The Biggest Reasons Why Banner Ads Still Work

The reports of banner ads' death are greatly exaggerated. Seriously, to hear half the internet tell it, we're long past checking for a pulse, we're hammering in the nails. But there's life in banners yet. No matter how mauled the medium has been recently, there's still plenty of reasons for companies to consider launching a banner campaign.

The Bad News

The numbers aren't pretty. Click through rates (CTRs) have long been the primary standard for measuring banner ad effectiveness, and they've been crashing. Back when the web was young and new, some marketers actually reported CTRs in the double digits. Now, your average ad is generally going to draw slightly less than one percent of viewers to actually click it and head to your splash page.

Consumers have become so adept at ignoring them that the term “banner blindness” has entered the trendy marketer's lexicon.

Many pundits haven't been shy about calling this a good thing. Advertising in general is rarely going to draw much praise, and banner ads are no exception. But still, the question remains: how accurate is all of this?

Beating the Average

If the average banner ad isn't worth the pixels it occupies, then the solution's clear: make an exceptional banner ad. Relatively small tweaks can have enormous impact on how many people view and are influenced by your ad.

If interactivity is high on your list, then consider running a campaign using rich media. Don't hear the term and automatically think back to the bad old “punch the monkey” days. Spammy, pointless rich media is still spammy and pointless – dream bigger. Look at campaigns like IKEA's “assemble your ad”. It's clever, non-invasive, and compelling.

Also, something to think about: mobile technology is fertile ground for banner advertisers. Even if CTRs remain relatively low, it's important to realize that CTRs aren't everything. According to some, they're not much of anything at all. Focusing instead on more concrete numbers, such as SAR (Secondary Action Rates, a measurement of how often viewers moved on to make a call, find directions, or in some way further their relationship with a brand) showed serious success from mobile-optimized banners.

But even without quibbling about statistics, there are some obvious advantages to banner advertising.

Complete Control

One of the best things about banner advertising for smaller companies is that it offers the chance to plan, run, and learn from a campaign, all while remaining in-house. Designing and placing an ad doesn't require external help or a bottomless warchest. Businesses have control over how, when, and where their ad runs.

Optimizing ads is also highly possible. A/B testing is easier than ever, given how powerful and cheap analytics suites are becoming. And any insights gained from those tests can be applied to brand promotion in general.

Banner ads are also a medium that benefits from creativity. Even a small space allows for an enormous amount of personal expression. No matter what service you offer or promotion you're running, you can craft a banner ad to fit.

Branding Advantages

Probably the pro you'll see touted most by just about all banner advocates. Banner ads don't necessarily have to be clicked to be valuable. As they're so visible, every glance you earn from a visitor represents a valuable interaction between your brand and a potential customer.

A bold, beautiful banner is more than just a promotional offer. It's a business card – make it attractive, and you're telling the world that the company behind the ad is concerned with quality and knows how to produce it. Given how much control an advertiser has over where a banner is placed, and you wind up with a targeted message, and the ability to serve it directly to your target audience.

Don't Write Banners Off Yet

Crafting the perfect banner isn't easy, but it's certainly still worthwhile. No matter how much the online advertising landscape changes, the absolute value of a branded, visual message will remain high. Taking advantage of emerging technology is important, as are all the age-old advertising virtues. Creativity, persistence, and adaptability will always come at a premium.