Do you want your billboard ads to stand out? Thinking about what factors to consider while designing a big banner billboard image?
Knowing the steps from start to finish and the factors affecting the billboard design is crucial to boosting your outdoor advertising and taking your brand marketing to the next level.
To create an eye-catching and attractive large-scale billboard design, it is important to choose a compelling art and striking subject.
This article will uncover all the information about how to upscale billboard appearance and elegance and what factors to keep in mind while designing the largest banner-sized billboard design.
Without any further ado, let’s get started!
Where to Start Creating Billboard Images?
Before designing images for ads, understand the required resolution and consider factors like color contrast, typography, and photo quality. These aspects are crucial for creating impactful and visually effective advertisements. Let us talk about each of the factors in more detail.
PPI vs DPI – What is the Difference?
Though PPI and DPI are used interchangeably, and both refer to the clarity and resolution of the image commercial, each of them relates to the individual media – digital versus print.
In simple words, PPI is Pixels per Inch, while DPI is Dots per Inch. In a digital image, pixels per inch (PPI) determines how many pixels are displayed and how dense the pixels are. They are used with digital photos and are usually used for files that are prepared for printing.
In contrast, DPI is the number of dots per inch that defines a printer’s resolution. Printers produce images by the combination of tiny dots per inch. It highly affects the quality and details of the printer. Typically, it is used when the design has to be printed physically.
How to Create a High-quality Billboard Image?
To create high-quality billboard images, certain factors must be kept in mind to ensure your billboard ad stands out and makes an impression.
Simplicity is Key
Detailed and complicated images and messages on the billboards only confuse pedestrians and drivers as they only have a few minutes to focus on the ad, so it must be impactful in the minimum time frame.
In addition, you don’t have to put much information on the billboard, just a picture, slogan, and contact information to keep the focus on the product.
Bold Colors
Fonts and pictures have nice colors when viewed on the computer screen; however, they may still need to be more readable for drivers and commuters.
Always pick bold and vibrant color contrasts of background and texts to ensure everyone can quickly and easily comprehend the ad.
For instance, a bold blue background is suitable for white text, yellow text pops on black background, and black text goes well with the yellow background.
Clear Typography
To ensure clear and quick readability of a billboard from a distance, it is essential to have clear typography. It helps in quick understanding, making it easy for people to get the message.
Furthermore, strong and clear typography delivers a strong brand identity, as brands usually have specific fonts and styles that must be visible from afar.
Likewise, bold fonts deliver a clean and modern aesthetic, while simple fonts add a touch of tradition and elegance.
Photo Quality
Usually, 11.2 DPI is considered an ideal resolution for photos on billboards. Normally, cameras can take pictures with a resolution of 16 megapixels, making photography easy for large-scale billboard images.
Still, if you don’t have photography experience, it is advised to speak to professional photographers as they have experience in using high-resolution cameras to understand optimal lighting conditions and printing considerations that play a vital role in making the billboard image effective.
Furthermore, upscaling photos with AI tools is also possible. These tools offer image enlargement and several customization options without compromising on quality.
Effective Call to Action
An ideal photo for advertising is one with an effective and clear call to action. Likewise, it must encourage the viewers to visit the website, shop online, or attend an event.
In simple words, a clear Call to Action is crucial to direct the audience about what steps they need to take next. Whether they need to make a purchase or sign up for a service, it must be mentioned clearly.
Usually, the 6-word message is enough to feature your product. For example, “Sip Sunshine: Grab Our Citrus Drink!” can be a suitable line for a refreshing citrus drink.
Contact Information
You must include your contact information on your image for advertisement if you want prospective customers to visit your store online or physically.
Mention your website details or social media information clearly to maximize billboard advertising benefits.
Quality Materials
Billboard advertising is exposed to all kinds of weather conditions like rain, wind, and sunlight, so it must be made up of quality materials to ensure its longevity.
By using quality materials, visibility and legibility are enhanced. Whether it is the graphics, printing quality, or materials, all impact highly on the billboard’s durability and structure.
Usually, vinyl with higher density (16-19 ounces) is the popular choice for billboard graphics as it is durable and water-resistant.
Professional Printing
Choosing the right printer for the billboard advertisement is paramount. Ensure a printer is capable of printing big banner sizes without compromising on image quality.
Additionally, choose weather-resistant and UV-resistant paint to ensure that the advertisement stays vibrant for a longer period.
How to Resize an Image for a Billboard
Resizing an image for marketing on a billboard involves considering essential factors to ensure the image has suitable dimensions and resolutions for the large format. These include:
1. Comprehending Billboard Specifications
Looking for the billboard specifications and dimensions (height and width) is crucial to ensure your billboard ad stands out.
2. Using Professional Design Software
Using professional design software can ease the process of billboard design. The Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop design software is useful for adjusting various aspects of the image, such as image resizing, resolution adjustments, and overall design quality.
3. Using Image Upscaler
For enhanced image resizing and resolution adjustments, you can use advanced AI tools such as Image Upscaler. Follow these simple steps to do it yourself:
- Go to the Image Upscaler website and upload the selected image for the billboard ad.
- Initiate the upscaling process; the AI algorithms will resize the image while maintaining the image quality.
- Once the process is completed, download the image.
Check Image Quality
Zoom in the image to check the image quality and inspect other details. Ensure the text remains sharp and there is no blurriness and it’s done.
How Should a Billboard Image Be Sized?
The standard banner image size for the billboards is approximately 14 feet high and 48 feet wide, which is equal to 672 sq. feet of advertising space. There is usually a resolution of 10ppi – 30ppi on the billboards.
Additionally, it is recommended that billboards be approximately 150ppi at 100% size. Image resolution can be increased or decreased depending on large banner size and viewing distance.
Is Viewing Distance Important, and Why Should It Be Considered?
Having a good viewing distance is necessary to ensure the viewer can clearly view the image for advertising from a far distance.
A billboard’s visibility decreases when the distance increases; therefore, with the increase in the distance, the content on the billboard must be enlarged enough to ensure the visibility of the image is clear.
For instance, if the billboard is located at a height of 100 feet, the billboard must have letters of 10 inches in size to be viewed from afar.
Moreover, the following visibility and distance chart will show the ideal height and its maximum readable distance.
| Letter Height | Optimal Viewing Distance | Max Readable Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 3″ | 30′ | 100′ |
| 4″ | 40′ | 150′ |
| 6″ | 60′ | 200′ |
| 8″ | 80′ | 350′ |
| 9″ | 90′ | 400′ |
| 10″ | 100′ | 450′ |
| 12″ | 120′ | 525′ |
| 15″ | 150′ | 630′ |
| 18″ | 180′ | 750′ |
| 24″ | 240′ | 1000′ |
| 30″ | 300′ | 1250′ |
| 36″ | 360′ | 1500′ |
| 42″ | 420′ | 1750′ |
| 48″ | 480′ | 2000′ |
| 54″ | 540′ | 2250′ |
| 60″ | 600′ | 2500′ |
Conclusion
Regardless of how large-scale photos for advertising you want, all you need is to think about size, resolutions, quality, and distance considerations to ensure your billboard ad is visible and delivers your brand message.
Moreover, attention to detail in materials, printing, and resizing is crucial for ensuring longevity, visibility, and legibility of your advertisement, even in diverse weather conditions. Utilizing professional design software and AI tools can streamline the process and help you achieve optimal image quality.
Understanding viewing distance and adjusting billboard size and resolution is crucial for maximizing impact and maintaining visibility. Follow these guidelines to elevate outdoor advertising, captivate your audience, and boost brand marketing.
