Banner Ad Design Ideas to Get Inspired

True enough, banner ads have long existed in the marketing scene. Some marketers may think of it as traditional, yet, banner ads are still prevalent in digital marketing.

In fact, in the 2021 Internet Advertising Revenue Report, it was found that banner advertisements are still one of the most dominant forms of advertising strategies on the internet in 2020. Moreover, the report found that banner ads make up 31.5% of the total market spending in 2020.

As loud and obtrusive as banner advertising is on the internet, especially when they appear out of nowhere while viewing videos or reading crucial material, they have their perks. And however, annoying they seem to be, we have no option but to get used to them appearing now and then.

Web banner advertisements are effective tools for reaching a wide audience and they are without a doubt, one of the best methods of marketing goods and services on the internet. Such ads are prevalent on the landing page of so many web pages, especially for highly trafficked websites in prominent locations, and are known to be eye-catching to their target audience with the intent of being clicked. Banner ads are also used on social media like Facebook and Instagram to drive traffic and increase brand awareness.

Banner ads are usually paid ads that are meant to send a message to drive traffic and increase sales. This is why you can find them on almost all the sites you frequently visit, whether you like it or not.

Before we go into talking about great web banner design ideas, let’s take a quick dive into what banner advertising is all about, how they work, and how to create captivating banner ads.

What is a Banner Ad?

Banner ads, also called display advertising, is a form of digital marketing that uses visually appealing advertisements called banners to sell their brands and increase revenue.

They are used to primarily increase traffic to the advertiser’s website, raise awareness of the brand, and encourage consumers to think about the advertised brand. Websites often display different sizes of rectangular advertisements publicly known as “banners” which may be placed on the top, sides, or bottom of a web page.

Horizontal banners are leaderboards, while vertical banners are known as skyscrapers which are mostly placed on a website’s sidebars.

Banner ads are image-based more than text-based and remain to be a very popular form of advertising.

The main purpose of banner advertising is to project a brand and to entice visitors from the host website and go to the advertiser’s site.

How do they work?

Digital advertising in the United States continues to grow in number on an annual revenue basis with a revenue report of a staggering $138.9 billion in 2020 alone. In recent times, internet advertising remains a dubious platform to invest in. However, with the growth of internet users worldwide, it grew to become the primary platform for many companies.

The primary goal of banner advertisements is to boost click-through rates and impressions. These impressions highly contribute to brand awareness by providing exposure to your company through an increased number of ad views, even without going directly to your website.

Banner ads which can be static or animated, are placed in key locations on a landing page to draw customers’ attention.

According to experts, banners are best placed above and close to the content, so that users can easily view and click on them.

Much like other internet advertising strategies, brands use banners to advertise their products and services for more visibility and engagement.

Let’s just say, that a banner ad is a sure way of strategy to achieve its commercial objectives such as building brand awareness, encouraging page visits, and driving website traffic.

What makes banner ads successful?

Although there are no concrete rules about what makes a good banner brand, following key design principles and tailoring them to your target audience naturally makes your banner ad successful.

A great banner ad has the power to drive up sales of any business and the success of its campaign depends on the creative quality, just like any other marketing initiative. The most effective banner ad is distinctive, relevant, and tailored.

So what would make banner ads successful?

So here are some suggestions that you can keep in mind when it comes to creating your banner ads.

• Post a banner on a related web page. It is easier visibility and greater chances of exposure.
• Focus on advertising one product or service in your banner instead of the whole site.
• Place banners on top rather than putting them at the bottom.
• Use easily understandable sentences rather than complex and jargon terms.
• Animate your ads more than static ones.
• Create banners with graphics that provoke customers’ curiosity.
• Take note of the appropriate banner size as it affects the loading of a webpage.

Why use banner ads?

The fact that a banner ad is extremely simple to utilize compared to other ad types is obviously the main benefit. The process is pretty simple. You can find templates made by professional designers, available on almost every design platform.

These platforms offer you more options like branding, logo design, etc., and you do not have to be a professional designer or have a background in design to create good design graphics that could catch viewers’ eyes. All designers, even novices, may quickly put up a banner that complies with all prerequisites and effectively draws viewers’ attention. Check out the color combinations for display ads.

In addition, by employing a banner ad, you can increase the visibility of your company online and make it easier for customers to recognize your goods and services. This form of advert also serves as a means of generating leads for your business. Viewers are encouraged to sign up to test your service or product, or even to join your mailing lists, ultimately increasing your user base.

Also, to retarget your audience, the web banner design will serve as a prompt to users who visited your website but didn’t buy your item or subscribe to your newsletter.

The Anatomy of Web Banners

A well-designed banner campaign has the potential to significantly raise brand recognition, justify pricing, and boost unique traffic sales results and overall profitability. If you are on the verge of creating DIY web banners, it is essential that you know what makes up web banners.

Here are the six essential parts of a banner that build brand awareness faster and quicker.

Size

Research suggests that 89% of all banner add impressions are made up of these sizes.

• 300 x 250 – Medium Rectangle
• 728 x 90 – Leaderboard
• 320 x 50 – Mobile Leaderboard
• 160 x 600 – Wide Skyscraper

So, if you are just starting out in creating your banner ad design, it would be best to use these common sizes, as they will already cover a large portion of your advertising needs.

Design

Now, this is where it gets tricky.

There are two different ways in which you can choose a background for your ads. You may use a solid-color background or a photo background. Both of which have their pros and cons. So, you need to weigh them out.

