Display ads are really good at grabbing your attention. You’ve undoubtedly seen a display ad before; they are like billboards — but for the internet. One of the incredible benefits of display advertising is that it enables you to target your ideal customers based on their browsing behavior and other demographic data. But what makes them different from other types of ads?
When combined with other strategies, display ads can be an even bigger boost for your business! Keep reading to learn the best display advertising benefits you can use to capture attention and drive results.
What is a Display Ad?
A display ad is an advertisement that appears alongside website content. Display ads are usually displayed above or below an article or blog post. The most common type of display ad is the banner ad which appears across the top of a website. These ads are often used to promote products and services. Display ads often make use of imagery, logos, animations, buttons, rich media, videos, or other graphics to communicate a message. Unlike text-based ads, display ads show on websites, apps, and social media platforms—not in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). They help promote businesses or brands when people browse online, watch YouTube videos, check their email, or use mobile apps.
Benefits of Display Advertising
Although display ads typically have low click-through rates (CTR)–just 0.35% across all formats and platforms—their effectiveness is not easily measured by CTR alone. When other metrics are considered, display ads boost brand awareness and intent to purchase significantly.
Still not convinced? Here are five advantages of display ads that will make you reconsider.
1) They are eye-catching and visually appealing.
Display-style ads made with graphic content and designed in the style of your business or brand. With display ads, you can be as creative as possible. The use of bright colors, large text, video, audio, rich media, or even animation are all ways to make your display ads stand out. The goal is to draw viewers’ attention towards the content you want them to see and move them in the direction you want them to go.
Display ads, like paid search or pay-per-click ads, include a headline, text, and URL. However, display ads also contain some type of graphic, video, or audio element which makes them stand out. In addition, regular SEM (Search Engine Marketing) advertisements include character counts, limiting your messaging opportunity. Display ads allow for catchy messaging, plus graphics, video, and your company’s branding to stand out and attract attention.
2) They familiarize your intended audience with your brand.
While search advertising influences an audience with an intent to purchase, display advertising helps create initial interest. In fact, a recent study found that brand awareness increased by 21% in campaigns that utilized digital display ads. Display ads have a wide reach and are popular on websites that receive potential customers frequently. For example, running a campaign using the Google Display Network (GDN), which integrates your ads into carefully chosen websites, will place your ads in front of targeted audiences across the globe.
Let’s say a customer is on a website for gardening ideas. An example of a display ad that might appear is an advertisement for a garden center or landscaping supply shop. The customer may not have known about the store being advertised. They may not even be looking to make a purchase. But the ad would let them know about a nearby place to shop the next time they need gardening supplies. This shows how effective display advertising can keep your brand front of mind for potential customers and convert them when the time is right.
3) They allow for remarketing opportunities.
Remarketing allows your business to position targeted display ads in front of a defined audience that has previously visited your website as they browse elsewhere on the internet. Once a potential customer knows about your product or service, a well-placed display ad can remind them to make a purchase.
Remarketing is a smart way to connect with potential customers who may not have made an initial purchase or inquiry. There is a high degree of targeting flexibility and the Google Display Network also allows you to filter your targeting to show only on specific sites or exclude specific sites. You can even showcase display ads that include a brand message or a specific product that your potential customer viewed while on your website.
4) They give you the ability to track and monitor your ad engagement and the success of your campaign.
The Google Display Network and Facebook Advertising offer detailed reports that include which display advertisements have the most clicks and what the value is for those clicks. In addition, the GDN has what is called a view-through window, which monitors anyone who has seen your display ad in a specific time frame and whether or not they converted into a customer or lead.
GDN’s view-through window shows you if your display and video ads are contributing to conversions. Plus, the view-through window is an important tool because research has shown that an ad being seen has a greater conversion than an ad being clicked.
5) They are a less expensive advertising option.
Unlike other advertising channels such as television or radio, which require large investments in production, it’s relatively inexpensive to start running display ads. With only an image and some text, you can start creating display ad campaigns that will help you drive traffic back to your website.
Display ad pricing is inexpensive as well. Typically calculated according to “number of impressions” (with one impression equivalent to a single page view by an internet user), rates can go as low as 50 cents per one thousand impressions (CPM) for highly targeted campaigns. This means that for 50 cents, your ad can be seen 1000 times.
After discovering how beneficial display advertising can be, it’s clear that this marketing strategy is an excellent way to increase brand awareness, drive traffic back to your website, and ultimately, improve conversions. Millennium Agency offers a variety of display advertising options as part of our larger digital marketing services. Want to get in on the display advertising action? Contact us to plan your online media buying strategy today.
About Millennium Agency
Millennium Agency is a national, award-winning, digital, creative, content/PR, and video marketing firm. With offices in Boston and New Hampshire, our team unites creative branding and data analytics to accelerate our clients’ growth, while combining our clients’ vision with our marketing expertise to increase sales opportunities and drive brand success. From video advertising and web design to social media and PR, Millennium can guide your marketing efforts every step of the way. Contact the professionals at Millennium Agency to learn more!
Linda Fanaras is the President and Founder of Millennium Agency (www.mill.agency) located in Manchester, NH and Boston. She can be reached at 877-873-7445 or lfanaras@mill.agency.
