Writing for outdoor isn’t like writing for web, email, or even print. Billboards are a different beast. If you're a copywriter tasked with billboard messaging, or if you're simply curious why so many roadside ads fail, here are 9 common mistakes that can make your campaign fail.
1.
Forgetting the Purpose: It’s Not a CTA
Billboards aren’t about conversions. They're about contact. A quick, impactful touchpoint to lodge your brand into someone’s brain. Think impression, not response. If you're trying to get someone to download an app or scan a QR code from the freeway, stop it. That’s not the job here.
2. Shrinking
the Logo
Your client may love subtlety, your audience doesn’t have time for it. If the logo isn’t massive (shamefully massive) it’s invisible to people navigating a few thousand pounds of metal and rubber speeding past. Think big, then go bigger. Maybe not ideal for a magazine ad, but necessary for a billboard.
3. Writing
Novels on 14x48s
If your message can’t be digested in under three seconds, it's already dead. Roadside readers don’t pause to ponder. Aim for seven words or less — and make every one count. This is not the place for nuance.
4. Being
Leary of Timid Visuals
Outdoor design needs punch. A timid visual in the wild is like whispering in a stadium. You’ll be ignored. Be bold. Be noticed. Be remembered.
5. Trying to
Say Too Much
One billboard = one idea. Not three. Not two. ONE. The moment you ask your audience to juggle multiple messages at 65 mph, you’ve lost them.
6.
Forgetting the 500-Yard Test
A billboard that looks great up close might turn into abstract mush at a distance. If it doesn’t read as a thumbnail on your screen, it won’t read at full size in the real world. Zoom out. Squint. Adjust.
7. Blending
In with the Sky
Nature doesn't care about your palette. A beautiful soft blue might look great in Photoshop, but it'll vanish against a sunny sky. Choose colors that pop.
8. Ignoring
Social Shareability
The best billboards don’t just live on the road, they live online. A clever concept, a striking visual, or a laugh-out-loud line can get shared on Instagram, X, TikTok... turning a static sign into viral brand fuel. Design for the camera as much as the car.
9. Treating
It Like a One-Off
Billboards work best when they're part of a long-term, multi-location strategy. One lonely board in one location for one month won’t move the needle. Billboards are cumulative ... repetition is how they build memory.
As copywriters, we’re taught to love nuance, rhythm, and clever turns of phrase. But with billboards, the job is different. This is a minimalist’s art form. Fewer words. Bigger impact. Faster recognition. If you can master these constraints, you’ll write outdoor ads that actually earn a second look ... and maybe even a snapshot.
_________________________
Good outdoor is brutally simple.
One idea. Ideally seven
words or fewer.
A striking visual if needed.
Something clever or controversial
enough
to cut through all the noise.
Paul Suggett
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For inspiration,
here are some websites that have curated impactful billboards:
- https://www.creativebloq.com/design/billboard-advertising-1131681
- https://filestage.io/blog/best-billboard-ads/
- https://storybrunch.com/best-billboard-ads-advertising-hacks/#google_vignette
- https://theempire.com/best-billboard-ads/
- https://www.canva.com/learn/billboard-advertising/
- https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/brilliant-creative-billboard-advertisements/#google_vignette
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