11 Steps To Design Your Own Advertising Posters

Created by Onmi Desisgn | https://www.behance.net/gallery/143925437/RPB-Sport-Legal

Understandably, some companies or small start-ups decided to make their advertising poster. Many reasons come from the extensive budget increase to hire people for the design, the unexpected price for the project, or some extra printing cost. It is also considered easier and wallet-friendly when everything is done by yourself. 

But creating posters is not something you can easily do without just plopping pictures and text on A4 paper. You got to pay attention to every element, design point, advertising focus, visual, and message. Does that mean you cannot make one by yourself? Of course, you can. If you are sure and want to try it, here are some steps to start from the very basic one. 

Created by VASK | https://www.behance.net/gallery/142441529/Mether

1. Choosing The Message 

What message do you want to tell people from the poster? You can say that every project can come with a different message. It can start from simple art to advertising methods that highlight the idea of the product for the group. So, what do you want to say? In many advertising actions, the point is to convey your product, group, or offer. 

Sometimes, it is more than introducing the product. You need to convey a message that helps create an image of your product and advertising subject. As an example, you are trying to design an advertising poster for a food truck. What will you say? The best way to deliver the message is by associating it with its impression. 

Created by Shadsgn | https://www.behance.net/gallery/128124605/Colorit-Design-Studio-Visual-Identity

A food truck is usually connected to going out, fun, outdoor, and affordable products. So, to convey that meaning and message, you can plan every little detail that says the same interpretation. You can put a picture of people queuing in the park. A kid enjoying a sandwich or ice cream, everything that helps tell the real interpretation of your message. 

The poster message is very important for people and readers, especially for advertising purposes. Demonstrating that your subject is a place that is associated with a tasty, good feeling, and desirable food can help you convey the meaning and gain people's interest. That is why choose the message carefully since it can shape your advertising poster design in general. 

Created by: Gabriel Eich | https://www.behance.net/gallery/141353371/Fleck

2. Determine The Advertising Information 

While the advertising message and the product association are vital, another detail that you should never miss is the information. What kind of information do you need to tell? Your advertising poster won't mean anything if people do not know how to reach you. That is why you need to tell the people behind the advertising post.  

When it comes to advertising information, the details entailed can differ from what you want to show in the advertising campaign. The most common chance and function is to promote products from stores or businesses. If you work for such a design, put every information about the store. You can show location, contact information, hours, or anything. 

Created by Rafael Cardoso | https://www.behance.net/gallery/140553921/Daz-Hauz-Architecture

If you are advertising a project or event made out of organization and group, but the information about when and where the event is. The point is that you need to include information that helps viewers or readers get into your message. So, whatever the design and the product are, be sure to say about how to react to it. 

The best way to get people's attention straight to this information is by using CTA or call to action. In your advertising poster design, you can put CTA at the end of the paper. Put a wording that makes people want to follow, something that entices people to do an action. You can say "Call us," "contact," or" check out the detail here." 

Created by Ludlow Kingsley | https://www.behance.net/gallery/129123633/Archway

3. Decide The Demographic Reader And Target Reader 

Another deciding step that makes your poster effective is the demographic. In many cases, your demographic or target will shape the advertising detail, locations, and models. So, how did you decide on the target marketing? The first thing that might come to mind is to understand the market. Who are the readers or the target buyer? 

Take an example of a translation and proofreading services advertising poster. This kind of product means you have a specific market and target reader, the graduate students. By targeting graduate students, it means you need to shape up the design to fit their needs. It includes what kind of picture, catchphrase, and the place. 

Created by Ravan Osmanov | https://www.behance.net/gallery/144207429/Mercury

In this example, you can see how the target shapes and develops the design in many ways. You might have to consider the poster size to fit the location, such as in college and areas around the university. Using a smaller poster that fits the bulletin board helps reach the targeted people. How about the headline and information?

Your advertising poster can adjust to the trend in the target environment. Using the terms essay, thesis, or final report might help attract their attention. Using a trendy modern design element and illustration might also give a chance to meet their interest. There are many other ways that you can try, which might require proper research or investigation.   

