The Key to Success with Banner Ads: Get Creative
Banner ads were one of the oldest forms of advertising known to the web, and when done right, can often draw many visitors and garner a lot of attention. Below is a list of Do’s and Dont’s I have compiled when creating a banner ad, along with a few examples of very well designed ads.
Do’s:
- Use color. Nothing is more boring than text on a plain white background
- Use your logo. This creates branding and even if users don’t click they will recognize you when they see your logo again.
- Use professionally designed graphics. If you are not a graphic design artist, get someone who is to help you out. Nothing is worse than an ad that looks like its from the early 90s and made using the pencil tool in MS Paint.
- Be informative. Don’t overcrowd the ad with information, but add one small tagline that says what the site being linked to is about. If you crowd an ad with information, it will be cluttered and could look like SPAM.
- Allow sound to be turned off, and make that the default selection. If users are interested, they will turn sound on.
- Be Creative. Ads with great clever animation get attention.
- Personalize it. If the ad is going to be placed on a certain website, use the site’s name in the ad.
Don’ts
- Overcrowd an add with information or animation. It makes it annoying and hard to read.
- Put a game in a banner. People will play and then close the browser. Its instinct more than anything.
- Offer prizes like Free XBOX! Sounds too spammy.
- Use overly large font or images.
Example of Great Ads
1. Ads-Click
Its a widget ad system and the ad is set up like a widget showing that revenue is earned when links are clicked. Fantastic.
2. BloggingForums
Clean, simple, easy to read with enough information. It also has the personalized introduction.
3. Darin.cc
Uses the “CC” as a magnet moving text to and off the screen. To see full animation, view the ad at JohnChow.com
4. TLA
This Text-Link-Ads banner on TechCrunch is very simple, but genius because Micheal Arrington, the editor of TechCrunch, is one of the most recognizable faces in the web industry today and using his face draw attention from readers, most of whom know who he is since they are reading his blog. Great use of personalization. The text also shows that their service makes it easier to get links, since it is known that TechCrunch rejects many submissions.
5. Apple vs. PC Web Ad
The smartest most creative banner ad I have ever seen. What else would you expect from Apple? From Digg.
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