Service Business

Web banner - pros and cons of a popular form of network advertising

An advertising banner is one of the most popular forms of advertising on the Internet. On almost every website, we can see colorful advertisements for products from a wide variety of industries. The internet banner triumphs mainly due to its simplicity and the possibility of adjusting the advertisement to a specific recipient. If you also decided to advertise on the web thanks to banners, in this text we will tell you what you need to pay special attention to!

How did the web banner gain popularity?

The first web banners appeared in the mid-90s of the last century and initially turned out to be a very effective form of advertising. It was estimated that then their click-through rate was at the level of 78%! Over time, the number of banners began to increase, and the click-through rate was systematically dropping. However, it is still a willingly chosen form of advertising on the Internet, although the opinions of its users themselves are completely different.

If banners still enjoy unflagging popularity, it means that they must have a number of advantages. In fact it is just like that. They include:

ease of creating banners,
an attractive form for the recipient,
the ability to match the banner to a specific recipient,
ease of operation.

How to create an effective web banner?

It's very simple. Creating a clear, eye-catching banner doesn't require a great deal of advertising experience - all you need to do is follow a few basic rules. They will allow the Internet users to interest your banner and prevent them from treating it as a "disturbance".

The web banner should be graphically consistent with the page it refers to. Create a banner that is consistent with the brand's visual setting - colors, slogans and fonts cannot be indifferent. As for the graphic design itself, it shouldn't look too much like classic ads. Sometimes the success is that it doesn't look typical.
Keep it simple.A riot of colors and very dynamic animations often irritate Internet users and from the very beginning they have a negative attitude towards your advertisement. Make it graphically subdued, with clear and legible slogans and a call to action. Also, display the advertising headline of the banner.
Bet on call-to-action. The effectiveness of a banner is determined by the click-through rate, so it is important that you encourage internet users to take a specific action with it. Put the slogan in its content that will encourage the internet user to take a specific action or a c-t-a button contrasting with its colors.
The interactivity of your banner will surely catch the attention of the Internet users. Opt for original animation or try to entertain the website visitors with an interesting game. Remember that it does not have to be closed only in the banner window - maybe you will be inspired by the Fromms condom advertisement.
Pay attention to the content, not only the form. A positive offer should be combined with positive emotions. If you want to promote yourself effectively, refer to positive emotions in the content of the banner. However, do it in a clear and understandable way.
Be careful about where to publish your web banner. Check who the visitors of the page on which you want to place it are and create an advertisement tailored to their interests and requirements. Analyze also the results of eye tracking and clicktracking research on websites and see what attracts the most attention of Internet users. Also remember that a larger web banner is clicked much more often than a smaller one and is more easily remembered by network users.

Match the web banner to a specific recipient

When we want to place a web banner on a website, it is worth considering who will be its recipient. It is best to create a specific profile based on his online behavior and interests. Thanks to behavioral targeting, using the history of websites viewed by recipients on the Internet, you can tailor your ad specifically to a specific group. Targeting the banner at a specific target group will increase its effectiveness.

Web banner - what is its simplicity?

First of all, it's relatively easy to put on a website. Although this should not be a problem even for those who are less familiar with CSS, HTML or Flash, it is still worth relying on the help of professionals. Especially when unexpected errors arise.

In addition, the banner format is accepted by all ad servers and there is no problem with their exact valuation. Banners can also effectively support other online activities, e.g. using Google AdWords.

Does the web banner have disadvantages?

We have listed a number of advantages of web banners, but do they have any disadvantages? Yes, if we take into account the so-called banner blindness.

Banner blindness - the phenomenon of ignoring such elements of the website that resemble an advertisement. The existence of banner blindness is confirmed, inter alia, by the results of eye tracking research.

Banner blindness has been noticed with worsening banner click-through rates. The cause of this phenomenon are mistakes made by the creators of banners - it is responsible for their improper placement on the website, often preventing users from freely navigating on it; excessive brightness of banners, irritating the eye; inappropriate matching of the banner content to the preferences of the recipients.

What should you do to prevent your banner from falling victim to banner blindness? First of all, try to integrate it a bit into the overall appearance of the page on which it is located. We mentioned it a bit earlier, but now we remind you - do not use flashy colors, but emphasize e.g. c-t-a button. In addition, try to ensure that the advertising banners are tailored to specific audiences.

You already know the advantages of using a banner in an advertising campaign and how to deal with the disadvantages of this form of advertising. Remember that creativity is also very important. Don't let your banner be one of many - let it be distinguished by a fresh idea and interesting implementation.