by Hillary Marshall

Created on: May 28, 2008   Last Updated: February 28, 2010

In the world of brick and mortar businesses many companies spend an abundance of time, money and effort creating print campaigns for placement in magazines and newspapers. The Internet is no different, both web based companies and brick and mortar companies spend an equal amount of time, money and effort on banner ads that will be placed on websites. Banner advertising, just like print ads, can be a very effective way to market a company. In addition, webmasters who place the ads on their website can benefit greatly if they choose to use it as another source of income.

A banner ad may look like a simple and small box at the top of a web page, but there is nothing simple and small about a banner ad in actuality. A lot of focus, time and money goes into creating the perfect banner ad. Generally companies hire professional designers to create their ads because they want them to not only be eye catching, but they want them to be effective. Professionals have proven methods they use to create effective banner ads.

The basic formula for an effective banner ad involves several simple key points. The banner ad must start with a catchy headline so that it grabs people's attention and doesn't go unnoticed. It should be simple and not too over crowded with images or text. Using banners that have animation or flash graphics is generally more effective than using a static banner. The basic design layout of a banner ad is just as essential online as it would be if you were placing the ad in a print publication, it has to get the attention of potential customers without confusing them.

The technical side of a banner ad is also important. A banner should be relatively small in file size so that it loads easily. If your ad is larger and does not load when the web page it is on loads users may not even see the ad. Naturally, you want the ad content to be your first priority, but keeping the file size as small as possible without compromising the ad is best.

Logistically, the ad should be placed on a site that is not a direct competitor of your business. You want to place your ad on a site that compliments your business. Choose a site that you feel gets a large volume of traffic from users that would be in your key demographic. Stay away from sites that overuse banners. If you place your banner on a site that has too many ads, chances are your ad will get lost in the sea of ads on the site and most likely it will render the ad useless.

Banner advertising can be quite effective when it is implemented with careful consideration and planning. It is one of the oldest and most proven methods of Internet marketing that is used, and many of the largest companies in both the online and offline world use banner advertising regularly. They key to a good banner advertising campaign is to not take it lightly, and put in the time, effort and money that should be put into it to make it work.

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