What is Banner Advertising? a Complete Guide

Website banners are digital remarketing advertisements that are shown on independent websites like blogs, e-commerce sites, and online news sources. The cost-per-click (CPC) is less than Google search or Facebook ads (which range between $0.60 and $3), but the click-through rate (CTR) is also lower.

Read this article and you can learn more about banner advertising.

What is a Banner Ad?

A banner ad, or a web banner, is an advertisement displayed on a web page. A multimedia object (typically made with Flash) or an image (.jpg,.png,.gif) makes up the advertisement. Consequently, depending on the technology used to create them, banner advertisements can be static or animated.

But to sum it up and make this as simple as possible, all banner ads share the same basic function: you click on this image/multimedia object you see on a web page and your internet browser takes you to the advertiser’s website/landing page. They are straightforward yet crucial pieces of HTML, and having them online can have a significant impact on the success of online businesses and brands.

Types of Website Banner Ads

You can advertise your website or online product using a variety of web banners. Here are some of the most common:

• Static web banners: This simple banner includes a static image and some text. These banner ads are typically found on websites that receive little traffic or aren’t updated very frequently.
• Animated web banners: These banners are more intricate, with numerous images and/or videos that play one after another. They are frequently used on busy websites or those that need to convey a lot of information quickly. The animation naturally attracts attention to the advertisement, which can raise click-through rates and impressions.
• Interactive web banners: Users can engage with interactive banner ads by clicking a button or playing a game, for example. On websites that want to increase user engagement, they are frequently used.
• Expandable web banners: When clicked, these banners can be expanded to reveal more information after starting out small. They are frequently employed to market goods that call for additional explanation or persuasion to convert.
• Rich media web banners: These banners are the most intricate and can include a variety of interactive elements like games, videos, or 360-degree images. Providing a more immersive experience can boost interaction and sales.

What to Include on a Web Banner Ad?

A web banner should have an eye-catching design and offer clear, succinct information. Additionally, it must be pertinent to the website it is being used on in order to reach the intended audience.

Some general guidelines for what should be included on web banners are as follows:

• A catchy headline that draws attention
• A brief explanation of what the company does or what the site is about
• An eye-catching image or graphic
• Buttons or links that lead to more information on the advertiser’s website
• A call to action, such as “On your first purchase, save 25%!”
• Brand identifiers, such as the advertiser’s name, logo, or website URL

How Do Banner Ads Work?

Similar to how a physical banner outside a store might entice you inside because it advertises a great deal on a particular item or that they have a novel product that piques your interest. The same is true of banner ads on websites.

Increasing Customer Traffic

The banner ad encourages viewers to click on it and visit the advertiser’s website. Additionally, using this technique, the advertisement is compensated in a variety of ways (CTRs, impressions, time spent on the website, etc.).)

Let me remind you that Creatopy Analytics is the best tool for determining the banner ad’s effectiveness when it comes to increasing your traffic and wanting to see if people click, hover, or leave.

Target serves as a fantastic illustration of how banner ads can be used to boost traffic. They schedule their marketing campaigns to coincide with particular times.

Sell a Product

You are urged to buy particular products through banner advertisements.

Here, it’s crucial to choose the appropriate setting and placement. The banner advertisement that is posted on a specific website must be pertinent to that niche and provide the visitor with the information they are seeking in order to be effective.

Grab the Customer’s Attention

Capturing someone’s attention nowadays can be very challenging, especially in the digital environment where it’s all about being creative.

The information you have on this blog, however, will help your online banner ad stand out from the competition by teaching you how to be imaginative and how to design everything from scratch. The choice of whether to use a formal font on a clean background or an animated, bouncy advertisement depends on your research into your target market.

Announcing Discounts and Sales

Sales and discounts are yet another way for companies to increase their revenue. And what more effective way is there to reach potential clients than with banner ads?

Consider that it is Black Friday and that you are, of course, offering discounts and having a lot of your products on sale. How do you get the word out and inform your customers about them? Obviously, by creating banner ads with a Black Friday theme that discusses it.

