10 Creative Billboard Design Ideas That Instantly Grab Attention

The billboard advertising business is one of the most basic yet lucrative forms of marketing out there.

A good billboard can bring in many eyes to the brand while staying true to the brand identity and delivering the right message. But what makes a good billboard… good? 

Well, it’s the billboard design itself. Billboard designs are what catch the looker’s attention and stop them in their tracks.

The design can either make the person go wow and fuel their interest to learn more about your brand or your product, or it can make them go meh and lose their interest.

All of this happens in a matter of seconds. Hence, proving the role billboard designs play in making or breaking the deal.

Therefore, it goes without saying that the billboard designs need to be spot on to have high views and make those views count.

That is why we will look at some billboard design ideas so that you can get inspiration and learn how to design a billboard that stands out and grabs attention.

So, without any further ado, let’s get right into it.

What are Billboard Designs?

Let’s first address the elephant in the room: what are billboard designs? Well, billboard designs are the posters that are put on large outdoor advertisements that are placed in high-traffic areas like roadsides.

Creative billboard advertising is done to grab a viewer’s attention and create a memorable impression.

Most billboard advertisements are used with the intent of promoting a brand or a product. They feature strong and clear messaging with minimal text, a Brand Logo, and bold colors.

It’s put together to deliver a message as effectively as possible in the limited time a passerby has to see it.

And billboard designs are one of the reasons why the billboard business is blooming these days.

As per Statista’s Report, “The global out-of-home advertising market is set to reach a value of more than US$41.89 billion in 2025. More so, the United States generates the highest ad spending with US$9.89 billion alone.”  

All these numbers are a pretty good reason to know why are billboards effective. After all, billboards increase conversion rate much better than other marketing campaigns can.

And that is why brands seem to be all-in on investing in a billboard ad. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be spending on billboard ads if they weren’t effective.

10 Billboard Design Ideas for Your Inspiration

Now that we know what billboard designs are, let’s look at some of the billboard ideas that you can take inspiration from for your billboard design.

With these billboard design ideas, you can create designs akin to good billboards. So, the billboard design ideas are as follows:

1. Incorporate a QR Code for a Digital Touch

Modern problems require modern solutions. And when bringing customers to a certain platform via billboard is concerned, QR codes are the way to go about doing things.

QR codes can be added as part of the design of billboard posters. This will give your billboard design a modern touch, making it interactive and multi-directional.

With the QR code, you can lead audiences to your website, social media page, or whatnot. All people have to do is scan the QR code on the billboard via their phone.

It will then take them to their destination with just one click. And this is why using QR codes is one of the best billboard design ideas.

Due to the convenience and effectiveness of QR codes, companies are starting to use them on their Business Envelopes and Business Cards as well.

2. Add Promo Codes to Increase Conversions 

Just like how QR codes add a modern touch to a billboard sign, Promo Codes do the same, albeit for a different purpose.

Promo codes make LED billboard advertising much more than simply for brand awareness. In fact, they drive engagement and conversions by encouraging audiences to take action via their mobile phones.

Whether you have a sale for a limited time on your online store or discounts on new products, you can offer promo codes to audiences via billboard signage design.

This way, audiences can use those promo codes to avail the said offers. This is yet another one of the best billboard design ideas that you can use for your billboard to increase engagement.

3. Don’t Shy Away from Friendly Competition

There is nothing better and funnier than brand wars. Brand wars is a friendly banter between two rival brands. Everyone loves a harmless joke between two competitors, especially when brands go at it.

It’s usually where one company compares itself against another company in a friendly manner. This type of competition is done mainly to state how one business does a certain thing better than the other one.

However, we rarely get to see this kind of competition on full display and out in the open these days. But it wasn’t always the case, though.

Before, people didn’t shy away from friendly competition. And it was when humor shone over legal penalties and lawsuits.

So, just like the good old days, you too can give your billboard design a competitive touch. However, make sure that when you do that, you keep it within a boundary of respect.

