Display Ads: What They Are, Types, & How They Work

26, Aug. 2024

 

Display Ads: What They Are, Types, & How They Work

What Is Display Advertising?

Display advertising is a type of advertising that helps you visually showcase your brand or product on various online platforms.

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It encourages users to take specific actions. Such as clicking to visit a landing page, filling out a form, or making a purchase.

Here's a display ad example from Forbes' homepage:

Display advertising allows you to use a mix of text, images, and videos to get your message across.

It's also highly scalable. 

You can reach a broad audience. Or focus on a niche market by customizing your display ads to show up for specific groups of people based on what they like, where they browse, and who they are.

Display Ads vs. Search Ads

Display ads appear online when users are already browsing. They show up based on topics and users' interests. 

On the other hand, search ads target users looking for products, services, or information similar to what you offer. They appear based on users' search queries. 

Here's an example of search ads:

This fundamental difference allows display ads to nurture long-term brand recognition. While search ads help achieve immediate conversions.

Here's an overview that explains what display ads are and how they differ from search ads:

Benefits of Display Advertising

Enhanced Brand Visibility

Display advertising puts your brand in front of a large audience. By strategically placing your ads on websites that align with your target market.

This can help you increase brand awareness.

Targeted Reach

Display ads let you target specific demographics, locations, and behaviors.

This means you can focus your advertising spending on audiences most likely to convert. You're not just throwing your ad into the digital abyss but placing it where it counts.

Engaging Creatives

Display ads offer a range of creative formats'from simple text and images to interactive elements and videos.

These diverse options allow you to capture your audience's attention in a way that resonates with them.

Whether it's a short video clip or an interactive quiz, these formats can make your brand memorable.

Cost Effective

Display ads often have a lower cost per impression. You can set your budget and even opt for different pricing models based on your needs. 

This level of flexibility and the added benefit of efficient targeting makes display ads relatively affordable.

Real-Time Analytics

You get access to real-time analytics with display advertising.

You can track metrics like click-through rates, impressions, and conversions to make data-driven decisions. This helps you to optimize your campaigns for better performance over time.

Note: While display advertising offers numerous advantages, it's essential to consider potential challenges. These could include ad fatigue, in which your audience becomes desensitized to your ads if they see them too often, or the risk of your ads appearing on irrelevant or low-quality websites. You can avoid these issues with proper targeting and regular monitoring.

Types and Formats of Display Ads

There are many types of display ads'from broad categories like contextual and mobile ads to specific ones like pop-up and infographic ads. Each type can be of a specific format. 

Let's first look at common ad formats:

  • Static ads: Simple, non-moving ads that can consist of text and images. Usually saved as JPEG or PNG files, these ads are quick to load and easy to create.
  • Animated ads: Use motion to capture attention. Created as GIFs or HTML5 files, they can display multiple frames, which allows for more complex messaging or storytelling.
  • Video ads: Use moving visuals and sound to engage the audience. They can be added to websites and social media feeds or appear as pop-ups.
  • Interactive ads: Engage users through clickable elements, forms, or other interactive features. Often built using HTML5, these ads encourage user participation.

Now, let's look at some of the common display ad types:

Banner ads are graphics that can appear at the top, bottom, or sides of webpages. They leverage a combination of texts and visuals (either static or animated).

Here's a banner ad example from Investopedia:

The strategic placement on webpages ensures a large audience sees your banner ads. Which is why they're suitable for driving traffic to specific pages or building brand identity.

When clicked, the ad's call to action (CTA) can lead users to your chosen landing page to learn more or to make a purchase'depending on your campaign's goal.

Interstitial Ads

Interstitial display ads are full-screen ads that cover the interface of a website or app. 

They usually appear during natural transition points. Like when you're moving between app screens or waiting for a webpage to load.

Here's an interstitial display ad example from a mobile gaming app:

Source: Google AdMob

These ads can be images or videos. 

They're hard to ignore, which makes them highly effective for capturing immediate attention. This is why advertisers often use them for promotions or announcements that require quick action.

Pop-Up Ads

Pop-up ads are small windows that appear over a website's content. They can be in the form of static images, text, or even interactive media.