Created by Dorien Wendelen | https://www.behance.net/gallery/141985243/Odyskin-Brand-Identity-Packaging

4. Consider The Places 

As you see, that place can be affected by another poster element, the target. However, the place itself has a huge impact on your design creation. How so? Your main goal for advertising is to get a response and increase ROI. Sometimes it also includes introducing certain offers to the target reader. That is why your poster should be in the right place.

What identifies as the right place? For an advertising poster, your design and project should project the target and accessibility. First, if you are targeting a young adult, try some places where they tend to be. If you are looking for a punk rock audience, you might have to go to a place where it is a bit darker. The point is to be in the place where your advertising targets are. 

Other than where the people are, you will need to ensure that the place is where most people will see it. If you think a quiet alleyway will do the work, then you are wrong. Put it somewhere where your design will attract people and be located in the main area. How about the bus stop? Station bulletin board, or on the street wall close to the main street? 

Created by Usman Qureshi | https://www.behance.net/gallery/142258961/Cirrus-Brand-Identity

Another good tip you need to decide the place is to pick a location where people tend to wait. Yes, waiting. It can be anything from a resting hall, bus stop, or waiting room of the university. People will look at their environments, checking to find something that attracts their eyes or attention. And that is your chance to entice people with your poster design. 

But is it enough to be in the right place? To make your advertising poster efficient, consider the environment's color and lighting. You might have to adjust your design color, and the poster looks to make them visible in the situation. Going with an attractive or contrasting hue might help. However, be sensible on the color pick, or else your design will turn into an eyesore. 

Created by Papanapa Design | https://www.behance.net/gallery/139493719/Geopagos

5. Use The Best Software To Make The Design 

Before going through the design process, you have to find the best program to work with. The good news is, you can use a lot of programs and software to make posters. And the best one is the app that you are familiar with. The key is a product or program that helps you create and portray your best creativity of yours. 

So, a familiar program should be the answer. How about manual poster design? Although you can make a hand-drawn poster, using computer software gives you a bigger possibility to explore design. Advertising posters can appear as complex or as simple as you want. But remember to make it as effective as possible before regulating it for the public. 

Should you use Adobe products, professional design programs, or PowerPoint? Whatever you want and you can execute the best. Yes, you can use InDesign or Illustrator, but it is also possible to work with template-based programs. Some online websites can also help you make a brilliant advertising poster too, such as Canva or similar design web.  

Created by Kallan & Co | https://www.behance.net/gallery/136478193/Sisu-Data

6. Get the three essential parts of the posters. 

The poster is not an easy design project. It has a particular design module and parts that make them efficient. The points are not far from the essay, which is divided into three basic parts. The first one is the headline or the title. The headline is the first part and aspect that help attract people's attention. It is a key part of your advertising poster design. 

The title is mostly used on the top of the poster and has the biggest font to attract readers. While it is attractive, the sentence should be short and suffice with 15 words max. Sometimes, you need to come up with words that help convey the product message to drive people to read the rest of the poster and get the advertising goal. 

Created by YNL Design | https://www.behance.net/gallery/142073155/Voithru-Corporate-Identity

The next part is the body. Almost in every design project, you will need to put body the needed information, including the highlight points and detail readers want to know. But for an advertising poster, you need to make the body as short as possible. Your ideal body design should be longer than the headline but short enough to make the reader engaged. 

Sometimes, the body consists of pictures, interesting catchphrases, and offers. You don't need to tell every detail of the advertising poster design. Give people time to ask and find out more about your product. The last part you need for the advertising is the signature. It is the part where you put information about the store, group, or whatever you are trying to promote. 

Created by VISEE Design | https://www.behance.net/gallery/140810489/Andree-Jabin-Branding

7. Picking The Proper Size For The Poster

Your poster size is the way you reach people or the target audience. Yes, you can see huge advertising media such as billboards. But do you need to make your design big? No. Sometimes, bigger is not always better, especially for advertising posters. Being big means a higher budget and more expensive production. 

Moreover, some posters are meant to occupy a smaller area which means not to overwhelm the reader. Imagine you are doing a humongous project in a small space. People will feel intimidated by design. Instead of stealing people's attention and making them read, people will be hesitant to read your advertising media. 

