The first online ad posted was a banner ad. That appeared in October 1994, and it earned a jaw-dropping click-through rate of 44 percent.
Banner ads are still a common fixture on webpages in 2021 (almost 30 years later!), even if their click-through rates tend to be a little lower. There are plenty more of them out there, after all!
Still, banner ads can be a powerful way to build brand awareness, drive traffic, and gain a prominent marketing position above ads placed further down a page.
But you need a solid design that drives prospects to click through. And here are some tips to help you get on the right track.
Research your competitors’ banner ads
Take a look at what your competitors are doing for some valuable inspiration.
What are they doing right with their banner ads that you can incorporate into yours? Or what are they doing wrong that you can leave out of your banner ads in the future?
They may have banner ads that blow yours out of the water or make yours look better than ever. In either case, there’s something to learn, so look closely and take notes.
Make your message punchy
A banner ad has to attract prospects fast, before they scroll down the page and run into other ads. Try to condense your message down into as few words as possible, and use dynamic language.
Use numbers when possible. These stand out from text and usually show customers how cheaply they can buy a product or service. For example, if they see “80%” in an ad before reading the rest, it’s highly likely they’ll assume they can save 80 percent on a purchase. And who doesn’t want to do that?
Try to include power words when you can, such as:
- Free
- Exclusive
- Unique
- Save
Experiment with animated ads to stand out on a page
Animated ads have come a long way, and HTML5 ads can work brilliantly across all browsers and devices.
The chief benefit of animated banner ads is that they can grab users’ attention more than some static ads, as they tend to stand out even with small movements. But be tasteful with color and tone: too many flashy, gaudy moving ads on a page can distract from the main content and frustrate readers/viewers.
Include a clear call to action
A call-to-action (CTA) in a banner ad tells the customer what step to take to progress to the next stage. Without a clear CTA, prospects will see your logo and understand your message but may not take the action you want them to.
“Click here” and “join now” are common examples. They’re simple, to the point, and there’s not much room to misinterpret them.
Creating effective ads that make a positive impact on consumers isn’t easy, even if you know exactly who you’re targeting.
That’s why our Orange County digital marketing team is here to help. Get in touch to find out how we can create the right ads for your business now!