You can set the rules to trigger them. For example, you can set them to appear when a user scrolls halfway down a page or after they've been on the site for a certain amount of time.

Here's an example of a pop-up ad from Search Engine Journal:

Unlike interstitial ads that cover the entire screen, pop-up ads are smaller. Interstitial ads usually appear during transitions, like when a page is loading. In contrast, pop-up ads can show up at specific, predefined moments.

This makes them effective for capturing immediate attention. They even have a good conversion rate of around 11%.

However, because they can interrupt and even harm the user experience, it's important to use them sparingly to avoid annoying website visitors.

Rich Media Display Ads

Rich media display ads are interactive ads that can include video, audio, and clickable elements'offering a multilayered experience for your audience.

These ads can do things like expand when you hover over them or play a video when clicked. This makes them more engaging than standard ads, which are usually just static images or text.

Here's an example of a rich media ad where the user can slide a bar across the ad to reveal the function of the product:

With rich media ads, you can incorporate features like forms or quizzes directly within the ad. Which allows you to gather data or even make sales without requiring the user to leave the page they're on.

Retargeting Display Ads

Retargeting display ads help you re-engage individuals who have previously interacted with you on your website or app but didn't make a purchase or take a desired action.

These dynamic display ads remind them of your brand by displaying relevant products or content they've previously viewed.

Here's an example:

So unlike standard display ads, retargeting ads are not aimed at a broad audience but are specifically targeted to individuals familiar with your brand.

They can take the form of banner ads, video ads, or even rich media'depending on your campaign goals.

Native Display Ads

Native display ads look and feel like the content around them. Which allows you to advertise in a way that feels less like an ad and more like part of the content.

Here's an example from Pinterest:

You may often hear the native ads vs. display ads comparisons. However, it's important to note that native ads with visual elements actually fall under the category of display advertising.

They are usually labeled as 'sponsored' or 'promoted' to maintain transparency. And can take the form of images, videos, or interactive pieces.

Since native display ads integrate seamlessly into the user experience, they can be more likely to engage your target audience'especially those who are averse to disruptive advertising. 

This makes them ideal for campaigns aiming to build a deeper connection with your audience rather than just capturing immediate attention.

How Does Display Advertising Work?

To get your display ads in front of your target audience, you'll work with ad networks like the Google Display Network (GDN). These platforms handle the distribution and targeting.

Let's take an in-depth look at how display advertising works. And how you can plan and execute your campaign.

Define Your Target Audience

Defining your target audience ensures your display ads reach people genuinely interested in your product or service, maximizing your return on investment (ROI).

For example, if you're a fitness brand targeting young adults, you'll want to place your ads on health and wellness websites. Or other websites where this demographic spends their time.

Conversely, if you're a B2B software company, industry-specific websites and forums might be more effective platforms for your display ads.

This targeted approach not only increases your ads' visibility but also improves the likelihood of conversion.

You can use Semrush's One2Target to define your target audience.

Open the tool and enter up to five of your competitors' domains. 

The tool will gather information about their audience's demographics, socioeconomics, and behavior.

You can use this data to create customer personas'a representation of your ideal customer. These personas will serve as a blueprint for selecting the right platforms and crafting messages for your display ads.

Here's an example of a persona built with the Semrush Persona tool:

Choose Your Campaign's Goals

Setting specific goals will help you allocate your budget and tailor your display ads more effectively.

For instance, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, you'll likely focus on platforms with a broad reach and design ads that are visually striking. 

On the other hand, if you're aiming for immediate sales, retargeting ads on platforms with high conversion rates might be your go-to option. 

So, a goal-driven approach will ensure that every decision you make aligns with your goal.

To choose your campaign's goals, you should start by evaluating your business needs and what you ultimately want to achieve. Discuss it with your team.

Are you looking to attract new customers? Is your focus more on retaining existing ones? Are you launching a new product and want more awareness?

Once you've identified your overarching objectives, break them down into measurable targets.

Remember, your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Here's an example of a SMART goal: Increase website traffic from display ads by 15% in the next three months.

