Online Marketing

Last time, the discussion on banner ads centered on why it’s deemed effective even as of today. However, aside from the fact that you see a lot of banner ads in your web surfing, how much do you really know about banner ads? Banner ads are mostly used by companies to establish a trademark or recognizable visual representation in the World Wide Web, sort of like commercials. Click-throughs for banner ads are generally known to be low. Therefore, usual payment for banner ads are measured through impressions and number of times viewed instead of the usual cost per click.

There are many different standard banner ad sizes including: 468 x 60, 392 x 72 and 234 x 60. The more recent years saw smaller buttons. The 125×125 square button has become increasingly popular particularly in the blogosphere. Darren Rowse of Problogger discusses the viability of using the 125×125 square buttons in blogs. Basically, different sizes would be appropriate for different types of blogs. If your niche entails you getting traditional sponsors who have no idea about square buttons or micro buttons (88 x 31), then you’ll most probably end up with traditional larger banner advertisements. Whereas, if you run a more, say, spontaneous, bohemian even, web site (like blogs), some advertisers might agree going with the newer, smaller banner ads trend.

The graphics used for banner ads should be able to grab visitors’ attention. Non-static or blinking ads seem to get the highest click-through rates. Also remember that not everyone’s on high-speed internet connection (yes, there are still dial-up users out there) so keep the banner ad file size small (between 5-20 kb). This ensures that they load quickly for any type of connection. And finally, if you want to use banner ads for your marketing campaign, never forget to follow through. Check conversion rates and always monitor statistics.

Filed under: Banners