The conference display banners that work hardest are pull up banners at your stand, the registration desk and the aisle ends, plus a fabric backdrop wall if you have a full stand or a photo area to fill. What you choose comes down to where each piece will stand, how far away people will read it, and how many events you plan to use it for.

Whether you're exhibiting at an RDS trade show, sponsoring a hotel conference in Galway or taking a table at a networking breakfast, start by matching each spot at the event to a display.

Conference display banners: which to use and where

Spot at the event	Best display	Why
Registration desk or foyer	Double Sided Pull Up Banners	People arrive and queue from both directions, and the grey-back material stops one side showing through the other.
Your stand or table	Pull up banners either side, or Wide Pull Up Banners	Two banners frame the people on the stand; a wide one gives you a backdrop behind a table without a full wall.
Aisle end or open walkway	Rectangle Banner Flags or a Snake Stand	Height carries over the crowd, and the double-sided Snake Stand reads from both sides of the aisle.
Stage or panel	Tension Fabric Banner Stands	A sharper finish than a roller banner, which matters when it's behind the speakers in every photo.
Photo or press area	Step-and-repeat media backdrop walls	Your logo repeats across the wall, so it appears in every shot, however it's cropped.
Outside the venue	Outdoor Pull Up Banner or Feather Flags	A weighted base and ground stakes keep the banner up outdoors, and you catch people before they're inside. Ask the organiser's permission first.

Pull up banners for most conference stands

If you're only buying one display, make it a pull up banner. It's a printed graphic that rolls into its own base, stands 2m tall and goes up in minutes, which is why it suits small stands, entrances and supporting messages so well.

The Economy Roller Banner (850mm x 2000mm, single sided, aluminium stand and carry case) is where we'd start most first-time exhibitors. If you go to several conferences a year with a different message at each, the Interchangeable Pop Up Banners make more sense: you keep the stand and swap the graphic cartridge. And if your audience cares about sustainability, the Eco Friendly Pull Up Banners have a graphic made from 100% recycled fibres from plastic bottles and a base containing 30% recycled plastic.

Our advice is to run two banners, one either side of the stand. It frames your team, keeps your name visible when visitors are standing in front of one of them, and costs far less than a full wall. For more on picking between banner types, see how to choose which banner to use when.

Fabric walls for a larger branded backdrop

Once you have a 3m stand or bigger, a row of roller banners starts to look like a compromise. That's where a backdrop wall earns its place. Our fabric backdrop walls (zipper walls) go together without tools and carry one seamless graphic, in straight, curved, S shape or C booth layouts.

If you want something between a banner and a wall, tension fabric banner stands come in nine sizes, from 2.3m x 85cm up to 2.3m x 6m. On bigger stands we'd also add a pop up counter. It needs no assembly, travels in a hard-shell case, and gives your team somewhere to stand that doesn't block the graphic behind them. There's more on layout in our post on how to design your exhibition stand.

Being found across a busy hall

At a big conference, half the battle is people finding you at all. Rectangle banner flags stand 2.5m assembled, and the aluminium pole holds the flag open with no wind, so it reads properly indoors. Hanging banners go one better: suspended above the stand, they can be spotted from across the hall. Check the venue allows rigging before you order one, because not every hall does.

Lightboxes (double-sided, fabric-faced and LED lit) are the other way to stand out, especially in darker conference suites. Outside, on a forecourt or car park railing, our PVC banners can go up event after event.

A networking event display for a small table

For a networking event, you don't need much. One pull up banner beside the table and a branded tablecloth is enough, and it looks far better than a sign taped to the front of a trestle table at the last minute.

Printed tablecloths come in standard 1.5m x 3m and 1.8m x 3m sizes, or custom, and they're fully hemmed. Branded stretch fabric table covers fit a 6ft trestle table snugly, which looks neater when the venue supplies the tables. A table runner is the lighter option when the venue's linen is already down. As for what goes on the table itself, our list of what to bring to a networking event covers it.

What to put on a conference banner

Confirm your stand size and any height limit with the organiser before you pick sizes. A standard pull up banner is 850mm wide and 2m tall; wide pull up banners come in 1.2m, 1.5m or 2m widths, all 2m tall.

People read banners from across an aisle while walking, so less is more. We'd keep it to:

your logo, near the top where it clears heads and tables
one headline that says who you help
one key benefit or conversation starter
a strong image
one call to action: a website or QR code

Leave the bottom third light, because tables and people will hide it, and keep essential text away from the edges. Long paragraphs, small text and low-contrast colours are the usual mistakes. Our roll up banner design tips go into more detail.

Judge the banner by the conversations, QR scans and enquiries it brings in, not by how many people walk past. A clear headline that pulls in the right visitors beats a busy one that tries to speak to everyone.

Artwork, cost and when to order

Send your artwork to size as a high-resolution print-ready PDF. Use original images and vector logos, not screenshots or graphics saved from a website, which look soft when enlarged to 2m. We check every file before printing, and if you don't have artwork, our in-house design team can design it or adapt what you have.

We quote per job, because cost depends on the display type, size, single or double-sided printing, and extras such as counters, lighting, carry cases or spare graphics. Next-day delivery is available on many orders, and most orders are produced and delivered within a working week (see our FAQs). Even so, we'd order as soon as your stand is confirmed, so the design gets signed off without a rush. For the rest of your planning, see marketing yourself at conferences and events.

FAQs

What are conference display banners?

Conference display banners are portable printed banners and stands used at indoor events to brand a stand, a registration desk, a stage or a photo area. The most common are pull up banners and fabric backdrop walls, chosen by space and viewing distance.

Are display banners easy to transport and set up?

Yes. One person can put up a pull up banner, and it travels in its own carry case. Fabric zipper walls are tool-free but are easier with two people, and a pop up counter needs no assembly at all.

Can display banners be reused for different events?

Yes, if you plan for it. Keep the artwork free of dates and event names, roll graphics up dry and store them in their cases. Interchangeable pull up banners let you swap in a new graphic while keeping the stand.

Do Irish conference venues require fire-rated display banners?

Some venues and organisers set rules on flame-retardant materials, so check the exhibitor manual or ask the organiser before you order, and tell us the exact requirement when you ask for a quote.

What is the best networking event display?

One pull up banner and a branded tablecloth or stretch table cover. You can set it up on your own, it fits the small tables networking events tend to provide, and it makes your business easy to spot across the room.

Get a quote for your conference display

Tell us your stand size, event date and venue, and we'll recommend the right display banners and quote for the job. Contact us to get started.

The Best Display Banners for Networking Events