Billboard design that works on Indian roads: 9 rules
Book My Board ·
A billboard is read in two or three seconds from a moving vehicle, so the design rules are simple: one message in six to eight words, a large logo, high contrast, and one way to reach you. Most hoardings in Pune fail by trying to say too much.
The 9 rules
- One message. If you have three offers, book three boards.
- Six to eight words, not counting the brand name.
- Type tall enough to read from the approach. Bold, simple fonts; no thin scripts.
- Strong contrast: dark on light or light on dark. Avoid busy photo backgrounds behind text.
- Brand big and early. People should know who it is even if they read nothing else.
- One call to action: a short website, a WhatsApp number or a location. Not all four.
- Skip QR codes on roadside boards: nobody scans at 40 km/h. They work on bus shelters and lift panels.
- Speak the area's language. Marathi headlines often outperform English in residential belts; keep both short.
- Design for the actual board shape and size, and check it at thumbnail size: if it reads small, it reads on the road.
For LED screens
Use motion to catch the eye, then hold a clean end frame with brand and offer for at least two seconds. No audio. See how LED billboards work.
Questions people ask
- How many words should a billboard have?
- Six to eight words, plus the brand name. Drivers have two or three seconds to read it.
- Should I put a QR code on a hoarding?
- Not on a roadside hoarding; people cannot scan while driving. QR codes work on slower, closer formats like bus shelters, metro panels and lift screens.