Created by üla — studio | https://www.behance.net/gallery/136410639/Surppot-Visual-Identity

So, which is the best size? Try to understand where the place is, who will read it, and how you want to distribute it? It is best to consider that some posters can reach people individually or placed in public places. So, you got to see what the plan is for the advertising. You don't need to force yourself to join the bandwagon; trying to make it efficient is the key.  

Take an example of creating an advertising poster in a mall or public area. A large design might help stand out among the crowd. But you need to limit the size and avoid posters that are as tall as people. Staying with the regular 11'x17' is fine, especially if you want to use it indoors.  

Created by Creative 47 | https://www.behance.net/gallery/133920917/LNU-IDENTITY-SYSTEM

8. Incorporating Effective Images Or Logo

It is not a poster if you don't see good use of pictures in it. This mindset is partially true since many new design styles focus on text and other elements. However, the common and most usual practice of advertising poster design is using images. You use images not only to attract people's attention but it can also to help convey messages and information. 

While it is fun to add many pictures to make people interested, poster design is more complex about image. You will need to use images smartly to avoid the advertising media looking crowded and distracting. In many cases, you can use the simple ads model to convey information in many ways. You only need to use the most important image more than many others. 

Using too many images can confuse readers and overwhelm them with the information. The best way to use an image is by adding one or two pictures that help convey the message. You can put them on the center or the body. So, people can see the real meaning and message of the advertising poster. After an image, you can design the advertising words around it. 

Created by Mehmet Gozetlik | https://www.behance.net/gallery/136350523/Sour-Brand-Identity

Other than beautiful images and pictures, you might also want to consider working and adding a logo. For many advertising media, a logo can convey information about the program, company, store, or business. Sometimes, a logo is enough to tell detail about the advertiser. It also helps tell the reader about the credibility of the advertising. 

The last thing to consider about a picture is resolution and quality. You need and always have to use a high-resolution image. It is vital since you are going to print the advertising poster. Using high-res images ensure the picture looks crisp, clear, and detailed. Avoid low resolution since it only makes the picture appear pixelated on printed media. 

Created by ADD Branding | https://www.behance.net/gallery/128004987/Mob-Target

9. Adding Stand Out Colors 

Another key to the design is color. If you ever want to work with advertising media, deciding the color can affect your choice of text, contrast, and image. In other words, you are not only using a vibrant color but a scheme that comes with proper contrast. Imagine a dark-color picture and image. It will only make the advertising poster design harder to read. 

However, it is also worth it to avoid getting crazy with colors. What it means by crazy is picking too many images and colors just to stand out among crowds. That is not the reason you need contrast. Overusing color only makes your design look cheap and distracting. That is why you can decide the color scheme and limit the pick to three or four. 

Created by Jorge Yagual | https://www.behance.net/gallery/143628867/Lou-Visual-Identity

10. Use Readable Text

Readable text is not only about style, font, and typefaces. You got to pick contrast, proper size, margin, white space, and distance. The best rule of thumb is to make sure the advertising poster is visible and readable from 15 feet away. Similar to color, don't get crazy with text. Limit the number to three and promote text hierarchy to lead to reading flow. 

Created by Castilo Design | https://www.behance.net/gallery/129016673/Controle-Agora-Visual-Identity

11. Drafting And Printing 

The last step is drafting and printing. Most professional designers will use and make more than one draft before picking the last advertising poster design. You can ask for feedback from other people to find the best out of the drafts. It also helps to revise before finalizing and printing the project. And when you are ready to print the work, consider the material and printer to get the best result. 

Advertising using a poster is a pretty common practice for big or small businesses. However, it can be a design challenge to hit the real target and ROI. While it is based on the product, your design can affect its effectiveness. You need to pay attention to every fundamental step and detail of the project. 

Created by Gláuber Sampaio | https://www.behance.net/gallery/128815735/Dupla-Studios

Final Words

The best way to start is by choosing the message and the advertising information. What do you want people to do and where to go? Be sure you can mention it as clearly as possible. Pay attention to the demographic, consider the application, work seriously on every advertising poster design element, and print it as you need. Try it! It is a great practice for start-up or design enthusiasts.