Display advertising is a kind of online advertising that uses copy, images, and other visual elements. The terms “display ads” and “banner ads” are often used interchangeably because display ads usually were banner ads back in the day. Currently, however, display ads can come in many different formats in addition to banner ads, like video ads, interactive ads, and more. The benefits of display ads include brand awareness, visual appeal, performance tracking, and targeting capabilities.

Brand awareness: display ads expose customers to brand messages and visual elements across many touchpoints, building brand awareness.

Visual appeal: display ads can capture attention more effectively than text-based ads alone because they feature graphics and images.

Performance tracking: display ad’s performance metrics allow advertisers to monitor clicks, impressions, and conversions.

Targeting capabilities: display ad’s targeting options allow advertisers to reach different audience segments with messaging tailored to them. 

Now that you know their benefits, here are 5 ways your company can improve their display ads:

1. Make sure that the copy is readable:

In order for your display ad to be effective, your audience must be able to understand what it is trying to communicate. Therefore, all copy used in your display ad must be easy to read. Readability can be affected by font, size, and color. Some easy to read fonts are Arial, Georgia, and Helvetica. Your text should be large enough that it can easily be read on various screen sizes. Vary your font size to create a hierarchy of information. The headline should be the largest, the body text should be the smallest, and the subheadline should be in between those two sizes. The color of your copy should contrast with its background color so the copy stands out and is easy to read. Use color combinations that are visually appealing, and avoid using bright colors that are hard to read.

2. Keep things simple:

The average human attention span is 8.25 seconds. That’s not a lot of time, so your display ads need to be simple in order to quickly catch your viewer’s attention. Make sure you’re not cramming too much information into your display ad. You should also avoid adding an excess of design elements. Finally, only use one image in your display ad to keep it clean and simple.

3. Use your logo when possible:

Including your logo in display ads will improve brand recall and recognition. It will also help maintain overall brand consistency. Remember to not place your logo over an image, and make sure that your logo is cropped correctly. A logo that is too big can overwhelm the display ad, but a logo that is too small can be difficult to see. Therefore, it is important to size your logo so that it is visible without diminishing the display ad’s overall design. Position your logo so that it does not cover any important elements of the display ad, and make sure that the logo integrates smoothly with the display ad’s layout and design.

4. Create urgency for your offer:

Your display ad’s call-to-action (CTA) is what will make people click on your ad. Ensure that your audience will act fast by creating a sense of urgency for your offer. Whether your offer is only available for a limited time or if there is only a limited amount of product in stock, try to include that in your display ad. Doing so will increase the likelihood of your display ad getting clicked on. To incorporate a limited-time offer into your display ad, you can include a countdown timer or use deadline phrases like “only for a limited time” or “offer ends soon.” To incorporate a product/service’s limited availability into your ad, you can include a count of how many products/services are left or use a statement like “almost gone.”

5. Use keywords:

Choosing the correct keywords will make sure that the Display Network shows your ad to the proper audience(s). You should select between 5 and 20 keywords that are related to what you are advertising in your display ad. These keywords should be related to the websites that your customers frequently visit or use.

By making sure that the copy is readable, keeping things simple, using your logo when possible, creating urgency for your offer, and using keywords, you can significantly improve your display ads.