or brand name, should be the most prominent, followed by supporting details like a call-to-action.
Readability is crucial, as ads are often viewed from a distance or in motion. Large, bold fonts with high contrast against the background improve visibility, while clutter-free designs prevent distraction.
High-quality images, proper spacing, and a balanced composition help maintain focus, making your ad more effective in grabbing attention and driving action.
Let’s take a look at the example artworks above
A well-balanced ad guides the eye naturally from the most important information to the least. Balance doesn’t mean centering everything - it means creating a clear reading flow.
In English-speaking countries, we read left to right, top to bottom, so structuring content this way makes it easier to follow. However font size also plays a role in creating visual hierarchy: headlines should be the largest, followed by subheadings, then details.
Decorative fonts can work for less critical text, like the tagline in our example, as long as they remain readable. These are lower in the overall hierarchy.
Top left:
This ad is nearly well-balanced, but the text is difficult to read because it blends into the background. The placement also obscures the background image, reducing its impact. At a quick glance, "Juice" is the only word that stands out
Top right:
Although the text isn’t centered, the ad still feels balanced. The eye is first drawn to the imagery - which should be relevant, as visuals often communicate more effectively than words - before naturally following the hierarchy from the most to least important information.
Bottom left:
This ad is too cluttered and distracting, with no clear flow from the most important information to the least. Simplicity is key - a single, strong message is more effective than a list of benefits.
Here, the eye jumps between different elements—banana, apple, orange, brand name, phone number, and tagline - making it difficult to absorb the key message. With so much back-and-forth, the additional text gets lost entirely.
Bottom right:
The ad follows a left-to-right, top-to-bottom structure and uses different font sizes to establish hierarchy. However, visually, it seems like the text is floating aimlessly across the canvas. The poor/lack of text alignment causes a disconnected and unstructured feel, with no focal point. In turn, it makes that ad harder to comprehend.
Resizing Creatives
With so many different billboard sizes and shapes, you’ll often need to adjust your ad to fit them. It might seem easy to just stretch or squeeze an existing design, but this can make text hard to read, images blurry, or key details get cut off.
Sometimes a simple resize works, but other times you’ll need to rearrange things to keep your ad looking clear and professional. Making the right adjustments ensures your message stands out no matter where it’s displayed.
Do’s
- Maintain Aspect Ratios – Avoid stretching or squishing; resize proportionally to keep the design intact.
- Use Vector Files When Possible – Start with SVG, AI, or EPS files to retain crispness when resizing. Worst case you may be able to use PNG files, but do not up-scale JPG images.
- Adjust Layout for Different Dimensions – A horizontal/landscape creative won’t work in a vertical/portrait space without reformatting.
- Optimise for Readability – Ensure text remains legible at all sizes; resize or rework typography if needed.
Don’ts
- Don’t Assume One Size Fits All – A one-size creative doesn’t work for all formats; adapt designs for each placement
- Don’t stretch or distort the design - this looks unprofessional, can make text unreadable, and may render images or logos unrecognisable.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Design – If reducing size, consider removing unnecessary elements instead of cramming everything in.
- Don’t Forget About Font Weights – Thin fonts may disappear at smaller sizes; adjust thickness if necessary.
Below are some visual examples for two of the common errors/issues that we see in ads that have been resized.
Stretching/squashing ads
Always maintain the original aspect ratio when resizing to prevent distortion. Stretching or squishing an ad can make text difficult to read, blur images, and make logos unrecognisable, ultimately diminishing the ad's effectiveness. Keep in mind that one size does not fit all - what works for one format may not translate well to another. Instead of forcing a design to fit, adapt it thoughtfully for each placement to ensure clarity, professionalism, and brand consistency. Proper resizing preserves both visual appeal and message impact across different display sizes.
Banding/filling background inappropriately
Make sure the key content - such as your message, logo, or visuals - fills at least 70% of the ad space to maintain impact and visibility. Empty areas, whether plain white, black, or any solid colour, should not be used just to extend the design to fit a larger format. Every part of the ad should contribute to its overall effectiveness.
If extra space needs to be filled, consider extending background elements, adjusting layout proportions, or incorporating subtle branding elements that enhance rather than detract from the design.
In the example below, the design could be scaled up to cover at least 70% of the available space, and then filled. But it cannot be used in a portrait format with the same layout, and would need to be re-designed as a portrait variant.
Using a photo or image as a background can make resizing ads more challenging. Ideally, the background should be separate from other elements so it can be scaled up or down - provided it’s of a high enough resolution.
If that’s not an option, you might be able to blend the transition by adding brand elements or colors in a way that looks intentional. However, it should still align with your brand’s style and color palette. Do not use plain white or black unless the background already includes those shades or it otherwise matches the aesthetic of the design.
Final Thoughts
A great billboard design is simple, bold, and easy to understand at a glance. By following these do’s and don’ts, you’ll create ads that attract attention, communicate effectively, and drive results.
