Posters: Content, Colour & Design Tips
- 6 Aug 2019
Posters: Content, Colour & Design Tips
Posters are one of the most effective forms of communication. They allow you to convey large amounts of information using text, bold design, colours and images. Posters can be a vital part of your overall marketing strategy, and form the backbone of your on-site advertising materials.
One of the reasons that posters are so successful is that they can be used in such a large variety of ways. Sure, they are handy for a children’s classroom or Summer Fete, but they can also be slick and professional, displayed in attractive snap frames and used to sell all manner of goods and services.
Whether you are designing a poster for a temporary campaign or sale, or you want them to be a permanent part of your décor, it pays to think carefully about their design. In order to really pack a punch, your posters need to be designed in an effective and efficient way. We have compiled a guide with variety of considerations for you to think about when you are designing posters.
Poster Design 101 – What to Consider When Designing a Poster
The four most important factors when designing a poster include content, font, colours, and layout.
What Are You Trying To Communicate? Think About Your Content
The first thing you need to think about is your content. You will likely choose to include a mix of text and images on our poster, but your message should dictate the mix. Are you communicating something serious? Then a simple block of text might be best. Are you advertising a sale? A few bold words and bright colours are likely better. Want to keep people entertained and excited? A clear image packs a big visual punch.
Before you move onto any other stages in your design, think long and hard about your overall message and how you want people to feel (and not just what you want them to think) when they see your poster.
Choose the Right Font
Communication is key – and that is why you need to ensure that any font you choose is clear, readable, and big enough to be read at a distance. Try to avoid big blocks of text, as they can turn people off and make them want to look away in favour of something more visually stimulating. Remember to choose a text colour that contrasts sharply with the background, otherwise it can really fade away and be very difficult to read.
If you do have quite a bit of text, make sure that it is nice and clear. The most common fonts are Verdana and Times New Roman for good reason! Headings and subheadings can also be your friend, as they help the viewer read and parse all of the information presented.
Read more: 10 Fonts Your Business Needs to Avoid
Choose Colours That Fit in With Your Overall Branding
Colour is one of the most important parts of your branding strategy, and your poster design is no exception. Choose colours that work with your overall colour scheme, and make sure that they work well together at a distance, and that your text is still readable.
Keep Things Bold and Clear – Choosing Your Layout
Your layout and your content should play off of each other, and work well together. Make sure that everything is spaced out well so that viewers can absorb all relevant information at a distance, and separate different sections with borders or other similar design elements.
Consider Hiring a Professional Designer
Some people are brilliant with Photoshop, InDesign, and other design websites and software, and have a design streak that helps them create effective posters. However, many of us do not! If you don’t feel confident and comfortable with the design process, consider hiring a professional designer to take on the task.
They will ask you about what you plan to use the poster for, where you plan to display it, who your target audience is, and what you want it to achieve. Choose a designer who specialises in your industry, and ask colleagues in your field if they can suggest a professional that has done good work for them in the past.
10 Quick Design Tips For An Effective Poster
In addition to the above considerations, keep these 10 quick design tips in mind.
- Catch your audience’s attention! Grab them with something interesting, engaging, and bold, and that can be parsed at a distance. This could be an image, a short statement, or a photo.
- Sometimes, less is more. Remove some elements away in order to make the most impact with what remains on the poster.
- Maintain one main point of interest on the poster – don’t jumble too many images or photos onto the page.
- Don’t overload the viewer with too much text loaded onto the poster. Make sure that all content is clear – only include the important information.
- All content should be printed in a large and easy to understand font, and be visible from a distance.
- Don’t hesitate to have a sense of humour – People love a little bit of a chuckle in their daily life, so don’t be afraid to be funny.
- Balance is important, so think about symmetry, centring and repetition in order to give your poster a sense of order.
- Keep your audience in mind. Remember, a school classroom and a live rock music venue have very different needs, styles, and tastes! Make sure that your posters speak to your audience.
- Get a second (and third, and fourth) opinion about your favourite design. Make sure that people from your target audience enjoy, understand, and react positively to your proposed poster design.
- Have you found a poster design that works for you? Create templates for future use, so that you can save time, effort and money in the future.
Read more: A Guide to Creating the Perfect Poster
Display Your Posters in Snap Frames For the Biggest Impact
Now that you have your poster design completed, it is time to protect your investment. Displaying your posters in poster frames can go a long way in making them look their best and stand out from the crowd. A poster adhered to the wall with dry old blue tack can look cheap and unprofessional, but when you place them in snap frames they look their very best.
Why spend time and money designing posters only to display them in a hasty manner? Poster frames can lend a polished and professional element to all of your printed materials.
This can be more important than you think – passersby are far more likely to patronise a business that pays attention to the details. If your posters are flapping around, damaged by weather or vandals, or simply peeling away from the wall, it sends the message that you don’t care about the ‘small things.’ They might start to wonder what else you don’t care about!
A snap frame can be used both indoors and outdoors, and in a variety of contexts.
Snap Frames can be used in countless contexts
From the most humble facility to fine dining restaurants, snap frames look professional and attractive in all kinds of contexts. These simple and easy to use frames have a classic design that makes them the best choice to display posters, artwork, advertising materials, and notice boards no matter where they are needed.
Now that you have spent time designing a spectacular poster, you can place them in snap frames and place them in all kinds of places.
- Toilets - Snap frames are ideal for displaying your poster on the back of a toilet door or above a urinal, keeping them clean and in good condition.
- Recreation facilities - Keeping your posters looking great is easy at a sport complex or recreation facility.
- Restaurants - Snap frames allow you to display menus and specials outside of your business, without worrying that weather or vandals will ruin them.
- Shops - Showcase your stock, sales, and logos on posters throughout your retail store, as well as in various locations outside your premises.
- Corporate Settings - Display information posters for your employees and clients at important locations throughout your site.
- Schools - Snap frames are great for displaying information to students and parents in both classrooms and common areas.
Read more: Top 10 Uses of Poster Frames in Schools and Universities
Once you have designed your poster, get in touch with our team. We can provide suggestions and advice about the best way to print and display your materials, ensuring that they last the longest time possible.
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