Are Banner Ads Effective?

A banner ad is a powerful way to draw in more customers, sell a product, and/or catch their attention. The click-through rate, or CTR, of an ad, is crucial to determining whether banner advertising is effective.

The click-through rate metric is calculated by dividing the number of clicks an advertisement receives by the number of impressions it received.

As a result, a banner ad’s effectiveness may increase with a higher CTR. Brands can increase click-through rates by reviewing the results of previous campaigns or other data.

How Much Do Website Banner Ads Cost?

Website banners typically have a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-thousand-views (CPM) basis of pricing, with an average CPC of 31 cents. The two main cost determinants are design costs and display advertising costs (which are influenced by the advertising platform, keyword targeting, and audience).

The two main costs associated with web banners are:

• Design cost: There are two options for web banner design—designing it yourself (free on platforms like VistaCreate) or hiring a professional designer (as little as $10 to $25 with Fiverr)
• Display advertising cost: The average CPC for web banner ads is $1.39 across all major display networks, but CPCs can vary greatly

How to Create Banner Ads?

For the most success, brands should take into account a few fundamental ideas and procedures before beginning to develop banner advertisements.

1. defining the aims and objectives of the brand. Brands need to consider carefully what constitutes success for a banner ad campaign as well as the desired action that viewers should carry out as a result of seeing the banner ad.
2. deciding on a budget. Knowing a brand’s investment level before launching a banner ad will help determine how much money can be spent on the ad.
3. selecting the appropriate audience. To whom is the advertisement aimed? The success of the banner ad will depend on whether the brand is thinking about the right audience when creating it.
4. Create the right CTA. What do companies want consumers to do? For example, you might click on the advertisement to visit the brand’s website and subscribe to their newsletter.
5. How will the ad creative be presented? The brand’s commercial objectives and creative direction should both be taken into consideration. The design of banner ads should take into account company branding, premium imagery, readable text, and branding logos.

These elements are crucial for a brand because they help define success and make sure the banner’s creative visual supports the company’s goals.

Standard Banner Ad Sizes and Formats

Popular Banner Ad Sizes

Depending on a brand’s branding, objectives, and overall creative vision, successful banner ads may look different. The shape of the banner ad, which varies depending on the ad format, determines the ad size.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) develops rules for digital advertising and establishes standards for the ad tech sector. The IAB creates standard ad units/sizes that all stakeholders must adhere to in order for the industry to function properly.

The specifications for banner ads vary depending on the shape of the banner and can be a medium to a large rectangle, a small to medium square, a half page, or more. The three common ad sizes are skyscrapers (160 X 600), medium rectangles (300 X 250), and leaderboards (728 X 90).

Common Banner Ad Formats

Depending on where a banner ad is placed on a web page, various ad formats are used. The size of each banner ad format varies. Because leaderboard ads are displayed at the top of the page, they are among the most popular and effective banner ads. They have a high ad viewability because they are at the top of a web page.

Leaderboard ads are frequently seen right away by page visitors and, if they are compelling enough, may persuade users to click on the ad. On the other hand, skyscraper advertisements are named as such because of their tall, slender shape.

These advertisements frequently run the length of a web page on the side. Brands may use skyscraper advertisements with the goal of enticing visitors to view the banner advertisement for increased brand awareness or click on the advertisement to access the brand’s own website.

Amazon Ads Recommended Sizes

In order to help brands reach their customers as effectively as possible, Amazon Ads has suggested ad sizes.

The Bottom Line

Web banners are image, text, or video-based digital advertisements on websites like blogs and news sources (also known as banner ads, display ads, or video ads). With typical CPCs of around $1.39, they are regarded as a cost-effective pay-per-click (PPC) advertising channel.

Through a clever banner ad, banner advertising is a powerful tool for increasing customer awareness and site traffic. Examine other actual display ad examples for banner ads that have been successful.