With a small home business, it’s difficult to make your name known to the masses, especially with the broad and overwhelming activity on the internet. However, it’s crucial to advertise your business and especially your website to potential customers; or else all of your hard work is wasted.
A tried and true method of achieving this recognition is through banner ads. Banner ads are one of the most profitable ways of letting web surfers know what your business is all about, and why they should go to you. Here are six helpful tips for creating a successful banner ad which will draw in clients.
1. Keep it brief and keep it interesting.
Internet surfers have a short attention span, so explain what you’re offering quickly and concisely. Allow them to get an impression in a single glance. Once you have their attention, however, don’t tell them too much; leave an open question to be answered once they click through, so they’re compelled to go to your site.
2. Have a good headline.
Get your point across immediately with a persuasive headline. This is the first thing your visitor sees, so don’t waste the opportunity. If you’re offering a sale, place the product and the savings amount in the forefront of the image, in big or otherwise eye-catching text. This is a “hook” for the visitor.
3. Don’t look like spam.
On the internet, visitors are constantly bombarded by virus risks and threats; most people will look right past banners for those reasons. Additionally, web surfers see banners day in and day out, and become immune to them. This is called “Banner Blindness”. To avoid this, keep yours looking tight, clean, and objective – which will result in an impression of professionalism, and respect, and originality. It’ll instill a sense of trust, and make visitors more inclined to click through on your banner.
Also, evaluate the kind of site your banner will be featured on. Try to stand out from the competition, so your banner doesn’t blend in with the block of advertisement and become victim to Banner Blindness.
4. Place your website address somewhere on the banner design.
This will help people see it’s not spam. If they can have a preview of the title of your website, they’ll be able to see where you’re taking them and feel less at risk by clicking through.
5. Use images.
Words are important, but images catch the attention and elicit an emotional response. By using an image in your banner ad, you can give visitors a quick impression on your website or the products you’re offering. Reading what you have to offer takes devotion and attention, and most visitors won’t accept this. Use text to compliment the pictures, to reinforce the emotional response, but don’t rely on it entirely.
Banner Ads can be potentially damaging, or at least ineffective, without proper techniques to tailor them. However, when done well, they can greatly increase your website traffic, making a significant difference in your business.