  • Specific: The goal clearly states the desire to boost website traffic from display ads
  • Measurable: The target is a 15% increase, which can be tracked
  • Achievable: Assuming current trends and resources, a 15% increase is a realistic target
  • Relevant: The goal aligns with broader marketing objectives to drive more website visits
  • Time-bound: The goal is set to be achieved within a three-month time frame

Do Competitive Analysis

Understanding your competitors' display ad strategies can help you identify the most effective ad placements, designs, and messaging. Which can not only guide how you allocate your budget but also allow you to strategically place your ads where your competitors are advertising.

This way, you can potentially capture some of their audience's attention.

(This tactic can be especially effective if your ads offer something unique or more compelling than your competitors.)

So, start by listing your main competitors and examining their display ads.

Look at where they're placing their ads, the types of designs they're using, and the messaging in their copy and CTAs.

This will give you a sense of what's already working in your market.

You can use Semrush's AdClarity tool for this. It's an advertising intelligence solution that can help you:

  • Analyze competitors' ad campaigns
  • See where they are spending their ad budget
  • Compare their ad strategies with your own
  • Understand what the best-performing advertisers are doing

Open the tool and enter your competitor's domain. You'll see a dashboard like this:

Scroll down and you'll find the 'Top Ads' widget. 

This shows all the top display ads of your competitor and other competing advertisers in the selected period. Sorted by the highest number of impressions, duration, or recency.

Click on any ad to find its landing page and full campaign report. 

In addition, you will find various other insights. Including the advertiser's estimated expenditure on display ads, display ads placement, top advertisers in your market, and ad buying methods.

You can use details from that competitive analysis to fine-tune your own display ad campaign for better performance.

Finalize Display Ad Placement, Type, and Format

Choosing the right websites for your display ads ensures that your message lands directly in front of people most likely to be interested in your product or service.

When deciding where to place your ads, you should consider these three factors:

  • Audience relevance: Make sure the website or platform aligns with your target audience's interests
  • Traffic volume: A website with high traffic increases the visibility of your ad but may also be more expensive
  • Ad space quality: Look for websites that offer prime ad space, ensuring your ad is easily visible and not buried at the bottom of the page

Now, you can directly approach websites to place your ads. But this method is often time-consuming and may not be cost-effective.

A more efficient route is to use ad networks.

An ad network acts as an intermediary that connects advertisers with multiple websites, streamlining the placement and tracking of your ads.

It handles ad distribution'whether it's across various websites on the internet or within its own ecosystems.

Google Display Network and Meta Audience Network are two of the most popular ad networks.

GDN reaches over 90% of internet users worldwide. It can serve your ads on more than 2 million partner websites, apps, or videos based on your business type and the users who match your specific criteria.

Let's say you choose GDN as your ad network. 

There are two types of Google display ads you can opt for:

  • Uploaded display ads: These are ads you design from scratch and upload in various sizes. You have full control over the design, but you're also responsible for ensuring each ad meets the Google display ads specs for its intended placement. In this case, here are some common Google display ad sizes you can go for:
  • Responsive display ads: This is a more automated option. It's also the default. You provide the basic elements like images, logos, and text. Google then automatically generates different combinations and sizes to fit various responsive display ads specs, optimizing for performance along the way. 

You can build your Google display ads campaign by going to your Google Ads account. First, click 'Create.'

Then, select your campaign objective and 'Display' as the campaign type.

You will then have to configure your campaign settings. Which would include:

  • Choosing target locations and languages
  • Setting your budget and bidding strategy
  • Selecting your targeting strategy

Next, you'll create responsive display ads where you can upload your images, logos, headlines, descriptions, and videos (pictured below). Google will automatically generate the best ad combinations for your target audience.

The final step is to review your campaign. 

If everything looks good, hit 'Publish campaign,' and your ads will go for approval. It typically takes one day to get the approval before your ads are live.

Generally, once you've chosen an ad network, you'll need to decide on the type and format of your display ads. 

For example, GDN offers options like banner ads, interstitial ads, and video ads. So, you will find various Google display ads specs in the network.

When considering your display ad type and format, follow these tips:

  • Alignment with goals: Choose a type and format that directly supports your campaign objectives
  • Audience preference: Take into account which formats are most engaging for your target audience
  • Resource availability: Be mindful that some formats, like video or interactive ads, may require more resources to create than others
  • Platform limitations: Different ad networks may have restrictions on ad types or formats. For instance, GDN allows various formats, including banner and interstitial ads. While a platform like LinkedIn doesn't offer the options for interactive display ads. So, choose a platform that accommodates your needs.