More so, you must ensure that you do it without bringing someone down to promote your brand or offerings.

4. Design for Multiple Viewpoints 

One of the billboard design details that many businesses overlook is different viewpoints. Most of the time, a billboard designer creates a billboard design for just one perspective, and rightly so.

That is because most types of billboards are standalone with a single viewpoint. But things are changing, and so are billboards.

These days, there are digital billboard ads used on all types of buildings. Most of those billboards cover multiple sides of the building and thus offer different perspectives.

Therefore, you must create the billboard design for multiple perspectives, as people will see it from different angles.

More so, you can use this to have your Graphic Designer create different ads for each vantage point. And it is why this is one of the best billboard advertising tips ever.

5. Use Negative Space for Maximum Impact

Using negative space, also known as White Space, is one of the most creative ways to create a billboard design.

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words, and emptiness feels more meaningful than fullness.

This is what white space does, and does it great, too. White space, when used right, can shine in a design.

In most cases, where white space is barely noticeable, if used effectively, it can almost take over the design and become the main attraction.

So, using the power of abstraction for billboard ad designs is a unique way to go about doing things. And hence why it is among the most creative billboard design ideas.

6. Get Creative with Artistic Flair

Just like how using white space for billboard designs is a different way of doing things, you can use different forms of art to give your billboard designs an artistic touch.

You can do this by using murals to create billboard advertising designs. Or you can use something as canny a form of art as Doodles for your billboard design.

It is safe to say these approaches will give your billboard design the artistic flair it needs to pop and shine bright.

7. Use Shadow Play to Enhance Your Billboard

If you truly want to get all artistic with your billboard design to the point where the design stands out more than the message itself, you can use shadows for that.

You can do this by using shadows to paint a picture that can come to life at night and transform the billboard design.

It’s akin to a 3d lenticular sticker that changes from different viewing angles. However, in the billboard’s case, it will be the shadows that change the design.

This will be done by using clever element placement on the billboard itself that will cast a shadow on the design at night, thanks to the billboard’s light shining on it.

Also, you will need to increase the contrast for the transformation to work. So it’s safe to say, you can use light and shadows to enhance your billboard design.

The shadows will, without a doubt, add a new dimension to your design. However, you must keep in mind that the design will steal all the spotlight from the message it’s conveying.

But if that’s your thing, then this is one of the best billboard design ideas hands down.

8. Combine Form and Function in Your Design

Not all billboards are for promotion and ads. Some billboards also offer form and function. These types of billboards can provide practical purposes as well as convey a brand message at the same time.

The best example of this would be the urban billboards with integrated benches. These billboards combine form in billboard advertising with function in public seating.

They do their job of promoting brands while being practical by offering resting spots. So, you can create some creative billboard designs for these types of billboards.

9. Draw Inspiration from Current Trends and Events

The best designs are the ones that are relevant to the current day and age. But more so, the designs that truly stand out are the ones that use pop culture to their advantage.

This means you can take inspiration from anything that is currently going on. It could either be a hot and interesting topic, a big sporting event, a current trend, or a global holiday, for that matter.

So, you can use these trends and incorporate them in your billboard design to create timely messaging that kicks off conversations.

10. Let Your Design Spill Beyond Billboard Dimensions

Last but not least of the billboard design ideas is to extend your billboard design beyond the billboard’s dimensions.

This means you don’t have to be limited by your canvas’s dimensions and can think outside the box to let your creativity shine.

No matter how big is a billboard, you can go overboard with the design and extend it beyond the dimensional billboards.

So, it means a part of the design will need to be bigger than the standard billboard size itself. Think of it as Apple’s iPhone notch, in which the body takes some of the display’s real estate.

However, in this case, you will be doing the opposite, meaning extending the design beyond the body.

This way, you can create eye-catching designs that stand out. More so, you can think of creative ways to use different elements to make your design better.

