Types of Billboard: Complete Guide to Formats, Sizes, and Outdoor Advertising

Billboard advertising has long been a staple of outdoor marketing. But “billboard” can mean a few different things depending on size, technology, and where the display lives. From classic highway billboards to rotating digital screens and giant building murals, digital boards are a distinct type that offer scheduling flexibility and the ability to incorporate online engagement elements, and there are more billboard formats than most people realize.

Billboards serve diverse marketing objectives across industries, making them a flexible and effective tool for brands with varying goals.

A well-planned billboard ad campaign is essential for targeting specific audiences, optimizing pricing, and achieving marketing goals through outdoor advertising strategies.

This guide breaks down the major types of billboards, what they’re called in the industry, the most common sizes, and when each format makes the most sense. As a powerful advertising medium, billboards offer unique opportunities to reach audiences in high-traffic locations. You’ll also see “billboard-adjacent” outdoor options (like bus shelters and place-based screens) that people often lump into the same category, as well as unconventional approaches in outdoor advertising that go beyond traditional static or digital billboards.

Types of billboards at a glance

If you only remember one thing: most billboard “types” are either based on different formats—such as standardized sizes (bulletin, poster/30-sheet, junior/8-sheet), technology (static vs digital, with digital formats able to display multiple creatives in rotation) (digital boards, in particular, offer scheduling flexibility and can incorporate online engagement elements), or special structures (tri-vision, wall murals, spectaculars). For best practices for billboard advertising, see this resource. For guidance on billboard copy formulas that stop people in their tracks, see this resource. (OAAA)

Billboard types are also often selected based on campaign duration, with some formats being better suited for short term campaigns while others are ideal for long-term visibility.

What are billboard advertisements?

A billboard advertisement is a large-format outdoor advertising display designed to be viewed from extended distances (often referenced as 50+ feet), typically by drivers and commuters. (geopath.org)

You’ll also hear:

• OOH (Out-of-Home): all media formats intended to reach consumers outside the home. (OAAA)
• DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home): digital versions of OOH, including digital billboards and many other screen types.

No matter the format, a billboard serves as an advertisement intended to promote products, services, or messages in high-traffic areas. Billboards are built for fast comprehension. In practice, that means clean design, short copy, and one clear idea.

billboard advertisements are designed to capture the attention of a broad audience, maximizing exposure and engagement.

Billboard types by standardized format and size

These are the most “classic” billboard categories you’ll see in planning decks and media kits. Static boards, also known as traditional billboards, represent the baseline for outdoor advertising formats, serving as the foundation from which more innovative options like digital, mobile, and interactive billboards have evolved.

Bulletin billboards (the classic highway billboard)

A bulletin is the largest standardized OOH billboard format, typically measuring 14’ x 48’ and commonly sold as a permanent display or in “rotary” packages (rotated among locations). Bulletins are typically placed along major highways to reach a large volume of commuters and maximize visibility. (OAAA)

Common bulletin sizes you’ll see sold include 14’x48’, 10’x40’, and 10’6”x36’ (availability varies by market and operator). (OUTFRONT)

Best for: learning how OOH advertising works and its effectiveness

• Mass awareness on highways and major arterials
• Big, simple messaging that needs distance readability
• Brand awareness campaigns

Strategic placement of bulletins along major highways is essential to maximize visibility and ensure your message reaches the intended audience effectively.

Poster billboards (30-sheet posters)

A poster is a standardized format typically measuring 12’3” x 24’6”, formally known as a 30-sheet poster. (OAAA) Posters are considered a small format billboard option, making them ideal for targeted local advertising and community outreach.

Posters are often more common in denser urban areas and along secondary roads than billboard posting options. (OUTFRONT) Their placement in high traffic urban areas ensures strong visibility to both pedestrians and motorists, maximizing campaign effectiveness.

Best for: those new to DOOH who need a beginner’s guide.