By this point, you should have a comprehensive understanding of where your ads will appear, what they will look like, and who they will target.

Allocate a Budget

A well-allocated budget allows you to scale your display ad campaigns effectively and maximize ROI. While a poorly planned one can lead to overspending without returns or insufficient reach.

When setting your budget, you should consider the platforms you'll be using. 

Different platforms have different pricing models, like cost per click (CPC) or cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM). Choose the one that aligns with your goals and budget.

For example, with a Google display ad campaign, you can choose how you want to pay'based on the number of impressions your ad receives or the actual conversions like signups or sales. 

They even suggest bidding strategies to help you meet your online advertising goals.

You should also think about the duration of your campaign. A short-term campaign aimed at boosting seasonal sales will have a different budget requirement than a long-term brand awareness campaign.

Here are some other factors to consider when allocating your budget to display ads:

  • Campaign goals: Your budget should align with what you aim to achieve. If you're looking for quick conversions, you might allocate more toward retargeting ads.
  • Audience reach: Consider the size and demographics of your target audience. A broader audience might require a larger budget.
  • Ad format and type: Some formats are more expensive to produce and run. For instance, video ads generally cost more than static image ads.
  • Frequency: How often do you want your ads to appear? More frequent appearances will require a higher budget.

If you plan your budget carefully, you'll be better positioned to run a successful, cost-effective display advertising campaign.

Design a Compelling Visual

Your ad's visual design is your first opportunity to engage your audience. A poorly designed ad can turn potential customers away, while a compelling one can boost your click-through rates.

When selecting colors, you should consider the emotions you want to evoke. 

For more information, please visit advertising display solutions.

For instance, blue instills trust, while red catches the eye but can signal anger. So, align your color choices with your campaign's objectives.

Here's a list of popular colors and their meaning:

You should also focus on font selection. Pick a font that's easy to read and reflects the essence of your brand. 

For example, a playful font might work for a children's product. But it would be inappropriate for a law firm.

Incorporate your brand elements like logos and taglines in a way that complements your ad's primary message. Rather than overshadowing it.

Here are some other tips for designing a compelling visual for your display ads:

  • Visual balance: Maintain a balanced layout where text and images complement each other instead of competing for attention
  • Call to action: Make your CTA stand out, but ensure it aligns with the overall design and message of your ad
  • Consistency: Keep the design consistent with other marketing materials for brand recognition
  • Simplicity: Less is often more. Avoid clutter and focus on one primary message per ad.
  • Local elements: If your campaign targets a specific location, consider incorporating local elements or languages

Craft Effective Ad Copy and CTAs

The right ad copy and CTA can directly influence your conversion rates by engaging the viewer and guiding them through decision-making. This could mean turning a casual website visitor into a lead or long-term customer.

When crafting your ad copy, focus on the unique value proposition your product offers. It should speak directly to the pain points of the target audience.

The copy should be simple, straightforward, and clear in its message. 

Here's an example of great ad copy from Canvas Factory:

Similarly, your CTA should be a clear directive that aligns with your ad copy. 

Specific action-oriented phrases like 'Request a Demo,' 'Get a Free Quote,' or 'Learn How We Can Help' can be more effective than a generic 'Click Here.'

Here are some other tips you should follow for creating compelling ad copy and CTAs:

  • Speak to pain points: Your ad copy should address specific challenges your audience faces and how your product or service provides a solution
  • Concision is key: You have limited space in a display ad. Make every word count. Your message should be concise'yet persuasive'and align with your visual elements.
  • Create a sense of urgency: Phrases like 'Offer Ends Soon' or 'Limited Spots Available' can prompt quicker decision-making
  • Include social proof: Testimonials, ratings, or mentions from existing customers can add credibility to your ad copy
  • Consistency across channels: Ensure that the language, tone, and messaging in your display ads are consistent with your other marketing channels

Monitor and Optimize the Campaign

Continuous monitoring and optimization are essential to ensure you get the best ROI. By tracking your ad's performance, you can identify what's working and what needs tweaking.

