White Paper Wednesday Part II | 6 Tips for Strong Display Ads

Welcome to Part II of White Paper Wednesday!  If you missed the first post in this mini-series, feel free to check it out! It’s full of great information about the do’s and don’ts of search advertisements. Today, however, it’s all about the display advertisement.  Below are some best practices to keep in mind when crafting that perfect display ad. 1. Shift Focus from Clicks to Influence. Because display ads are most beneficial for branding, they primarily serve the purpose of creating exposure.  It is far better to focus on creating the right tone for how consumers will view the company and how the ad will influence their mindset about the company than to get them to click on the ad. 2. Combat Banner Blindness. Research indicates one can gain the highest performance if placing a wide ad with content, on the left side, on the top half of the page and between the top navigation and main content. 3. Pick Content Like You’re Picking Your Friends… Carefully. Content can improve an ad’s relevance to an audience tremendously. So, it is important to make sure the editorial content doesn’t clash with the ad. 4. Spark that Creativity… The ad must be eye catching enough to stand out from the content surrounding and original to create a specific association with one’s company. Some ads today involve games, videos or other activities which provide entertainment along with the information. 5. But Keep It Short and Sweet. While creativity is important, it is involved in a delicate balance. Display ads need to be short and to the point. These ads are meant to draw attention in, not keep it focused. 6. Follow the Results. The process does not end as soon as the advertisement is posted. Keep tracking and optimizing your ad to make it as effective as possible. There are options to either change one’s strategy if the ad didn’t go over well, or one can discover how to improve and get even more out of the advertisement.