How to Make a Poster: Standard Poster Sizes and 5 Handy Tips to Create a Poster That Converts

What you will get from this post:

  • 7 standard poster sizes
  • 5 helpful tips to create a poster that converts
  • Free poster templates and design elements to download

Posters have been around for a very long time now, and they have been used for various purposes. The very first set of posters that were created and used was called the ‘broadsides,’ and this was a sheet of paper that had prints done on just one side, and it was designed for public and commercial messaging. In the 1870s, posters became a major tool for mass communication and advertising in European and American cities.

Over the past decades, posters have been applied in many ways. It has grown to become a very effective tool for influencing the decision that people make and creating public awareness. Basically, posters have been applied in so many ways and for many years now. They have grown to be the best choice for advertising.

Are you wondering how to make a poster? One of the basic things that you should know is the standard poster sizes. Posters come in different sizes, and they are designed to serve different purposes.

Standard Poster Sizes

Let’s go through the different standard poster sizes and how you can them to achieve the goal of your campaign and keep things within your budget.

40” x 60” Poster (1016 x 1524mm)

This standard poster size is popularly referred to as the subway poster or bus stop poster. The poster is mostly seen in bus stations, and it’s primarily designed to be used outdoors. Also, they are usually displayed in glass-enclosed hoardings. They are mostly 40″ x 60″, even though they can be expanded to larger sizes.

Standard Poster Sizes example: bus stop poster
Source: Free Mockups and Templates in PSD

The contents displayed on the poster are usually colorful, attention-grabbing, and printed on paper stock. It’s worth noting that the poster is best for events, promotional posters, advertisements, and movies. It’s also good for bold typography and amazing visuals that can capture attention easily.

27” x 40” Poster (686 x 1016mm)

This standard poster size is mostly in a portrait format, and size is a perfect option for movie posters. They are usually single-sheep posters, unlike the 40″ x 60″ posters, which are two-sided. Like the bus stop posters, this standard poster size is equally printed on paper stock. For aesthetics, you can choose between a glossy and matte finish.

Standard Poster Sizes example: movie poster
Source: Sadiq Rayev

Another thing to note is that they are also displayed in high-traffic locations, and shopping malls, in addition to their use in advertising movies.  

24” x 36” Poster (609.6 x 914.4mm)

This standard poster size is the conventional option that is widely applied to large posters. It’s one of the most common options for use in capturing the attention of the audience via the delivery of enticing piece of art or message.

How to Make a Poster: Standard Poster Sizes and 5 Handy Tips to Create a Poster That Converts
Source: Behance

You can find posters with this dimension, mostly in events, concerts, sidewalks, trade fairs, and even shopping malls. The main selling point of this standard poster size is the fact that viewers can easily visualize the information from a distance. Also, the size can be used for displaying bold typography, complex design, minimalist artwork, and more.

18” x 24” Poster (457 x 610mm)

This standard poster size is a medium-sized poster, and it’s perfect for both outdoor and indoor displays. The posters are widely used as part of small advertisements, small-scale movie promotions, and even for different campaigns.

How to Make a Poster: Standard Poster Sizes and 5 Handy Tips to Create a Poster That Converts
Source: From Nick Barclay via Behance

With this poster size, you can conveniently combine bold text, graphics, and imagery with ease. Another place where you can keep this poster is on notice boards in schools and also in-store promotions.

16” x 20” Poster (406. 4 x 508mm)

This is the standard poster size that is mostly used for print posters with the aim of capturing the attention of viewers via impactful messages. It’s mostly used in promoting different events and advertising products as window signs or for design purposes.

How to Make a Poster: Standard Poster Sizes and 5 Handy Tips to Create a Poster That Converts
Source: From etsy.com

11” x 17” Poster (279 x 432mm)

This is a small-sized standard poster size that is also called tabloid and ledger paper. The poster does not consume so much space, and it’s mostly applied for indoor uses in waiting areas, bathrooms, and lounge areas.

The poster is designed to blend perfectly with a minimalist color palette, plenty of negative space, clear illustrations, and bold typography. Another key thing to note about this poster is that because of their size, and they are designed to be viewed at eye level.

How to Make a Poster: Standard Poster Sizes and 5 Handy Tips to Create a Poster That Converts
Source: TemplateAC
How to Make a Poster: Standard Poster Sizes and 5 Handy Tips to Create a Poster That Converts
Source: TemplateAC

8.5” x 11” Poster (215.9 x 279.4mm)

Among all the standard poster sizes that we have mentioned above, this is the smallest option, and it’s also referred to as the poster flyer and A4-size poster. It’s a perfect choice for display advertisements using small pieces. This is the common type of poster that you will find on community notice boards, art galleries, and help desk areas.