For instance, if you notice that a particular ad is getting a lot of clicks but few conversions, it might indicate an issue with the landing page or the ad's messaging. 

On the other hand, an ad with few clicks might need a design or placement adjustment.

Most ad platforms offer built-in analytics that provide real-time data on your display ad's performance. 

Here's how the insights dashboard of Google Ads typically looks:

Image Source: Google Support

Keep an eye on your analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) like click-through rate, conversion rate, and cost per conversion. These metrics will help you understand how well your ad is performing and where you need to make adjustments.

Here are some other tips to effectively monitor and optimize your display ads:

  • Conduct A/B testing: This involves running two slightly different versions of an ad to see which one gets better results. It helps you understand what elements are resonating with your audience.
  • Refine your targeting: If you're not seeing the expected engagement, you may need to adjust who you're targeting. Look at metrics like audience demographics and behavior to make more informed decisions.
  • Check your landing pages: Make sure the landing page your ad directs to is doing its job. It should be user-friendly and aligned with the ad's message to encourage conversions.
  • Do cost analysis: Regularly review your spending to ensure you're getting good value for your investment. If certain ads are draining your budget but not delivering results, it might be time to pause or adjust them.

Ready to Launch Your Display Ad Campaign?

Display ads can deliver excellent results.

But only if you can plan and execute the campaign properly. 

And for that, you need the right tools that help you understand your audience, competitors, and market well.

For example, to generate multiple branded and conversion-focused ad creatives in a matter of minutes, take a look at AdCreative.ai. 

In addition, check out AdClarity to analyze and understand your competitors' display ad strategies.

Mastering What is Display Advertising: Your Ultimate Guide

Display advertising has come a long way since October 27, , when the first banner ad promoting AT&T appeared on HotWired:

Here's what a typical display ad looks like today:

However, it's not just the appearance of display ads that has changed'the frequency with which users see display advertising has exponentially increased over the years.

A recent experiment by The Drum suggests that an average user living in the US sees around 93 display ads per day.

That's overwhelming, to say the least, and probably the reason why, according to recent data, 530 million people use Adblock software on their mobile devices, and 290 million people use Adblock software on their desktop browsers. These numbers have seen a significant increase since :

Some reasons why users opt to use Adblock software include the threat of malware, interruption, slow website loading time, too many ads on too many web pages, and tracking by unknown parties.

Does this mean there's no point in creating display advertising campaigns because even if your ad gets through to users, they'll likely have banner blindness and won't react to it?

Well, quite the contrary. When you create display ads that target the right audience with the right message, you can significantly increase brand awareness and your ROAS.

So, what exactly is display advertising, and how do you create ads that work? Let's find out.

Increase your display advertising ROI with personalized landing page experiences for each ad group.

Boost ad ROI

What is display advertising?

Display advertising is a type of online advertising that features text, images, animation, videos, and other creative elements to promote a product or service. Placed on third-party websites, social media platforms, or within various apps, display ads urge consumers to click through to a landing page and take action (subscribe to a newsletter, make a purchase, etc.)

Display ad costs differ, but what makes them cost-effective is how flexible they are. Unlike traditional ads, where you can't tweak visuals, calls to action (CTAs), or messages once the campaign starts running, display advertising is dynamic, meaning advertisers can adjust things on the go. This flexibility helps brands optimize their campaigns and get the most out of their budget.

Digital advertising market share

Research suggests that the global display advertising market will reach 292.7 billion U.S. dollars by .

Several factors are driving the display ad market growth, including:

  • High demand for digital advertising
  • Better internet access and connectivity
  • The increasing use of mobile devices
  • Growing ad spend by brands
  • Increased automation of advertising platforms

Why marketers prefer display advertising over search ads

Marketers lean towards choosing display advertising over search ads for various reasons, and the decision largely depends on the objectives of a marketing campaign.

Here are some reasons why you, as a marketer, might prioritize display advertising:Marketers lean towards choosing display advertising over search ads for various reasons, and the decision largely depends on the objectives of a marketing campaign. Here are some reasons why you, as a marketer, might prioritize display advertising:

    1. Brand visibility and awareness: Display ads have proven to be more efficient for elevating brand visibility, allowing you to showcase a brand, product, or service to a broader audience, even if users are not actively searching for related terms.

