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

Overview

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)

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.

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.

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

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.

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
Creative changes take lead time (print + installation)
Less flexibility for dayparting or running multiple offers
Brand reinforcement, long-running offers, and “always-on” presence where you don’t need frequent creative swaps

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)

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
Less common than static/digital in many markets
Creative must be designed to work with the blade system
Storytelling, multi-product lines, or running three localized variations

Billboards on buildings

Wall murals and wallscapes

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

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
Placement inventory can be limited
Permitting/building constraints can be stricter than standard roadside units
Urban awareness, cultural relevance, neighborhood domination

“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.

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

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.

Billboard sizes and formats: the quick comparison

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.