• City and neighborhood coverage
• More targeted routes (commuters, shopping corridors, local roads)
• Supporting local businesses

Junior posters (8-sheet posters)

A junior poster is a standardized poster format typically measuring 6’ x 12’, formally known as an 8-sheet. (OAAA)

Best for:

• Hyper-local visibility
• Neighborhood retail and community messaging
• Advertising in retail environments (shopping malls, stores, and other retail settings)

Spectaculars (oversized, prime-location billboards)

A spectacular is a bulletin that’s usually larger than 14’ x 48’ and positioned at a prime location. Spectaculars often use special embellishments (extensions, props, custom lighting, etc.), offering high visibility in prime locations to maximize brand awareness and message recall. (OAAA)

Best for:

• Brand moments, product launches, cultural moments
• When you want “iconic” presence, not just reach
• Making a bold statement that leaves a lasting impression

Billboard types by technology

Traditional (static) billboards

Static billboards use printed materials (often vinyl or similar substrates) and show a single image—one fixed visual or message—until it’s physically replaced.

Pros

• 100% share of voice on that face (your creative is the only one shown)
• Strong repetition and memorability in the same location over time
• Provides consistent visibility and consistent exposure for brands, reinforcing brand recognition and awareness

Cons

• Creative changes take lead time (print + installation)
• Less flexibility for dayparting or running multiple offers

When to use it

• Brand reinforcement, long-running offers, and “always-on” presence where you don’t need frequent creative swaps

Digital billboards (roadside DOOH)

Digital billboards use LED screens to rotate multiple advertisers in a loop, changing content remotely and allowing for the display of multiple ads within the same space. Digital billboards offer the ability to display multiple ads, update content in real-time, and provide dynamic, flexible messaging options that maximize advertising effectiveness. (OUTFRONT)

Pros

• Quick creative updates (no printing)
• Run different messages by time of day or day of week
• Great for time-sensitive promotions
• Lighting effects can make ads more eye-catching and enhance visibility, especially at night
• Digital billboards allow advertisers to upload multiple creatives and schedule content by time of day

Cons

• Shared rotation (you’re not on-screen 100% of the time)
• Rules around motion/animation can vary by market and placement

When to use it

• Promotions that change often, testing multiple messages, dayparting (breakfast vs dinner, weekdays vs weekends), or event-driven campaigns

Important terminology note: “Digital billboards” are roadside digital OOH. “Digital place-based media” usually means addressable screens in venues (gyms, bars, retail, theaters, etc.) that change content remotely, and it explicitly excludes roadside digital OOH like billboards and bus shelters. (OAAA)

Billboard types by mechanics (multi-message without LED)

Tri-vision billboards

A tri-vision is an OOH unit with a slatted face that revolves at intervals, allowing three different messages to display on one face. (OAAA)

Pros

• Three messages for the footprint of one board
• Great for sequencing (teaser → reveal → CTA)
• Ability to display multiple creatives on a single board, enabling versatile messaging and scheduled content rotation

Cons

• Less common than static/digital in many markets
• Creative must be designed to work with the blade system

When to use it

• Storytelling, multi-product lines, or running three localized variations

Scrolling billboards (sometimes called scrollers)

These are mechanical systems that cycle multiple printed creatives on one face, often displaying multiple ads in sequence to maximize exposure within the same space. They’re more niche and availability depends heavily on the market/operator, so treat them as an “if available” option rather than a standard category.

Billboards on buildings

Wall murals and wallscapes

A wall mural is advertising painted or attached directly onto the exterior surface of a building. (OAAA)

Pros

• Huge visual impact in dense urban corridors
• Can feel more “native” to the streetscape than a roadside structure
• Offers a personal touch to advertising, with a handcrafted and unique feel that emphasizes creativity and individuality

Cons

• Placement inventory can be limited
• Permitting/building constraints can be stricter than standard roadside units

When to use it

• Urban awareness, cultural relevance, neighborhood domination

Building wraps (related, but not always called a “billboard”)

Wraps cover substantial portions of a building exterior (often on scaffolding). People frequently include these in “types of billboards,” even though they’re sometimes sold/managed differently than standard billboard inventory.

When to use it:

• When you want to dominate a city block or make a bold statement.
• For long-term branding in high-traffic urban areas.
• To create a memorable impact during a special event, such as a city festival or major promotional campaign, maximizing brand awareness when visibility is at its peak.

