Signage Board: 139+ Design Ideas, Images & Inspiration In 2023

Last Updated on November 6, 2023 by DesignerPeople

Many brands use gorgeous signage board designs as part of their branding strategy, which helps customers easily spot them even from far. Take McDonald’s example: you can locate a McDonald’s even on a busy highway due to its huge billboard-size M symbol. Over the years, many well-known brands have used signage boards to attract customers and give an edge to their company.

A signage board plays an important role in marketing and branding. In this blog, we’ve collected 139+ signage board ideas and inspirations for your brand. We’ll also walk you through a bunch of sign design tips to help you choose the right approach for creating signage boards for your brand.

Why is it necessary to keep your signage board designs up-to-date in 2023?

Investing in an attractive signage board is your most functional investment for your business. Incorporate the latest trends and fads in your signage design so that they gain the maximum attention. The five pointers below endorse why you should keep your signage board design up-to-date:

(i) It promotes the brand 24×7

A signage board is a one-time investment for a certain period. It has its own designated position, which advertises your brand any time of the day. Even a car driver notices the signage boards he passes by on the road daily. So, use the best and latest trends in your signage board to catch every passerby’s eye.

(ii) It enhances your brand’s noticeability

Many brands promote their location or even websites through unique signage board designs. It helps them to be noticed by a large group of people simultaneously. It serves as a face to your brand whether it is physically present in the vicinity.

(iii) It serves as your brand voice

According to the International Sign Association, ‘Your sign board is your voice on the street.’ A simple signage board containing less than ten words can communicate a thousand words to your audience. When communicated through a unique and appealing signage board, a potent message is bound to increase traction for your brand.

(iv) It increases sales

Do we even need to say this out loud? Using the example of McDonald’s again, imagine you are travelling with your family to a nearby town. You want to have a snack and see the McDonald’s sign stating it is 1 km ahead. At that moment, even if you see other eateries on the way, you would still head towards McDonalds as you know it’s just a few metres away. That’s the power of remarkable signage, attracting more customers and increasing sales.

(v) It enhances the aesthetics of your visual identity

Signage boards have multiple purposes, from informing your customers about your location or an upcoming sale to enhancing your visual identity. You have a wide range of options to make your signage design charming: vibrant colours, cool fonts and illuminations under the evening sky. So, create stunning signage designs that have the potential to drive traffic to your brand.

Designing signage boards for different industries

Different industries require different elements and creativity for their signage boards. Hence, understanding what’s suitable and inappropriate for each industry is crucial.

Retail signage

Retail signage displays important information about your brand, such as promotions, deals, invites, etc. It should always highlight your products and encourage customers inside and outside your stores to make purchases. You should place your retail signage strategically and use bright colours and bold typography.

Hospitality Signage

The hospitality industry is all about good customer service. So, any hospitality signage should express the brand’s customer-first attitude and portray it as a warm and inviting brand. Whether you run a restaurant, hotel or resort, your signage should stick to your business theme. Signage boards should also help guests navigate directions and find amenities easily and comfortably.

Healthcare signage

Most of the healthcare signage includes wayfinding signs and informative notice boards. The healthcare signage should indicate comfort and care for the visitors and patients. It should have clear and readable content, a warm and pleasing tone and a welcoming and caring aesthetic.

Educational signage

Educational signage should create a positive environment wherever they are placed. They should be engaging, foster learning and reflect the energetic vibe of young students. Even simple signage boards like campus maps should create a compelling visual ambience, promoting a sense of unity and adding to the institution’s unique identity.

Corporate signage

Corporate or business signage should be consistent and professional. It should captivate new audiences, engage existing buyers and inspire workforces. It should represent your company’s vision and values, ultimately cultivating a strong brand identity for your business.

Top seven design principles for signage boards

Here are the top seven signage board design principles for any industry:

Select the suitable signage material

There are many options for signage board materials, such as metal, acrylic, foam, aluminium, vinyl, PVC, etc. However, it’s of utmost importance that you choose the one that suits your purpose. You can use any material for indoor signs, but for outdoor signs, always use long-lasting and waterproof materials that can survive any weather condition.

The more the contrast, the better

The contrast in signboards is always a hit amongst the public eye, making the design more dynamic. You should use contrasting colour combinations like black and yellow, red and white, navy and white, etc. The idea is to make the text or specific elements stand out so that they’re visible and readable from a considerable range. So, pairing dark and light colours on the signage board should be your go-to approach while choosing colours.

A proper design hierarchy

In case you thought that hierarchy exists only in jobs and organisations, you’re wrong! Visual hierarchy is a design principle that conveys the importance of the different elements in the design through size and scale. So, the element or text that you want your customer to see (or read) first will have the biggest size or the brightest colour. The most important text will be of the largest size and in a position that’s quickly visible.

Use high-quality icons and graphics

After sorting the text, you should focus on using apt icons or elements that can seize the audience’s attention. The logos, artwork and other graphics used should be of high quality and complement the message and design. Avoid using pixelated images, as they will make the signage look cheap and present your brand as unprofessional.

Correct positioning and marking

Once you have finalised your signage design, the next important point to remember is selecting the best location for the signage board. Before sending it to the printer for the final output, ensure you have chosen a viable location for your signage board. You should display it in a place where a high percentage of your potential audience can see it.

Avoid any obstruction

Last but not least, the visibility of your signage board is an important step in the entire process. The location may be great, but what if there are stumbling blocks that don’t make your signage board visible and lead to failure in attracting your target buyers? Hence, you should quickly check the chosen site so your branding efforts are well-spent. The signage board should be visible from all angles on the road so that any passerby, on foot or by car, can spot and read it from a distance.

How can exceptional signage design build great brands?

We’ve been in the industry for more than two decades, and we can’t stress enough the importance of signage designs in branding. By applying unique signage designs, you can build a great brand that will shine among its peers.

• Brand identity: Signage boards set your brand identity and help you gain customers. They reinforce your brand image and even influence customers’ shopping behaviours. Research shows that signage designs have the potential to boost a brand’s reputation tenfold. They convey points of interest to customers, refining your brand perception.
• Memorable brand experience: A strong message through irresistible signage can be very powerful in changing the experiences of your existing and potential customers. A signage board alone can create favourable and memorable experiences for people, convincing them to become loyal customers and even brand ambassadors to prospective customers.
• Establish credibility: Signage designs don’t just promote your products and services. They also establish your credibility in the industry. From small enterprises to large-scale enterprises, every business needs appropriate signage board designs. Signage boards can distinguish your brand, demonstrate the quality of your products and showcase you as a trustworthy business.

Explore the best signage board designs from different industries

Conclusion

Would you ever compromise on any feature while designing your brand logo? Probably not. Similarly, you should use an outstanding signage design to strengthen your brand and attract attention. Unlike most other media, signage is a better and more affordable means of advertising, and hence, you should use it to your advantage as much as possible.

Your brand can have a high impact on people through visually appealing signage boards. Utilise the above signage board ideas to create memorable messages for your business. Connect with our team at DesignerPeople to get signage boards for your brand that are not only attractive but also drive optimal results for your brand!

Author: Anush Malik

Being a strategist’s head and a long term visionary personality aims to achieve excellence in branding, packaging and digital marketing field. My 15 years of design experience and masters degree ais my strength which keeps me motivated and keep me going positively. I have participated in extensive branding design conquests in India, USA, Australia and New Zealand with winning zeal. My objective is to encourage start-ups and hence involves actively in the articles which will act as a productive intake of knowledge for them. Do connect me personally via my LinkedIn and I love to share my expertise with you.