In short
A billboard gets read when it says one thing in about seven words, uses strong contrast and makes the letters big enough for the viewing distance. A common industry rule of thumb is roughly one inch of letter height for every ten feet of viewing distance, with the phone number or location treated as the second most important element.
Key takeaways
- Keep the headline to around seven words and the whole board to one message.
- Use about one inch of letter height per ten feet of viewing distance as a starting rule of thumb.
- High contrast (dark on light or light on dark) beats clever colour combinations.
- Write in the language your customers read fastest, which in most Tamil Nadu towns means Tamil first.
- Avoid busy photos, small text and long lists of services.
You have a few seconds, so design for them
Most people see a hoarding from a moving bike, car or bus. They glance at it, look back at the road, and maybe glance again.
That means a billboard is not a brochure. Its job is to plant one idea and one way to act on it, such as a name, a location or a number.
Before designing, finish this sentence: "After seeing this board, I want people to remember ___." If you need more than one line to finish it, the board is trying to do too much.
One message, about seven words
Aim for a headline of about seven words or fewer. "Deepavali silk sale now on, 2 km ahead" works; a paragraph about your history, range and quality does not.
Pick the single strongest reason to visit: an offer, a new opening, a location or a clear benefit. Save the full service list for your shop, leaflet or website.
- Headline: the one idea, in large type.
- Brand: your name or logo, clearly visible.
- Action: phone number, WhatsApp, landmark or direction.
- Everything else is optional and usually better removed.
Letter height versus viewing distance
A widely used industry rule of thumb is about one inch of letter height for every ten feet of viewing distance for comfortable reading. So text meant to be read from 200 feet should be roughly 20 inches tall.
Treat this as a starting point, not a law. Thin fonts, poor contrast, rain, dust and night conditions all mean you should go larger, not smaller.
Measure the real distance from where traffic first gets a clear view, not from directly below the board. Our hoarding readability calculator can help you check this quickly.
Contrast and colour
Strong contrast matters more than colour choice. Dark text on a light background, or white or yellow text on a deep background, reads well in harsh daylight.
Avoid putting text over photos, gradients or patterns. Also avoid colour pairs with similar brightness, such as red on green or blue on purple, which blur together at a distance.
Use bold, simple fonts. Decorative, script and very thin typefaces lose their shape when seen quickly from far away.
Phone numbers, WhatsApp and directions
If you want calls, the number is the second most important thing on the board. Make it large, group the digits clearly (for example 78680 02606) and show only one number.
Many people cannot note a number while driving, so a simple landmark or direction often works better for a shop: "Next to the bus stand" or "500 m ahead on the left".
Skip website addresses and long email IDs on roadside boards. A QR code only helps where people stand or wait nearby, such as bus stops, not on fast roads.
Tamil, English or both?
Write in the language your customers read fastest. In most Tamil Nadu towns that means Tamil, with the brand name in the form people already recognise.
Bilingual boards can work, but they double the amount of text. If you use both, make one language clearly dominant and keep the other short.
Have the Tamil copy checked by a fluent reader before printing. Spelling mistakes on a large board are noticed and remembered.
Logos, photos and layout
Place the logo where it is clearly visible but does not fight the headline, often in a corner or along the bottom. If your name is not well known yet, the name in plain bold letters can matter more than the logo symbol.
Use photos only if they are simple and large: one product, one face or one clear scene. Group photos, interiors and images with lots of small detail turn into a blur from the road.
Leave empty space around the main elements. A board that looks a little empty on a computer screen usually looks right from the road.
Check before you print
Shrink the design to the size of a matchbox on your screen, or view it from across a room. If you cannot read the headline and number, nor can drivers.
Abi Ads can adapt your design to the exact hoarding size and check it against the viewing distance before printing. Share your artwork on WhatsApp for a quick review.
FAQs
How many words should a billboard have?
Aim for a headline of about seven words or fewer, plus your name and one contact or direction. Fewer words are read and remembered more easily.
How big should letters be on a hoarding?
A common rule of thumb is about one inch of letter height for every ten feet of viewing distance. Go larger for thin fonts, low contrast or night viewing.
Should my hoarding be in Tamil or English?
Use the language your target customers read fastest. In most Tamil Nadu towns that is Tamil, with English kept short if you add it at all.
Can I put a QR code on a billboard?
Only where people stand or wait close to the board, such as bus stops. On moving roads a QR code is too small and too slow to scan.
Related services: Hoarding & Billboard Advertising · Branding, Print & Digital Marketing