Mobile billboards

A mobile billboard is a truck equipped with one or more poster panel units that can be parked at venues or driven around designated areas. (OAAA)

Pros

• Location control (events, routes, neighborhoods)
• Great for short bursts and experiential tie-ins
• Ability to target the right audience with high visibility by selecting strategic routes and locations

Cons

• View time can be short unless parked strategically
• Results depend heavily on route planning, timing, and compliance with local rules

When to use it

• Events, launches, street teams, pop-ups, and geo-specific campaigns
• Event promotions where reaching the right audience at specific venues or during local happenings is crucial for campaign visibility and engagement

“Billboard-adjacent” outdoor advertising formats people often mean

If you’re trying to answer every search intent around “types of billboards,” it helps to cover these too and clarify that they’re OOH formats (not always “billboards” in the strict sense). Transit ads and home advertising are also commonly found outdoor advertising formats, with transit ads appearing on buses, trains, and stations, and home advertising referring to a range of out-of-home options designed to reach audiences in high-visibility public spaces. You’ll also see “billboard-adjacent” outdoor options (like bus shelters and place-based screens) that people often lump into the same category. Some advertisers take an unconventional approach with these formats, using creative and niche placements to reach specific demographics in urban environments.

Street furniture advertising

Street furniture displays are positioned close to pedestrians (eye-level) or curbside to impact vehicular traffic, and include placements like transit shelters, kiosks, newsstands, mall panels, convenience store panels, and in-store signage. Their strategic placement in high-traffic pedestrian and commuter areas ensures maximum visibility and effective audience targeting. (OAAA)

Transit advertising

Transit displays include ads on vehicles and in transit terminals/stations, such as buses, trains, train stations, rail, airports, taxis, and mobile signage. (OAAA)

Place-based media (venue screens and networks)

Place-based media is OOH used to target specific audiences in specific venues, including (but not limited to) arenas/stadiums, retail video networks, gyms, bars/restaurants, and movie theaters. (OAAA) This approach is highly effective for reaching a defined target audience, as advertisers can select locations and formats that align closely with the demographics and interests of their intended viewers.

Billboard lighting: front-lit vs backlit (what people mean)

People often ask about “frontlit vs backlit billboards.” In practice, this usually refers to how the display is illuminated and what material is used. Lighting effects can significantly enhance the visibility and impact of billboard ads, making them more eye-catching and dynamic, especially at night or in low-light conditions.

• Front-lit typically means the ad is lit from the front (external fixtures shining onto an opaque face).
• Backlit generally means light passes through a translucent material from behind for higher night visibility.

Some operators also sell “day-to-night” backlit static concepts where the image can appear differently at night due to backlighting. (Lamar Advertising)

Billboard sizes and formats: the quick comparison

Billboard type	Typical size (common US standard)	Where you’ll see it most
Bulletin	14’ x 48’	Highways, major arterials, high-traffic areas (OAAA)
Poster / 30-sheet	12’3” x 24’6”	Urban roads, secondary routes, high-traffic areas (OAAA)
Junior / 8-sheet	6’ x 12’	Neighborhood/local roads (OAAA)
Spectacular	Larger than 14’ x 48’	Prime landmark locations, high-traffic areas like Times Square (OAAA)
Tri-vision	Rotating 3 messages	Market-dependent inventory (OAAA)

Real-world note: beyond the standards above, operators sell many additional canvases (especially in digital), and “standard” can vary by market. (lamargraphics.com)

Note: High-traffic areas, such as major intersections or city centers, significantly increase billboard effectiveness and typically command higher rates due to greater audience exposure. Geographic location plays a major role in both the type and placement of billboards—urban centers and premium locations like Times Square often feature clusters of digital billboards and spectaculars, reflecting higher demand and market value.

Cost factors across different billboard types

Billboard advertising costs vary based on location, duration, production, peak seasons, and extra services. Billboard costs vary widely, but these are the levers that move pricing most:

• Location and traffic volume (higher prices are typical for premium locations, high-demand urban areas, and larger formats)
• Format/size (bulletin vs poster vs junior)
• Digital vs static (tech + rotation vs single-face ownership) (OUTFRONT)
• Duration and timing (seasonality, holidays, major events)
• Short term campaigns (shorter billboard campaigns might be more expensive per month, while longer commitments often come with lower monthly rates)
• Long term campaigns (leasing space for extended periods can reduce CPM and increase brand visibility)
• Production and installation (especially for static)
• Specialty requirements (3D builds, extensions, custom fabrication)

Static billboards typically cost less than digital billboards due to their simpler design and fixed content. Advertisers can negotiate a lower cost per thousand impressions (CPM) by partnering with experienced agencies.

