Banner Ads – Get the Most Out of Them
By Joe Hunley
Banner ads are a very popular form of advertising on millions of websites . Blogs and websites are loaded with banners advertising any and every product you can imagine. The presence of so many banners would lead one to believe that this method of advertising is extremely effective. The reality is banner ads only average a 2 percent clickthrough rate, and clickthrough is the “bread and butter” of online advertising. Thought the 2 percent is not impressive, you can increase your ad returns by using them effectively.
Avoid Burning Out. After how many impressions do people start ignoring your banner? Studies show that after the fourth impression, response rates drop, which is the point at which the banner no longer produces a good return.
Use Animation. There is no doubt that animation catches the eye of the reader. A little animation has shown an increase of 25 percent over static banners in some studies.
Use Bright Colors. Once again, the goal is to catch the reader’s eye. Use blue, green or yellow — they show better response rates than colors like white, red and black.
Direct Response. Simply put, tell them what to do — Click Here, Visit Now, or Enter Here. This has shown a response increase of 15 percent.
Questions. Statements and pictures are not enough. Cause interaction with the viewer. “Looking for Free Ebooks?”; “Have You Used…?” — pose a question and get the viewer involved!
Target the Viewer. The Web is full of places you can target your customers. Use forums and blogs that relate to your product. Chat rooms are another example — the object is to make your site and your ads produce. Take advantage of the Web’s ability to precisely reach your intended audience.
Joe Hunley has spent several years developing and promoting websites and blogs. For nore information on Internet marketing and promotion, visit his site, Tennreb’s Marketing Thoughts.
Tags: advertising, banners