This means you can create billboard designs around various elements like clouds or light by making small adjustments that can have a bigger impact on the overall design.

So, when you design clashes with these elements, your creativity can shine through in full display. Also, the design can make the impact you intended it to make.

8 Billboard Design Rules You Need to Follow

As much as having the billboard design ideas is important, it is just as important to create designs the right way.

That means you will need to follow the rules for things you need to do and mistakes you have to avoid for billboard designs.

Therefore, some of these billboard design rules are as follows:

Remember the Three Second Rule 

Every design is created with a 3-second rule in mind, especially a billboard design. This means your design needs to be clear, concise, and straightforward.

This is so that the viewer can understand it in three seconds. Also, this rule is crucial for billboards because cars drive by these billboards at a minimum of 50 mph.

So, the viewer has only three seconds to gather all the information on the billboard.

Make Your Design Readable 

Your design must be easy to read and look at. That is why you must choose legible fonts for your design by going with clear and bold text that is readable from a good distance.

Also, avoid adding web addresses in your billboard. But if you want to add them, do it without mentioning (www.), because that’s just obvious and everyone knows about it.

If your billboard has a catchy headline, a clear call-to-action, and your company’s name, you’re all set. Resources like Google have simplified the process of getting more information about a business.

Choose the Right Colors 

You must choose the right colors for your billboard design that align with your brand. More so, you must consider color psychology for your design and choose a color that goes with the message of the billboard.

Certain colors represent certain feelings, so choosing the right colors is key to creating a good billboard design.

Add Your Brand Logo and Identity

Billboard ads are used for promotional purposes. So that is why you will need to add your Brand Logo to your design.

You will need to do this to create a brand identity, just like how a business adds its logos to all of its branding materials and Stationery Design.

Don’t Clutter Your Design

You will need to keep your billboard design clean by removing all the clutter. More so, you will need to avoid overdesigning your billboard by adding too many design elements that clash with one another. So, keep it simple and keep it clean.

Choose Strategic Locations

I cannot emphasise enough the importance of location. So, I will say it one more time for good measure: choose your placement locations carefully.

More so, you will need to choose your billboard placement locations strategically. This means you will need to consider the traffic count, lighting, and other things. However, better locations will cost more.

Headline With Purpose

You will need to create a headline that is eye-catching, attention-grabbing, appealing, and attracts audiences.

The headline must be clear and specific. There is no room to waste time with words, so you must choose your headline wisely.

The headlines must get the viewer on board with the messaging right off the bat.

Use Clear CTAs

Whether you want to use CTAs as your headline or add them separately, they must be present in the billboard design at all times.

More so, the CTAs must be direct and clear. Also, make sure your CTAs are short and sweet by using a few words and making the most of them.

Get Started With Webnhubs for Your Billboard Design

Billboard ads are one of the best ways to do marketing. However, doing it right means creating billboard designs that are good.

And when it comes to creating billboard designs that attract viewers’ attention and captivate their interest, Webnhubs is the best at it.

We are a design agency that offers Billboard Design Services for you to convey your brand message via billboard ads in some fashion.

More so, we understand the design principles, color psychology, and above all, artistic flair to create designs that are meaningful and evoke emotions from viewers.

So, if you want to create billboard designs for your brand, you can consider Webnhubs for the job.

Partner with us and let us create billboard ad designs that pave the way to your brand’s growth and success.

In a Nutshell

So, there you have it, folks, we will now bring an end to this blog on billboard design ideas. We hope that the 10 billboard design ideas we shared in this blog can serve as inspiration for you to create your own billboard design. However, you must keep the rules of billboard design in mind when creating designs for your billboard.

By following the rules, you can create designs that convert audiences and raise brand awareness. And if you need help from a professional to create billboard designs, then you can choose Webnhubs to do it for you. You can team up with Webnhubs for your marketing campaign, and we will create designs for your ads on billboards, social media, and search engines.