Creative execution
Building a better banner
Your customers don’t see your clever media plan or all the cool technology – they see your ads. So why not make them work as hard as possible for your brand? Try these tips to get more from your banners.
Grab the user’s attention
Your banner ad is like a billboard by the highway – people are moving so fast that there’s a good chance they could miss it entirely.
- Do something different. If your banner looks like every other one around, it will probably get ignored.
- Use movement, color, design, an unusual image or a compelling headline to spark interest.
- It’s okay to be eye-catching, but not obnoxious. Avoid visually jarring animation.
Before: Boring ad
You could stare at this page all day, and still miss this ad.
After: More engaging ad
Movement, color, prominent product placement... suddenly, I feel an irresistible urge to click.
Get to the point
You only have time to communicate one thought – not several. Less is more.
Keep your copy short. Use larger fonts and fewer words.
- Make one single point. That’s it. If you must make more than one point, try creating multiple banner ads, then test to see which message works best.
- Don’t stretch your message out over the course of a long animation. Banner ads aren’t like TV commercials, where you can expect people to watch your story unfold from beginning to end. Make everything clear at a glance.
- Have a prominent, clear call-to-action.
Before: Too much copy
Nobody in the world would watch this from beginning to end.
After: Clear and concise
This ad’s purpose is clear at a glance. And it’s fun, to boot.
Try animation or interaction
Motion is great for grabbing attention; interaction gets users engaged with your brand right off the bat.
- Animation: Try rotating through different supporting messages, or giving a demo of your product/service.
- Interaction: Design an interactive game, encourage people to scroll through several images, or capture information with form fields.
- Keep it real: Make sure your animation or interaction doesn’t come across as cheap, gimmicky or dishonest. It should serve a purpose.
Example: Sam’s Club
A great interactive product showcase.
Example: Identity Guard
This interactive game drove clicks and traffic.
Seal the deal on the landing page
Your landing page is just as important as your banner ad, if not more so. After all, this is where you wanted the user to go in the first place.
- The LP and banner ad should look like they go together. Jumping from your banner to your page should be a seamless experience.
- Make the call-to-action on the LP consistent with the banner ad. If your banner ad says “buy now,” make sure your product is clearly available for purchase right up front. If you make users hunt for what they came for, they’ll leave.
Example: Rice Krispies
Here’s the banner ad, which encouraged users to browse recipe ideas.
And here’s the landing page, which allowed users to continue browsing recipes. The look, feel and messaging are entirely consistent with the banner. (Click to view full page.)
Test, test, test!
There’s no reason to cram every idea into one concept. Try creating multiple ads with different messages or graphics and test them against each other. The more the merrier.
- Start with a wide range of sites and users, and let performance narrow them down. May the best ads win.
- Networks use proprietary software to optimize campaigns. On any given network, make sure you understand how this works.
- Interaction tracking can provide value beyond just clicks and conversions.
Remember your follow-through
Your campaign doesn’t end at launch.
- Monitor performance. If something isn’t working, try adjusting your message, or changing your landing page.
- Keep things fresh. Over time, even great banners will become less effective. Avoid banner fatigue by tweaking and refreshing your ads periodically.
- Think bigger. Now’s the time to start thinking about your next campaign. Check your results and consider using different approaches or banner types – like dynamic banners that adjust messaging on the fly – for the next go-round.
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