    Third-party cookies contribute to boosting brand visibility, as advertisers have been using them to better understand consumer behavior and preferences by tracking user online activities across various websites. However, starting Q1 , Google Chrome and other browsers will begin phasing out third-party cookies in order to better protect user privacy, but display ads will still work, just a bit differently.

    2. Visual appeal: Display ads seize attention with striking graphics and elements, which is especially beneficial for products or services that thrive on a visually impactful presentation.

    3. Robust targeting options: With a wide range of targeting options, display ads allow you to hone in on specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This precision targeting is invaluable for campaigns demanding a nuanced approach to connecting with a particular audience.

    4. Content promotion: In content marketing, display advertising is excellent for drawing attention to valuable content, serving as one the best ways to promote blog posts, articles, and other content pieces.

    5. Rich media formats: Display ads are a canvas for rich media formats featuring interactive elements, animations, and videos. This flexibility empowers marketers to craft dynamic and immersive ad experiences, particularly effective for specific products or services.

    6. Retargeting options: With retargeting ad campaigns, you can reignite the interest of potential customers who've previously visited your website but didn't make a purchase and nudge them toward conversions.>

    7. Top-of-the-funnel engagement: Display and search advertising can work as complementary tools within a digital marketing strategy. While search ads capture users actively searching for specific products or information, display ads are more suitable for introducing the brand to potential customers.

It's important to note that the choice between display and search ads often depends on the specific campaign objectives, target audience, and the nature of the products or services promoted. Many successful digital marketing strategies combine display and search advertising to maximize reach and effectiveness.

Why is display advertising important?

Imagine this: someone has just learned about your products or services. Now, think of a strategically placed display ad as a friendly reminder nudging them to consider making a purchase.

In fact, display ads are capable of so much more than that:

  • Display advertising caters to the people who already know about you and lets you reach out to new audiences who have yet to discover what you offer.
  • Display advertising offers a targeted approach by giving you a lot of choices in who sees your ads. It's not about reaching everyone. It's about reaching the right people. With display advertising, you're in the driver's seat, deciding who sees your ads and who doesn't.
  • Display advertising lets you choose who sees your ads based on topics, interests, where the ads appear, the context, people's demographics, or specific details about your custom audience. You can tailor your targeting to align with your marketing goals, reaching those who fit your ideal audience or reconnecting with past customers and visitors.

By taking advantage of the diverse targeting options in display advertising, you increase the chances of reaching people eager to purchase with a higher likelihood of turning those prospects into customers and boosting conversion rates.

Programmatic display advertising

Programmatic display advertising, also known as 'programmatic marketing' or 'programmatic media buying,' is the method of purchasing ad space through software and leveraging intricate algorithms for targeted ad delivery.

Now, let's clarify the difference between programmatic and display ads. In simple terms, 'programmatic' refers to the way you buy ads, while 'display' refers to the format of how ads look. The key difference lies in the purchasing process and the ability to buy ads across various platforms.

Display ads are often associated with placing ads within a specific ad network, like the Google Display Network. Programmatic advertising takes it up a notch, as it operates across multiple platforms, including supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-side platforms (DSPs), allowing advertisers to buy ad inventory across an open network of platforms.

With programmatic display ads, marketers have control over critical aspects such as audience targeting, bidding strategy, budget, creative content, and ad placements. It's like navigating the advertising waves precisely, ensuring your message reaches the right audience in a suitable format across diverse platforms.

Types of display ads

You can advertise the following types of display ads:

1. Banner ads

Banner ads are the most common type of display ads that appear at the top, bottom, or sides of a webpage. They are static images designed to grab attention and encourage clicks.

2. Interstitial ads

Interstitial ads show up as web pages before you go to the webpage or app you wanted to access in the first place. In the example below, you can see how it looks before you open a webpage on a desktop and mobile:

3. Rich media ads

These ads incorporate video, audio, animations, and fillable or clickable elements, such as lead forms, to serve the purpose of lead generation. There are three main types of rich media ads:

  • In-page ads show up on a specific ad placement within the webpage
  • In-stream ads are video ads that appear before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after (post-roll) video content
  • Out-of-page ads are usually initiated by user behavior, for instance, pop-up and expandable ads

4. Native ads

Native advertising refers to a form of advertising that attempts to match the surrounding content on a website to make the message more easily consumable by the users of that website. Native ads appear in-feed and are non-disruptive, like suggested posts on Facebook or promoted posts on Twitter.