Long term campaigns can offer significant cost benefits, such as lower rates per impression and sustained exposure, making them a smart strategy for businesses seeking greater brand impact and negotiating power.

Billboard advertising is a proven way for a business to drive growth, attract local customers, and increase visibility in competitive markets.

How to choose the right billboard type for your campaign

Start with three questions:

• Who are you trying to reach: drivers, commuters, pedestrians, venue audiences?
• Do you need one message all month, or multiple messages by time/day?
• Are you optimizing for scale (reach) or precision (context/location)? For some billboard types, precise targeting can help ensure your message reaches the right audience and maximizes engagement.

When planning your next billboard ad campaign, consider how the choice of billboard format directly impacts campaign effectiveness. Factors like design, placement, and format selection (such as bulletins for major product launches) can significantly impact your results. Programmatic DOOH refers to the automated buying of digital ad space based on data triggers like weather or traffic, which can help optimize campaign targeting and improve your overall strategy.

Simple decision guide:

• Want maximum reach fast: bulletin or digital bulletin on major roads (OUTFRONT). Bulletins are a strong choice for your next campaign if you need broad visibility.
• Want city/neighborhood coverage: posters and junior posters (OAAA)
• Want flexibility and fast creative swaps: digital billboards (OUTFRONT)
• Want a landmark moment: spectaculars or wall murals (OAAA)
• Want context at the point of activity: street furniture, transit, and place-based media (OAAA)

Effective billboard advertising strategies

• Keep the message short: a common best practice is seven words or fewer, with one clear CTA/contact method. (OUTFRONT)
• Design for distance: big type, high contrast, one focal point. Use bold colors to make your billboard ad stand out and quickly capture attention.
• Match format to behavior: highways need instant readability; pedestrian formats can support slightly more detail.
• If digital, use dayparting: align creative to real-world context (commute, lunch, nightlife, weekends).
• Integrate QR codes for interactive engagement, allowing viewers to access more information or offers instantly.
• Track website traffic as a key metric to measure the effectiveness of your billboard and optimize future strategies.
• Consider how billboards fit into your broader advertising campaigns to boost brand awareness, engagement, and targeted messaging.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too much text (people don’t have time to read paragraphs)
• Picking a location that doesn’t match your customer’s real routes
• Underestimating lead time for static printing/installation
• Measuring the wrong thing (use a mix of lift + behavior signals that match your goal)
• Not prioritizing brand awareness (billboard advertising, especially large-format bulletins, is a powerful tool for building brand awareness; neglecting this can limit the impact of your campaign by reducing visibility and recognition of your brand or product)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What are the main types of billboards?

The most common billboard types are bulletins, posters (30-sheets), junior posters (8-sheets), digital billboards, tri-vision billboards, spectaculars, and building formats like wall murals/wallscapes. (OAAA)

What’s the difference between a bulletin and a poster billboard?

A bulletin is the largest standardized format (commonly 14’x48’) and is often used on highways and major roads, while posters (30-sheets) are smaller and more common on urban/secondary roads. (OAAA)

What is a 30-sheet billboard?

A 30-sheet is the formal name for the standardized “poster” format, typically 12’3” x 24’6”. (OAAA)

What is an 8-sheet billboard?

An 8-sheet is the formal name for the standardized “junior poster” format, typically 6’ x 12’. (billboards) (OAAA)

What is a tri-vision billboard?

A tri-vision billboard has a slatted face that rotates to display three different messages on one billboard face. (OAAA)

Is DOOH the same as a digital billboard?

Digital billboards are one type of DOOH. DOOH also includes many other digital screens outside the home, especially place-based networks in venues. (OAAA)

What is a wallscape or wall mural billboard?

It’s advertising painted or attached directly onto the exterior surface of a building, and similar to billboard advertising in Atlanta which is highly effective for reaching large audiences. (OAAA)

Meta title (optional): Types of Billboards: Formats, Sizes, and Outdoor Advertising Options
Meta description (optional): Explore the different types of billboards, from bulletins and 30-sheet posters to digital billboards, tri-vision, spectaculars, wallscapes, mobile billboards, and other outdoor ad formats like transit and place-based screens.