Everyone is using them now and if you're planning on creating your own banner ad then there are some things that you should know.
Standard Size
I'll admit I made this mistake. I was too caught up in creating a really nice looking design that I made something that was not the standard size. Now it wasn't much off the norm but when I found out I promptly changed the size. Keep to standards. I know that if your ad is slightly larger it may get more attention but if we all start doing this where will it stop? Creating an ad that is larger than standard is not the way to get attention. And in many places they will require you to keep to the industry standard.
Content
This must be short, simple, and very direct. You've really got to simplify this. I know that this is hard but there is not a lot of room on these banner ads and the more information that you try to cram on there the less likely that someone will read, or try to read it. Keep it to a few words, if you can't manage to say what you want in a few words enlist the help of friends and family, ask them to define what it is that you do, or sell in five words or less. You may get a really clever saying to use by doing this.
Color and Animation
Keep colors eye catching but easy to look at and make sure that they match your site. Maybe it's just me that prefers this but I've clicked on banner ads that looked really great and ended up on these hideous web pages. Try to match your ads to the look of your website.
Animation, please, please, please keep this simple and a short download. I don't know how many times I've clicked off a page before the banner ad animation even started. Please make sure that you run your ad several times. Have others watch it, make sure that the download is reasonable. Don't assume that everyone has DSL. Now you also don't have to make allowances for older computers or bad connections but most of the country now has enhanced or accelerated connections. Make sure that your ad downloads quickly on an accelerated connection and you're doing fine.
Call to Action
Apparently we're all still highly suggestible since studies show that call to action words still work. Things like: call now, click here, and buy now. Try to work some call to action words into your content if you can, it won't hurt.
Lastly for those of you working at home, or running your own business. Never underestimate the value of family and friends for critiques. They may not be able to tell you what is wrong with the way your ad looks but if they look at it and only say, "Eh, it's okay." Then don't use it. We all instinctively know what looks right or wrong. If you ask around and don't get positive feedback from family and friends who love you and want your business to succeed then what do you think that a total stranger is going to think? Also before you even start creating your own ad, look around at what everyone else is doing. Decide what you like and don't like about other ads that you see. And then don't make the same mistakes.
About The Author
Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal
Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.
Congratulations! Your Web Site is finished! Now what? Your first... Read More
"Pull Marketing" has always been, and will continue to be... Read More
Did that headline grab your attention?I have experimented with many... Read More
Being online is not only about getting your piece of... Read More
Welcome,Over the past five years I have learnt many tricks... Read More
Did you ever wish that you could sit at the... Read More
What is direct marketing? Put simply, direct marketing is a... Read More
When you boil it right down, there are really only... Read More
Why do some websites sell more than others?Why are some... Read More
Being successful at Internet marketing does require doing the right... Read More
As a marketer you are engaged in a "War" with... Read More
Gasp! Choke! Gag! That's how people react when you tell... Read More
Everyone is talking about blogs these days as the magic... Read More
If you think that all money to be made online... Read More
"FREE" what a great word.We all like getting something for... Read More
The internet marketer is really a perfect profession. This profession... Read More
You are now reading Part 2 of my article the... Read More
You don't have to spend thousands of dollars on advertising... Read More
Imagine never having to leave your home to work. Not... Read More
Unless you have been living under a rock for the... Read More
Instead of giving you advice on how to make a... Read More
The Internet has changed how people do their business. Even... Read More
'Hype' is now an often used slang word which is... Read More
Headlines are short vital statements to stimulate your potential customers... Read More
Thank you for stopping by part 3 of the article... Read More
If you are sending out a periodic email newsletter, no... Read More
Using Online Communities to Differentiate Your WebsiteAs a young girl... Read More
When you offer your products via an email campaign to... Read More
Before I expand on the above heading, I do have... Read More
Try to run a search for the name Edward Gilbert.... Read More
Like the Internet itself, online marketing resources such as blogs,... Read More
Opt in clicking promotes your business. By increasing link exchanges... Read More
I just came across this web site called PayDotCom.comAfter reviewing... Read More
SMS Marketing can be used to acquire customers, strengthen existing... Read More
When you make your living on the Internet, you sometimes... Read More
Psychology is the engine that drives human behavior.You can't make... Read More
After running an online business (web site design) for a... Read More
The best way I know of to multiply your online... Read More
For some reason, people who look to the internet to... Read More
Do you post to message boards, e-mail discussion lists, classified... Read More
The internet has grown explosively in the ten or so... Read More
There are many ways to make money on the internet.... Read More
If you're like me, you'd rather work smarter than harder.... Read More
It may not rank as a killer like heart disease... Read More
There are plenty of free tools online for marketing. And... Read More
What You Won't Learn in Business School----------------------------------------We all know the... Read More
Question: Can you guess the cheapest way to make a... Read More
There are hundreds of ways that you can promote your... Read More
A few days back I got an email telling me... Read More
2005 is a great year for affiliate marketers, as online... Read More
Zig Ziglar the famous self help guru was once quoted... Read More
There's one thing that's sure-fire guaranteed to ruin your profits... Read More
Do you want to unleash a tsunami of sales at... Read More
The Internet world is truly exciting ? there is no... Read More
Who would have thought that a TV network dedicated to... Read More
You've probably know many answers to this question: a good... Read More
This "little" test I ran was in dedication of Corey... Read More
Product creation is usually one of the first concerns of... Read More
If you have to part with your hard-earned money for... Read More
There's no doubt about it . . .Big changes are... Read More
A few things I've learned about doing business on the... Read More
Life is thought to have begun on Earth somewhere around... Read More
It can be a challenge to market real/tangible products in... Read More
There are thousands of marketing tool kits available online for... Read More
As you may have already read in our article "Health... Read More
In my earlier article, "Online Network Marketing 101A", I wrote... Read More
Internet Marketing |