For solid-color backgrounds, your texts are much more enhanced as you have the option to create a contrast in the font colors. Solid-color backgrounds are preferably used when there is a powerful product slogan that you want to convey to your readers. This is done to get your message across clearly.

On the other hand, the photo background can be used when your ad contains no product to showcase. It also works best when your product is abstract which can be better showcased through images.

Generally, when creating your design, what should be on top of your mind is how will your product stand out, so they can stop and have a look. Check out the design principles for display ads.

Headline

This is where your copywriting skills come into play.

The challenge in writing headlines is to convey a clear-cut message in one to two sentences. Therefore, it is important to remember that the key to a successful headline is to keep it short, sweet, and clear. Keep it straightforward and state what you offer.

Subtext

Your subtexts go below your main headline. Oftentimes, people feel the need to explain their message further. This is done through effective subtexts. Make sure that the subtexts are clearly understandable and do not interfere with the other parts of your banner.

Images

Digital companies use images to humanize their ads. When using images, make sure that they are related to your products and are appropriate for your target audience. For example, most SaaS companies use images that look more tech-related and digital.

Remember that images have the power to capture users’ attention, so you should be careful not to stray away from your brand. Check out the detailed guide for social media image size.

CTA

The CTA or Call To Action simply tells people what to do next.

Do they subscribe? Do they reach out? Do they book for a demo? It basically answers the question “What now?”.

Generally, you have two things to consider when writing your CTA. The first is color, and the second is text. Colors generally affect your customers’ brains when reading texts. Therefore, you can apply color theory in choosing the right color for your CTA. On the other hand, the text for your CTA should generally advise people on what they should do – and they should do it now.

For complex products such as software applications, some of the effective CTA applied may be “learn more” or “book a demo”. The gist is to guide them on the next steps to take.

Tips and Tricks for Designing Captivating Banner Ads

Designing banner ads, most especially for newbies may be complex – especially if you are unfamiliar with pro tools like Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, and others. However, despite not having skills in advertising and marketing, you would probably know what you want your brand to convey.

In the process of creating a banner ad, there are specific things you need to know and follow if you want to reach more people and engage any type of viewer. Here are tips for designing a good banner ad for your website.

Use the most appropriate standard banner size

True enough your banner ad design heavily relies on its size. Therefore, to create an effective design, you should first identify the size of the banner you are going to use.

Choose a strategic place for your ads

Since your ads should capture attention, you have to choose a strategic place for them. Make sure that the placement of your ads on a page can be easily seen.

Take note of the hierarchy

In designing your banner, you always have to keep in mind the balance of your design. Make sure that the three basic components which are the company logo, value proposition, and the CTA are all included in your banner.

Keep it simple and understandable

Keep your design content visuals simple and pleasing. Since customers may only glance at your ad, you have to be straight to the point.

Make your text readable

Your business ad should have creative and eye-catching typography. However, you have to keep in mind that they should be readable in terms of font face, size, and weight.

Use images well and wisely

Images are an excellent method to capture users’ attention, but they must be closely tied to the content you’re conveying. The most accurate representation of the products you’re selling is your best bet. People, animals, and even landscapes may be evocative when communicating a message or emotion, but just as with the words, make it simple and understandable. And whether you are using a template or not, do not forget to keep your brand image on point.

Take note of your colors

Every color can be associated differently. Therefore, it is important to consider the different types of emotions that you want to be triggered by your audience. Make sure to study them before selecting the appropriate colors for your banner ad.

Use animations if necessary

Adding animations to your ad is more visually appealing and attention-grabbing than using static images. Animation in your brand’s campaign is a terrific method to differentiate your company from your rivals.

In fact, even if the frame is static, giving a small feeling of movement to static photos adds beauty and makes your design lively enough to draw the attention of your audience

There are a lot of unexpected advantages, like lower expenses and longer shelf life for the advertisement. Keep in mind that with advertising, you want your brand to be memorable and create an effect. Your advertisements will stand out if they have creative animation that captures the brand’s essence.

Inculcate a sense of urgency

In creating your banner design, it is important to remember that your web design may only work if it is able to grab the attention of your customers. Thus, a clear call to action can trigger your customers to act – and act now. A web banner that can project urgency is much more likely to entice your customers than those without. Remind your customers of how much time do they not have and let them know that it is best to act now!

Be consistent with your branding

A banner ad should always embody your whole brand. Thus, it is important that you use your own images, logos, and background colors that represent your brand. Whether you’re using templates or simple shapes like a large rectangle, all your design elements should link to your brand.

These are just some of the tips that can help you take your banners to the next level. However, the question still remains, “What if I do not have the talent in creating designs? Will templates be enough?”

Why create your own, when we can create it for you?

Let All Time Design create your Banner Ad Designs

Designing a banner ad can be quite difficult, especially for a lot of non-graphic designers. Despite a number of templates readily available online, they may not always suffice.

The creative process involved in ad design requires you to take inspiration from a lot of sources. In fact, even ads have different sizes and categories which you can choose from. Therefore, it takes a lot of research, skills, and even time to create the perfect banner ad design for your business.

Thankfully, there is All Time Design to save your day. You see, for an ad to be creative, it has to encapsulate all your brand’s ideals and designs.

Sure a template can save money and time, but with an ad professionally done by experts, you’re sure to have everything fall into place.

An ad design’s key difficulty is effectively fusing marketing with creativity to convey the desired message. With All Time Design‘s ad services, you just ticked off a list from your marketing list!