It’s important to note that the posters that are designed using this dimension are perfect for publishing company policies, sharing schedules, communicating information and announcements. Another vital thing to note is that since this is a small type of poster, it’s best to ensure that the text is kept at a minimum and also complemented with the perfect imagery for legibility and readability.

Check out these free poster templates!

5 Tips to Create a Poster That Converts

Now that you know the different standard poster sizes, the next thing is to know how you can create posters that convert. Creating a poster is easy, and you don’t have to be a professional to achieve this. However, in order to ensure that you create a poster that converts, there are certain design principles that you’ll need to apply.

Here are the top 5 tips to help you create posters that convert with ease:

1.      Ensure it’s readable from a distance

One of the basic things that you should ensure is that the information printed on your poster is legible. In addition to the poster being readable, you also need to ensure that people can easily consume the data that is on the posters from a distance.

Are you wondering how you can achieve this? Here are the key things to organize:

  • Headline: The headline of your poster is one of the first things that will tell whether people will be drawn to it or not. This implies that you need to ensure that your headline is enticing enough and also ensure that you choose a readable typeface that can capture the reader’s attention.
  • Body Text: This is the part where you answer questions like what, when, and where. The aim is to ensure that readers can understand the main focus of your poster, as well as how it’s useful to them.
  • Fine Print: You should ensure that you keep your text small and also allow viewers to understand the information they need from the first glance at your poster.

2.      Consider Placement

The different standard poster sizes above are something you should always have in mind whenever you create posters. Basically, this will help you guide your poster placement. In addition to knowing your placement, you also need to know your target audience to determine the effectiveness of the poster that you’re creating.

The reason why it’s vital to know the placement is so that you can conveniently enforce persuasion and visibility. This implies that your design elements, typography, and color scheme should be in line with the poster location you choose.

3.      Work with different dimensions of poster

As a designer, you should always be dynamic with everything, including the size of the poster that you use. This is vital, even though the goal of your campaign might require that you stick to a specific poster dimension.

The idea is for you to create different poster copies with different dimensions. If you are wondering what dimensions to use, we recommend checking the different standard poster sizes that we mentioned earlier.

Other key things that you might want to consider include:

  • Creating an 8.5″ x 11″ poster that you can distribute with ease on the streets
  • Adapt your poster design based on your target audience
  • Create a small version that you can distribute to your email list.

4.      Ensure ample spacing

The spacing between every design element is vital, and to ensure that the information on your poster is readable, you’ll need to ensure that it’s properly spaced. Therefore, you’ll need to ensure that there’s space between individual letters, as well as the line of text. You’ll also need to consider the font that you use, as well as other design elements.

The important thing to have in mind is that by using ample spacing in your poster design, you can easily improve the visual impact and also make it more readable.

5.      Be bold with your font choices

Another area that you’ll need to be flexible with is the choice of fonts you choose. You should be free to use more than one font to enhance the visual of your poster and your audience. Some of the options that you should consider trying include bolder, wider, and bigger fonts. Also, while choosing different fonts, you should also ensure that it radiates the appropriate tone to your design.

Free poster templates and design elements

Free poster templates

There are a lot of poster template resources out there, we recommend you try these free poster templates.

How to Make a Poster: Standard Poster Sizes and 5 Handy Tips to Create a Poster That Converts
Source: templateAC

Free design elements for posters

No matter what you need, from abstract shapes, geometric Memphis design elements, flat illustrations, frames, and templates, you can absolutely find them on illustAC.

Conclusion

Posters remain amazing advertising tools that are used for different purposes in different parts of the world. They are mostly used for marketing and advertising purposes, and the main thing that influences their use is the standard poster sizes. We have provided everything that you should know about the standard poster sizes and how you can create posters that convert in this article.

The different poster sizes we have highlighted are 40″ x 60″, 27″ x 40″, 24″ x 36″, 18″ x 24″, 16″ x 20″, 11″ x 17″, 8.5″ x 11″. Posters are great for different promotions, art expos, events, and product and service announcements.

As a designer, you should ensure that your posters are easy to read, even from a distance. One way you can achieve this is by using the free poster templates and poster design elements that are available on illustAC.

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