How to Create Effective Banner Ads

One way of promoting your small online business is to put up a banner ad. But with all the ads people see on the net, how would your banner stand out and yield more clicks? Here are some great tips that any starting Net person should know.

Use words of enticement

For starters, you could always use the most utilized phrase in cyberspace: “Click Here.” The key to effective advertising on the World Wide Web is to get potential customers to react. Therefore the use of a strong, straightforward message that gives a call for action, together with an obvious immediate message, should be your Step 1. 

Other phrases that tempt or entice Web surfers include “Enter Here,” “Press Now,” or “This Is Your Last Chance,” all creating immediate response. However, beware of using false claims in your ad and eventually cause you embarrassment.

Make your ads move

Recent studies show that animated ads generate more clicks than their static counterparts. You can even complement your animated ad with an intelligent but witty message as well as an appropriate design. However, make sure that your animated banner would not take too long to load.

Give something for free

What is unique in the Internet is that you would often find free stuff being given away. You don’t have to spend much on those freebies. You can offer free newsletters and product updates to your specific target group. Other suggestions include free screen savers or desktop wall papers that can be used with subliminal advertising. Also, you can offer free downloads of beta software.

Change your banner frequently

Most Internet users view that seeing the same banner ad for the third time can be tiring. The trick here is to have at least three to four versions of a banner placed on various places of websites (such as the header or sidebar). Track down which ad achieves the most response and where they are best positioned. Rotating banner designs and removing bad performers is required in creating an effective and efficient banner campaign

Target your market

Attach your banner to the most relevant keywords. This would increase the chance of having your banner being found. Most surfers start their Net browsing through search engines to look for information. You could also consider sponsoring certain keywords or phrases with various search engines. For instance, a lawn mower manufacturer’s banner would most likely appear whenever the word “garden” is entered.

Grab people’s attention

It is not surprising to see the two most popular topics to sell are sex and intrigue. If you can utilize either of the two and associate it with your site, it is effective. If you cannot, combine a number of well-chosen words together with some complimentary sounds to make your banners interesting.

Bigger is better, but less is more

Keep your banner size small in byte size, around 10k to 15k, to speed download; while setting it on a bigger scale, between 468 to 500 pixels wide.

Location is key

Where to put your banner ad is not as easy as it seems, so you have to sit down and research which option fits your brand or company best. You can either place an ad on individual, but targeted sites; use an ad network (either free or paid); or employ an ad agency (not recommended for small businesses).

Link Exchange is a good start. Join either for free or paid and the program places your banner on member sites that are deemed appropriate. This scheme operates on a 2:1 system, where one of your banners is placed on an appropriate site in exchange for two other advertiser banners on your site.