If you’re in marketing, you’ve probably tried and tested a whole bunch of advertising techniques. From digital marketing to social media strategies to dynamic signage displays, you’ve likely heard of and done it all. But you also probably know that, despite all the modern changes in the world of marketing, nothing really ever beats the power of a good ol’ fashioned poster. The QR code has existed for almost 30 years and new uses are being discovered for them all the time. One such use is in advertisements as it can be an easy way for consumers to connect to a business website. For help making your own QR codes, consider using this free QR code generator.
Posters are timeless. They can be used for anything from brand recognition and awareness to promoting special sales, upselling products, and so much more. And you can use them both online and offline, which works out great for all sorts of audiences.
However, there is one catch. A poster might work well, but it needs to be super eye-catching and attention-worthy to do so. You need to add the right colors, imagery, and content, and make it fit the right format. To get you started, here are some great design tips on how to make the ideal poster for your advertising campaign.
1. Pick the right colors
The first thing to do when making a poster is to choose the color scheme. The color palette essentially forms the background of your poster, and could potentially be the most eye-catching factor.
The ideal color scheme for your poster would be one that matches your brand image as well. For instance, if McDonald’s is advertising a new value meal, they’re probably going to use their signature red and yellow colors to promote it. Your brand colors help with brand recognition and will encourage customers to automatically associate a poster with your company.
With that being said, don’t be afraid to add a couple of other fun colors into the mix. You can have your brand colors as the main factor in your poster, but you can definitely make it more vibrant by adding some bright shades in smaller factors, such as the imagery or animation. Read more about How Many Types of Logo Designs Are There?
2. Choose an engaging font
When designing a poster, you go in hoping that the customer will automatically be hooked to whatever subject line or header you’ve printed on it. But the truth is, customer engagement toward a poster is very heavily dependent on the type of font you use. And the font you choose is, in turn, dependent on what you want to say.
If you’re advertising a sale, you want a big, bold sale sign right at the top of your poster, preferably in a thick, readable font. On the other hand, if you’re selling luxury items, you’d like a smaller, cursive font that shows a bit more sophistication and goes with the overall image.
Choose a font that goes well with your message. Make sure it’s visible enough for everyone to be able to tell what the poster is about and keep it relevant to your overall message.
3. Don’t overload with content
When you’re advertising something, you want to give out as much useful information about it as possible. You might want to brag about all the extensive benefits of your product or talk about its long list of features, but no one has time to read all that. The average customer will, at best, give your poster a quick skim before deciding whether to keep it or toss it away.
Overloading your poster with unnecessary content can make it look overcrowded, and can lose reader interest pretty quickly. If you want people to stay engaged, stick to a few precise but useful details. You can add one top feature, one great rating or review, and one amazing benefit to give customers a taste of what your product consists of. You can also add a QR code in a corner to lead customers to an online site or page where they can find out more information.
4. Add some fun imagery
No poster is complete without images and visuals. Imagine getting a poster with just text on it. You’d be bored pretty quickly too, right? The rest of your customers would be too. So make sure to add all the right images to your poster.
Make sure your visuals are relevant to your poster content. If you’re promoting a restaurant, some aesthetic food shots might work great. Or, if you’re promoting a day-care service, try out some shots of yourself playing with a bunch of kids. Remember that imagery not only adds character to your poster and helps with engagement, it also acts as an indirect testimonial for your claims.
Start making posters today
The ideal poster can take a lot of time and effort to perfect. And reading all of this might have got you thinking about all the possible customization costs involved. But don’t worry. With online design tools, you can easily make an online poster maker, you can get free access to a wide range of poster templates that you can customize according to your needs. With design tools like that and tips like the ones above, you’ll be able to level up your marketing game in minutes.
Poster Sizes: Pick the Right Format
| Size | Dimensions | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A3 | 297 x 420 mm (11.7 x 16.5 in) | Small posters, shop windows |
| A2 | 420 x 594 mm (16.5 x 23.4 in) | Events, exhibitions |
| A1 | 594 x 841 mm (23.4 x 33.1 in) | Large displays, trade shows |
| US Letter | 8.5 x 11 in | Flyers, notice boards |
| US Tabloid | 11 x 17 in | Small posters, menus |
Pick the size before you design. A poster for a shop window needs to be big enough to read from a distance. A poster for a notice board can be smaller. Check where the poster will hang. Measure the space. A poster that is too big will be cut off. A poster that is too small will be ignored. For print, use 300 DPI resolution. For a digital poster, 72 DPI is enough, but use a larger canvas so the image stays sharp. Use CMYK colour mode for print. Use RGB colour mode for screens. If you use RGB for print, the colours may look different on paper. Leave a margin of at least 10 mm around the edges. Text too close to the edge can be cut off during printing. Save your file as a PDF for print. Save as a PNG or JPG for social media.
Layout and Hierarchy: Guide the Reader’s Eye
A good poster has a clear visual hierarchy. The headline comes first. It should be the biggest text on the poster. It should say what the poster is about in a few words. The image comes second. It should support the headline. The details come third. They include the date, time, place, and price. Keep the details small. Use no more than two or three fonts. One font for the headline. One font for the body text. Too many fonts make a poster look messy. Use white space. White space is the empty area around text and images. It helps the reader focus. A crowded poster is hard to read. Test your poster from a distance. Stand three metres away. Can you read the headline? Can you see the main image? If not, make the headline bigger and remove some text. Ask a friend to look at the poster for five seconds. Then ask them what the poster is about. If they cannot answer, simplify the design.
Free Tools to Design a Poster
You do not need expensive software to make a good poster. Canva is a free online tool with poster templates. It has drag-and-drop design. Adobe Express is another free tool with templates and stock photos. Photopea is a free online editor that works like Photoshop. It opens PSD files. GIMP is a free desktop program for photo editing and design. Inkscape is a free tool for vector graphics, such as logos and icons. Pick a template that fits your topic. Change the colours to match your brand. Replace the stock photos with your own images if you have them. Check the licence of any stock photo you use. Free photos from sites like Unsplash and Pexels are safe to use for most posters. Always credit the photographer if the licence asks for it. Export your poster at high resolution. A low-resolution poster looks blurry when printed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I design the ideal poster in 4 steps?
Pick the right colours, choose an engaging font, do not overload with content, and add some fun imagery. Then check the size, layout, and print settings before you publish or print the poster.
What size should my poster be?
It depends on where it will hang. A3 works for shop windows. A2 works for events. A1 works for large displays. US Letter works for flyers and notice boards. Measure the space before you design.
What resolution should a poster be?
Use 300 DPI for print and 72 DPI for screens. Save print files as PDF in CMYK colour mode. Save digital posters as PNG or JPG in RGB colour mode.
What free tools can I use to design a poster?
Canva, Adobe Express, Photopea, GIMP, and Inkscape are free tools for poster design. They offer templates, stock photos, and easy editing. Pick the tool that fits your skill level.
How much text should a poster have?
As little as possible. A poster should have a headline, one image, and a few details such as date, time, and place. Too much text makes a poster look crowded and hard to read.
Disclaimer: This guide gives general information about poster design. Tools, prices, and print settings change over time. Check the current features of any tool you use and the print specs of your printer before you start.
Last Updated: 6 November 2026