Banner advertising can be defined as “a rectangular graphic display that stretches across the top or bottom of a website or down the right or left sidebar.” The purpose of banner advertising is to promote a brand and/or get visitors from the host website to visit the advertiser’s website. And while we agree that banner advertising can be a nuisance when used improperly, some bloggers have gone as far as to say that banner advertising is “dead.” The truth is, banner advertising is still a valuable tool when used correctly.
Here are some items to consider when developing an effective banner ad strategy:
Context
A successful banner ad is simple, to the point. Banner ads don’t always need pictures or words, and they are especially no place for jargon. Banner ads are only on a webpage for a certain amount of time. A business only gets so many seconds to promote what they want to the viewer. Unsuccessful banner advertising will try to include as many words as possible.
Appearance
Many banner ads use bright colors to grab the attention of the audience. However, it’s also important to keep in mind that different colors bring out different emotions in people–so, do your research, determine how you want your audience to ‘feel’ after seeing your ad, and select your colors accordingly! It’s also important to choose colors that correlate with the brand you are promoting.
Retargeting
Another successful strategy for banner ads can include retargeting. Retargeting or remarketing by definition means showing a relative ad to someone who has already been to a website but never completed a conversion (purchase/contact). This type of advertising can be vital in gaining back the customer you might have lost the first time they were on your site. How many times have you seen an ad for something that you were looking to purchase on another site days after you did that initial research? That is retargeting and should be a strategy you are using for your banner advertising.
Imagery
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” As we mentioned before, a business only has so many seconds to get the point of their ad across. If you have a powerful picture, you don’t necessarily need words or a call-to-action button to accomplish your marketing or branding goals.
Credit: Brand awareness example WWF, Moat.com
The bottom line? Strategically-designed banner ads work just as well as most other forms of media. Recent studies have shown:
– 52% of web users actively respond to banner ads.
– 31% of web users click the ad immediately, while the other 21% conduct searches for the brand or seek them out through social media. (This is called a ‘silent click.’)
To say banner advertising is no longer effective is a serious understatement.
Blog Post By: Dylan Buboltz
Sources:
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/banneradvertising.asp
https://retargeter.com/blog/banner-best-practices/3-tips-banner-ad-design
http://www.bannerflow.com/blog/5-ways-improve-banner-ad-design