5. Video ads

Video ads use moving images and sound to convey a message. They can roll before, during, or after online video content, within social media feeds, or on websites. Video ads are effective for conveying stories and capturing attention.

6. Social media ads

Social media ads appear on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, and Pinterest. They can take various forms, including image ads, carousel ads, slideshow ads, and video ads. As a part of social media advertising strategy, this type of advertising offers extensive targeting capabilities, allowing you to reach potential customers based on their geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics/traits.

7. Search ads

Search engine advertising is a type of advertising that appears at the top or bottom of search engine results pages. Search ads are typically text-based and triggered by specific keywords. You can bid on keywords to have your ads displayed when users search for relevant terms.

8. Affiliate marketing banners

These banners are part of affiliate marketing programs where businesses pay affiliates a commission for driving traffic or sales through the affiliate's marketing efforts. Affiliate marketing banners often contain unique tracking links to monitor conversions.

Why you should include display ads in your marketing campaigns

As mentioned earlier, display ads offer a quicker return on ad spend (ROAS) as they appear on publisher websites immediately after a campaign launch. This is in contrast to SEO, where establishing authority is necessary before appearing in search results.

Running both short-term and long-term ad campaigns enables your business to optimize conversions over an extended period. Once your marketing materials are part of an ad network, targeting and reach become seamless. Take the Google Display Network, for instance'it has the capacity to display your ads on numerous websites visited by your target audience, especially if you carefully selected the right keywords during the campaign launch.

Moreover, display advertising networks offer tools for precise monitoring, refining, and scaling of your campaigns. Using advertising platforms, marketers can identify which assets generate the most impressions, clicks, and conversions'valuable insights that may enhance other marketing efforts as well.

What's the difference between display ads and banner ads?

Display advertising is an umbrella term representing the big family of digital ads that comes in all shapes and sizes, including banner ads, video ads, pop-up ads, and many more.

Banner ads are rectangular ads you often see at the top, bottom, or sides of a webpage. Today, we usually refer to these as leaderboard ads.

Sometimes, people use the terms 'banner ads' and 'display ads' interchangeably when discussing display marketing. This could be because, back in the day, display ads were often banners at the top of a website.

To sum up, all banner ads are display ads, but not every display ad is a banner ad.

Why are display ads essential for remarketing?

Remarketing or retargeting allows you to keep your brand in front of your potential customers after they have left your website without performing an action'persuading them to reconsider your offer when they need it.

Remarketing involves showing ads to prospects based on their behavior on your web pages to guide them through your marketing funnel. The process is enabled by cookie-based pixels that track your prospects' internet browsing behavior after they abandon your website.

Remarketing display ads help call back lost visitors by showing them relevant ads to products/services they showed interest in while on your webpage.

The buyer journey is no longer linear. In fact, it looks like this:

Remarketing display ads help you highlight your value proposition for your target audiences who have steered away from your website'persuading them to revisit your offer when they believe they need it.

There are two types of remarketing campaigns:

  1. Pixel-based remarketing works with the help of a JavaScript code that's placed on your website or landing page. After the pixel is attached, whenever a visitor comes to your website or landing page, the pixel drops an anonymous browser cookie that helps you track their online activities and show relevant display ads at the right time. Take note: starting Q1 , Google Chrome and other browsers will begin phasing out third-party cookies in order to better protect user privacy. Google will propose new functionality for cookies to continue supporting legitimate use cases while preserving user privacy.
  2. List-based remarketing shows ads to your existing customers to retarget specific ads at them.

Your remarketing display ad campaigns should have the following two goals depending on where the user is in their buying cycle/journey:

  1. Awareness: The campaigns are meant for the top-of-the-funnel users'visitors who have had little interaction with your brand. Awareness campaigns inform visitors about your product features and other announcements. You can run awareness campaigns as a forerunner for your conversion campaigns.
  2. Conversion: The campaigns are meant for the middle-of-the-funnel users'visitors who are more familiar with your brand and its products or services. They could sign up for a free trial, download an ebook, or watch a webinar but still haven't bought your product or service. So, you want them to click on a relevant display ad, direct them to a dedicated landing page, and convince them to do so.

