Copywriting Tips: How to Create Effective Signs and Banners Messaging
Written by Janis Mae Narvas ● Published on December 21, 2021
If you’re looking to use outdoor banners and signs in your next marketing campaign, you might be thinking of the message to put into your design. Creating copy for banners and signs can be a daunting task if you’ve never done it before. To help you create the perfect messaging for your banners, we prepared this comprehensive guide. Read on to learn more.
Signs and Banners Copywriting Guide
1. Figure out the goal of your campaign.
Make sure you understand what business goal you want to achieve with your banner. Are you trying to promote a new service or product? Aim to be informative and engaging. Do you need to increase awareness about your brand? Use striking images and words that will be easy to read and recall – don’t forget to include your company name and logo, of course.
2. Find out where you will display your sign or banner.
Before you set out to write copy for your banners or signs, get all the details on where they will be displayed. Without proper context, your messaging may fall flat and fail to catch the attention of your audience.
Photo Credit: UPrinting - Outdoor Vinyl Banners: 14 Examples to Inspire Your Designs
Are you creating a banner for a trade show booth? How long will you be able to hold your reader’s attention – for instance, would you be displaying your banner on the roadside with high car traffic, or will you be hanging your banner right outside your store with slower foot traffic?
The location of your display can determine how long your copy should be, and how many words you can use. If your audience doesn’t have much time to spare, then keep your copy short and snappy. The rest of your design – the colors, font type and size, and other design elements – should do the heavy lifting in bringing your message across. On the flip side, if your readers can pause and read your copy for a few seconds, then you can make your copy a few words longer.
Read Next: How to Get Business Sign Permits in Every U.S. State
3. Keep your message simple.
When you’re writing copy for banners and signs, make sure to keep your copy as simple and straightforward as possible. Don’t worry about writing too little or too much – you can always edit your copy later. When you’re done writing, review the message that you drafted and see if you need to cut or add anything. Get another person’s opinion so they can help you spot any errors or choose better words, if needed.
Stay focused on a single message; don’t try to achieve too many things with just one banner or sign. Remember, your reader won’t have all day, and you’ll want them to take action upon seeing your sign. Help them remember your message by making it as clear as day. Use clear language free from jargon and technical terms.
Photo Credit: Washington Graphics LLC
4. Include all the necessary information.
Provide your readers with enough context and details they’ll need to take action – whether it’s to dial a number to call you or to place an order online.
A good example of a banner with enough information is one that a 48HourPrint customer had printed with us in 2020. When the shelter-in-place orders were implemented, restaurants had to close their doors to dine-in customers. Skillets, a restaurant in Florida, put up a banner to inform their regular patrons that they can still order breakfast and lunch via DoorDash or curbside pick-up.
5. Create a compelling call-to-action.
Make sure that your call-to-action is clear and easy to spot. Feel free to use words that drive your reader towards an action like “go”, “visit”, “get”, or “call.”
When you’re ready to set your copy to a banner design, remember to give prominence to your call-to-action and other important bits of information. You can draw your reader’s attention to the critical details by establishing a visual hierarchy – play with font size, font type, colors, and shape to make the design pop.
Related Reading: What Font Size Should I Use for My Banner?
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Step 1. Select the product that you want to order. Choose from hundreds of free design templates to start customizing your banner or sign.
Step 2. Create your design. With the Create48 tool, you can edit the template you selected. Use the toolbar to upload your own images, search for stock photos and design elements, change colors, and add text or shapes.
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