by Josh Hatcher

Created on: February 15, 2007   Last Updated: April 14, 2007

Banner Ads may not be pretty, and there may be a lot of disagreement over their effectiveness, but for the average business owner, banner ads can be a successful source of income.

Banner ads on many websites are often annoying to the website reader, as garish colors, sounds and animation make more of a distraction than an attraction. But, a tastefully designed banner ad can get make an impression on the reader.

I've found that for managing banner ads on my website (www.rouletterebel.com) OPENADS is a handy tool.

www.openads.org

Formerly known as phpads, the open source (and free) software is an easy user environment for uploading, tracking, and displaying ads on any webserver that will allow you to install the software.

It generates invocation code to paste into your html, allowing you to display the ads.

The newest version will also include integration of google Adsense ads, which are a surefire moneymaker for most website owners.

Banner Design:
This is tricky. I encourage website owners to design ads that complement their design style, so that the ads look like they fit on the page. A poorly designed ad can make a beautiful website look trashy.

Keep the flashing text and annoying sounds to a minimum. Just because you CAN design a busy and flashy ad, doesn't mean you should.

Communicate with the customer about the type of ad they want to display, and find subtle ways to make the ad stand out, rather than distracting ways.

Pop Ups:
Let's be real. Pop Up Ads are nothing but a pain in the neck. Web users do NOT intentionally click pop up ads. Most ads get blocked by newer model browsers anyway. Focus your attention on integrated advertising that makes an impression, not extra work.

Tracking:
Don't assume that a low click through rate is bad news. Seeing an ad is an impression. An impression is almost as valuable as a site visit. Some day, when that customer needs the advertisers product, they will remember the name, if it was designed well. Assure customers that click through is not the best indicator of how well their ad is performing.

OPENADS

Learn more about this author, Josh Hatcher.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.