We’ve all seen them and wondered why bother? Those millions of Google banner ads are everywhere online and offer us enticing offers too good not to click. Millions of users have seen ones published by:
- Volvo
- Godaddy
- HostGator
- Wal-Mart
- AT&T
- Apple
There’s countless other advertisers hoping you’ll click through to find out more what they can do to make your life easier. But did you know there’s more to banner advertising than just publishing them on Google’s Doubleclick’s network?
In a NY Times article, Farhad Manjoo reports how the old days of posting banner ads merely on Google are no longer your only choice. In fact, companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have rolled out banner advertising packages to get your products and services on front of hundreds of millions of social media users. However, they do it with a twist.
Think mobile. With so many apps available to smartphone users, you now have the power to get your banner ad in front of people all over the world who are on the go. When you add in the ability to geo-target your advertising, it’s obvious how banner ads can propel your business no matter if it’s local or global. If your business isn’t mobile ready, read this article to learn how.
One option growing in popularity is in Yahoo’s Media.net. They’ve developed a rich, vibrant network of advertisers which offer less expensive display advertising than Google’s DoubleClick. They offer new enhancements such as:
- Global advertising on Yahoo & Bing
- Text and banner display advertising plans
- You control how much you spend everyday
- Analytics and reporting of your campaigns
I know what you’re thinking. What types of banners generate more click-throughs? The banner design industry has changed radically in the last five years. Less is more and the proof is everywhere.
Banners containing heavy use of text and descriptions are out. Images and less text headlines are in. Learn why banner advertisers now rely on less content in the ads.
But why is less more? The thinking is more about enticement rather than trying to jam together too much content into your banner design. Remember, the goal is to generate click-throughs. Therefore, the more alluring your image and headlines are the better you’ll capture attention.
Another trend in banner advertising is keyword targeting. Instead of blasting your banner impressions shotgun style, smart advertisers now focus on honing in keywords related to their business.
It’s more about optimizing your campaign around relevancy factors rather than merely publishing your ads in front of consumers who aren’t in the market for your product and services. The concept empowers you to pinpoint websites that serve users with content similar to your brand. Then display your ads on targeted pages for the best chance of navigating them to your offer.
Does banner advertising still work?
Yes and the proof is everywhere such as on power sites like nytimes.com, usatoday.com or espn.com. With millions of people surfing online everyday for entertainment and news, it’s never been easier to drive traffic to your site with research-based banner advertising campaigns.
But remember one critical element: the design of your banner ads must create curiosity, enticement and reasons to click-through.
