Difference Between Flyers and Posters

Many people wrongly assume that the terms ‘flyer’ and ‘poster’ mean basically the same thing. However, there are several differences between them, as the best commercial printer in New York, Sheer Print Solutions, will soon point out! Therefore, be sure you know what type of printout you actually need before you place and receive an order that doesn’t match what you had in your head.

Size and Format Differences

A poster comes in a large-size format and is typically 18” x 24” or 36” x 48” big. Meanwhile, a flyer, which is sometimes referred to as a mini-poster, tends to be closer to 8.5” x 11” or 11” x 17”.

Additionally, a flyer often uses more text than a poster, whereas a poster relies more on graphics to get its message across. Finally, flyers are generally used to advertise an event, while posters either advertise something or are used for informational purposes.

Purpose and Usage Differences

Posters tend to have eye-catching designs, bold text, and bright colors. These advertisements are typically displayed on a wall or in a store window. They can be used for everything from promoting a movie to promoting a specific political candidate. Due to their large size and colorful imagery, posters evoke an instant response in people, whether they’re aware of this or not.

Flyers typically have compelling text, graphics, and bright colors. They often come in the mail but can also be hung in a public space. The point of a flyer is to grab someone’s attention and give them details about a specific event within a matter of seconds. For the most part, flyers are used for three distinct purposes: Events, coupons, or promotional flyers.

Design and Content Differences

Again, the size format between flyers and posters helps decide how they’ll be designed. The large-format size of a poster would not be well-suited to getting a lot of text across. Instead, they’re usually designed to highlight a graphic. Think of your favorite movie poster, and you’ll easily get the idea.

There are a few basic components that almost every poster will have, including a graphic and a tagline or slogan. A poster typically won’t need contact information, although it may advertise a specific date.

Flyers, meanwhile, need to include all the following details:

• Relevant content
• A quick, catchy headline
• Location and contact information for the event or business
• Eye-catching graphics

Despite the fact that the world is increasingly moving toward digital advertising, a flyer is still an effective and relatively cheap way to get a message across.

Distribution Differences

When it comes to distribution, flyers just might have the advantage. That’s due to their smaller size, which makes them ideal for being directly mailed, handed directly to a passerby, posted to a bulletin board, or simply left in stacks for people to peruse.

On the other hand, posters aren’t typically handed out. Instead, their purpose is to be hung up on a wall, in a window, etc. They get their message across without having to be handed out. Again, think of a movie poster and how it would be hanging up at your local theater.

Cost Differences

Flyers and posters are both relatively inexpensive. However, a poster needs to be professionally printed, whereas a flyer can be designed and even printed in-house. The average cost of a poster can range anywhere from approximately $0.50 to $20, depending on the printing method, color options, and paper quality.

It is possible to bring this price down by purchasing posters in bulk quantities. Meanwhile, if you were to purchase 1,000 flyers, they would usually range from $0.19 to $0.55 per flyer.

Pros and Cons of Using Flyers and Posters

As with everything else, there are pros and cons to whichever choice you make. Let’s start by looking at the pros and cons of posters.

Poster Pros:

• Easy to produce
• Grab attention
• Flexible
• Wider reach
• Inexpensive

Moreover, posters have the ability to be put up almost anywhere, and they can grab a lot of attention if they’re well-designed. There are tons of templates available in common poster sizes too, and they also happen to be relatively cheap.

Poster Cons:

• Less targeted
• Less personal
• Easy to ignore

Posters may get a message across, but they’ll be less targeted and less personal than many flyers. It’s also incredibly important to ensure you use an eye-catching graphic. Otherwise, your message could be lost as people’s eyes won’t be drawn to it.

Flyer Pros:

• Versatile
• Personalized
• Targeted
• Affordable
• Easy to make

Flyers have the advantage of being easy to personalize, and they can also be targeted to a very specific group of people–such as a neighborhood. Plus, they’re also quite versatile and can even be easily distributed through the mail. On top of that, they’re affordable to print.

Flyer Cons:

• Can be time-consuming
• Don’t have a long-term impact
• A less effective form of advertising

Although flyers may be easier and cheaper to print than a poster, they also won’t have nearly the same impact. Sadly, people often ignore them or throw them away. They also won’t warrant the same long-term impact because they usually advertise a specific event in the not-too-distant future. Finally, handing out flyers can be a time-consuming process.

When to Use Flyers vs. Posters

Posters are good to use when you need to capture long-term attention. Rather than simply telling people about one event, they can be used to advertise something that will be available for weeks, months, or even years. They’re especially effective if you have a hanging display to place them in.

Flyers work best for short-term advertising or to reinforce your poster advertising. They can be sent through the mail or handed directly to people. They’re ideal for doing one last advertising campaign right before an event.

Sheer Print Solutions: Premium Commercial Poster and Flyer Printing

Now that you understand the difference between flyers and posters, it’s time to order whichever you need! Fortunately, Sheer Print Solutions is here to help you out. With more than 40 years of digital printing experience, you can rest assured that Sheer Print Solutions in New York City is more than equipped to handle your printing job. Contact us today to receive your free quote!

About The Author

 

Craig Sheer

Craig Sheer is the owner of Sheer Print Solutions, located in New York City & Portchester, NY. We are the proven leader for affordable, high-quality Digital and Offset, and Large Format Printing in NYC. Sheer Printing Solutions is your single source for solutions to all your printing, binding, warehousing and fulfillment needs.