Technology has taken over the majority of the aspects of our businesses nowadays. Among the few things that do not seem to go away is the use of business cards. They are still used for creating a connection with potential customers. However, when creating business cards, many businesses still face a lot of questions:
How big is the ideal business card or what is the perfect size of a business card? This article aims to look at business card measurements in different countries and for different situations guides the different steps of creating a business card.
Business card size & dimensions in different countries
Businesses cards are created to provide easy access to information about a business or a person working for that respective business. Business card sizes vary depending on where a business is located. No country uses an official stylebook that provides standard sizes and dimensions for business cards, so businesses rely on different factors such as convenience, usual sizes per country, and creativity. Sometimes the best business card design is not the design everybody is using.
In many cases, it can be noticed that in a specific cluster of countries, the size of a business card is similar. For example, in countries that are located in the Western Europe, the average business card size is 3.4” x 2.2”. Such countries are Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, France, and others. Other European countries such as Finland, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Montenegro and others use slightly different dimensions, specifically 3.5” x 2”. Among all countries, in Japan, business card have the largest dimensions with 3.6” x 2.2”.
All business cards contain an extra space beyond these dimensions to ensure a perfect cutting of the business card. For example, the American business card size will have a final dimension of 3.5” x 2”, but it will still have some extra mm on each side to make the cutting easier and more precise.
Business card size in mm
Business card sizes can also be measured in mm, and this unit of measurement is mainly used in European countries. When we look at the dimensions of a business card in countries located in Europe, we notice that these can vary between 85 mm x 55 mm to 90 mm x 50 mm. In Japan, the average business card size is 91 mm x 55 mm while in the United States and Canada, the business card size in mm it is 89 mm x 51 mm.
Standard business card size
Although there is no organization or official body that specifies the needed business card dimensions, there is a standard business card size that has been established based on convenience. This business card size that is agreed upon internationally is the size of 85 mm x 55 mm. Businesses choose this mainly because it is convenient for people to store it. So, whenever businesses ask what size is a business card, they chose to refer to this standard business card size.
Sometimes, businesses go well beyond these dimensions if this serves the interests of the business better. So, how big are those business cards? These big-sized business cards can achieve the dimension of 89 mm x 64 mm. They are mainly used to give space to a business’ creativity. If some businesses are interested in creating these kinds of business cards but are not experienced in creating them, they can find online business card mockups which can serve as a starting point.
Business card size in pixels
Business cards are measured in pixels when they are being designed in Photoshop. The business card size in Photoshop has to be converted from inches/mm to pixels in a calculator. The usual business card size pixel is 1050 pixels x 600 pixels. The minimum resolution should be 300 PPI so that the business card will look good on print.
How to develop business cards?
Selecting the business card size is the first step in the long process of creating business cards. Further steps include choosing the paper type, the content, fonts and background.
What paper should you use for a business card?
When it comes to business card paper, people use their creativity to come up with unique solutions. This is important since each step of creating a business card tells a characteristic about you and your business to the customers. Contrary to popular belief, the paper is not the only material used for business cards. Some industries, such as technology, electronics and similar others use metal and plastic for their business cards. The most common material, however, remains paper.
For the business card standard size, businesses usually chose paper as a card material. The most common choices include a paper that is 14 or 16 points, but if businesses want even thicker paper, they go for the 32 pt papers. The thicker options are chosen by businesses when they want to leave a lasting impression on the customers. These types are usually more expensive, but they will fit perfectly in business card cases.
What content should be on the business card?
Given the limited business card dimensions, businesses have to design the best way of including all the needed information on the card. One of the most important elements of the content is the logo of a business. The logo speaks before customers interact with the business; thus, it is an essential part of the content.
Additional details should be the name of the business (or person) and the job title of a person. These are important information since this will help your customers know who to contact when they need something. To allow the customers to contact you means adding contact information to your business card. These can include phone numbers, email addresses, and social media sites.
What fonts to use?
When it comes to business card font, certain fonts are in big popularity among businesses. Such groups include sans serif and serif fonts. The former does not have strokes while the latter includes strokes at the bottom and top of the fonts. Sans serif fonts are ideal for businesses who prefer to give a modern style message. Serif fonts are ideal for business who want to give a traditional style as a message. Most simple business cards use fonts from these two groups for achieving a simple but fitting design.
Depending on the business type, some people might prefer using calligraphic fonts for giving a warmer message to the customers. These fonts, however, have to exhaust the business card size attractively. Although the use of business cards is more popular horizontally, vertical business card designs can also be beneficial for some businesses. For example, they can help make a business more outstanding.
What background to use?
Picking the right business card backgrounds can be challenging. The colors of the business card background can vary based on the type of businesses. For example, business cards for kindergartens might choose kid-friendly colors, while law firms are more likely to choose more serious colors. A rule of thumb is to have a lot of space on your business card so people will not get exhausted or confused when looking at it. This is critical since the business card size provides only limited space, so a good and simple design can make a big difference.
Business card mockup
Several online sites provide free business card mockups. They are easily accessible, and they provide opportunities to change the font type, color and background. Each business can get these templates and edit them into unique designs. Those sites are usually offering standard business card sizes but often also provide some more unusually measurements.
Final Thoughts
Business cards are an ideal way of connecting with customers and delivering your message in a simple but effective. A great design of your business cards can help to increase the loyalty of your customers towards your business. To think deeply about the right size of your business card and the content included in it is an essential process for your business.
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