Designing Banner Ads That Get Clicks

Banner ads are among the most popular types of ads that advertisers use to promote their brands, products, and services. Their popularity stems from the fact that they’re incredibly effective at increasing brand awareness. They’re affordable as well, which makes them perfect for boosting online traffic.

When incorporating banner ads, it’s important to think about placement, design, and messaging. Some effective ways to use banner ads include placing them on high-traffic websites, using eye-catching colors and images, and conveying a compelling call to action. You’ll also want to test different sizes and placements to see what performs best.

While you can accomplish a lot through in-house banner ad testing and optimization, at some point you may find value in hiring a creative agency nyc or elsewhere. An experienced agency that specializes in banner ads and other digital promotions will be able to take your efforts to the next level. They’ll dig deeper into understanding your products, customers, and branding to develop breakthrough banner ad concepts you may not have considered.

Having said that, the success of banner ads boils down to how many clicks they get. In this post, we’ve compiled all the essential tips that will help you create clickable banner ads for greater brand awareness and more online traffic. So, without any further delays, let’s get started!

Image by Dreamstime Stock Photos

1. Dedicate as much space as possible to the value proposition

Banner ads consist of three fundamental components – the logo of your company, value proposition, and call to action. In terms of sizing, it’s best to dedicate as much space as you can to the value proposition and call to action. Value proposition includes the product/service you have to offer along with discounts and other attractive offers, while the call to action is all about inviting users to click on the ad. The company logo must be visible as well, but it shouldn’t dominate the ad. If it does, the message of your banner ad may get lost.

2. Stick to standard sizes

You can design banner ads in a variety of sizes that are considered standard. While you’re free to go your own way and break free from the sizing shackles, we recommend you to stick to the standard sizes, as they’re the most effective. We recommend the following sizes:

• 336x280px – Large Rectangle
• 300x250px – Medium Rectangle
• 300x600px – Half Page
• 728x90px – Leaderboard

3. Be careful when purchasing ad spaces

Banner ads are more likely to get clicks when they are near a web page’s main content and above the fold. That’s why you’ve got to be cautious when purchasing banner ad spaces. Simply put, when banner ads are located away from the main content, most users won’t pay attention to them.

4. Go for simplicity

Banner ads occupy limited spaces, which is why it’s important to keep things simple. The thought of elaborate visuals and content may be appealing, but when it comes to banner ads, it rarely translates into success. Instead, it’s best to approach banner ad design by keeping in mind what users will see. Remember, most users only take a second to look at banner ads. So, the simpler your banner ad is, the more effective it will be in delivering your message.

5. Instantly readable text is mandatory

Ultimately, it’s a banner ad’s text that delivers a brand’s message to users. So, it’s crucial that you format the text in such a way that it’s instantly readable. So, steer clear of script/cursive fonts and tiny font sizes (less than 10 pt). Also, remember to keep all copy limited to four lines and choose different sizes for the ad’s headline and body.

6. Throw subtlety out of the window

With banner ads, you’ve only got a second to capture a user’s attention. So, if you want them to make an impact, you’ve got to incorporate some urgency. Even companies with the most subtle branding elements do away with subtlety when designing banner ads. So, instead of sticking to subtlety, try to achieve contrast through the use of bold and contrasting colors.

7. Animate your banner ads

There’s no reason why static banner ads can’t be successful. However, when static banner ads are pitted against animated banner ads, the latter tend to come out on top. However, you must keep the animation minimal, as too much of it may distract users from the message you want to deliver through the ads. We recommend using simple animations that are up to 10 – 15 seconds long. If you’re using looped animations, keep the loops restricted to 2 – 3 times.

8. A well-defined frame is a must

When a subject is inside a frame, it automatically draws people towards it. So, your banner ad should have a well-defined frame. For instance, if the banner ad is predominantly white, you could put a gray border around it. This would make the ad stand out from the other content on the web page. Also, keep the border size limited to 1 pixel.

9. Smaller file sizes mean faster loading times

The file size of your banner ad shouldn’t be more than 150 kb. If it is, users will probably have to wait for a second or two for the ad to load. In such a scenario, it’s quite likely that they’ll keep scrolling and miss your ad altogether. Also, stick to PNG, GIF, JPG, and/or HTML5 file formats.