Whether you choose to run awareness campaigns or conversion campaigns, the key to creating remarketing display ads that work lies with audience segmentation.

Segment your audience based on the following:

  1. Behavior: There are two types of behaviors a visitor can showcase when they're on your website ' not Interested (the visitors spend less than a few seconds on your website, don't go to any other page on your site, and immediately exit), and Interested (the visitors browse through the website content, maybe even click through to other pages like the resources page, pricing page, or the about us section). Serve remarketing ads to Interested visitors with high intent.
  2. Time: Time segmentation involves taking care of three things:
    • The time duration between the visitor's website visit and when you show them the first display ad
    • The frequency with which visitors see ads
    • The time duration between the visitor's first visit to the website and the time when they stop seeing remarketing ads
  3. Existing customers: Show your display ads to customers who aren't that active on your platform. The new feature update might convince them to become more active.

Depending on your advertising platform, your remarketing display ads can have multiple formats. However, the components of an optimized remarketing ad essentially remain the same.

Optimized remarketing display ads

Optimizing remarketing display ads involves creating ads that have the following components:

  • A persuasive headline: The ad headline should be relevant to the visitors' experience on your website and must be written to make it stand out.
  • Relevant, visually appealing media: Your display ad media should be relevant to the offer presented in your ad copy and must look visually appealing. Be sure to use the branding colors you know the visitor saw on your website to make an instant visual connection.
  • A relevant CTA button: Design the CTA button in a contrasting color and add relevant copy.
  • Actionable copy: Display ads have limited characters; ad copy that gets to the point immediately and incentivizes visitors to click will likely get you more clicks.

This remarketing display ad has a persuasive discount offer and a call to action:

If you want your target audience to continue the journey with your brand beyond the remarketing ad click, always connect your ads to relevant landing pages. How you optimize the landing page for your display ads and what components all post-display ad click landing pages must have is what we'll discuss in the next section.

Why connecting display ads to relevant landing pages is important

Optimizing your display ads with the right components gets you an ad click. The prospect of reaching your target audience by clicking your ads is exciting, it's true. However, the customer journey doesn't end with the ad click; it is just the beginning.

To ensure that users still want to avail of your offer after clicking the ad, you must connect all your display ads with relevant landing pages.

What is a landing page?

A landing page is exactly what its name suggests'it's the experience that occurs immediately after a user clicks an ad. You can optimize the landing page by connecting all your ads to landing pages that have the following two attributes:

1. Message match

Message match refers to the process of matching the content of an ad to the content of a landing page to make the user aware that they have landed on a relevant page.

When you create an ad and landing page that maintains a message match, you reassure the user that the page they've come to is the one the ad CTA button promised to bring them to.

The display ad and epam landing page maintain a message match. The ad copy talks about future-forward IT services, and the landing page follows through with the same message:

In addition to message match, maintaining a conversion ratio of 1:1 is also very important for an optimized landing page.

1:1 conversion ratio

Conversion ratio refers to the number of places to click on a webpage compared to the number of conversion goals presented on the page. A proper landing page is standalone, separated from your main website's navigation. The purpose of this page is to promote a single offer, so it should always maintain a 1:1 conversion ratio.

The only clickable link on an optimized landing page is the CTA button. Suppose your landing page has other off-page navigation links. In that case, you are essentially going against the very definition of a landing page, which minimizes your chances of getting visitors to fulfill the conversion goal.

The Active Campaign display ad and landing page maintain message match:

Pair all your display ads with relevant, optimized landing pages to convince visitors to continue their journey with your brand beyond the ad click.

Display advertising allows you to use images and other rich media types to create ads that have the visual appeal to attract new customers and call back potential customers who have lost their way. When you create optimized display ads and connect them to relevant landing pages, you increase the chances of getting an ad click and a CTA button click.

Create optimized landing pages for your display ads today with Instapage.

Sign up for the Instapage 14-day free trial and use the industry's most sophisticated landing page platform with advanced testing and analytics capabilities.

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