The History of Display Advertising
The first form of advertising can be traced back to Egyptian hieroglyphs that were used as a way to communicate ideas and messages. However, it was not until the 18th century when newspapers became popular that display advertising emerged as a way for businesses to promote their goods and services. In the early days of display advertising, businesses would place large ads in newspapers and other print publications. With the rise of the internet, display advertising has also evolved to include digital formats such as websites, apps, and social media platforms and other digital mediums in order to attract the audience to perform a given action. Text-based, picture, or video advertisements may be used in display advertising. The purpose is to entice the user to click on a link and complete an action. (e.g. make a purchase).
In order to succeed with display advertising, you need to know the basics of how it works and what makes a successful ad. You also need to have a plan for targeting your audience and measuring your results.
The Basics of Display Advertising
Display advertising can be a great way to reach your audience and drive traffic to your website or landing page. However, it is important to understand the basics of how it works before you start creating ads.
First, you need to create a banner ad that will be displayed on different websites or social media platforms. The ad should be eye-catching and encourage the viewer to click through to your landing page.
Next, you must identify your target audience. Display advertising is most effective when you choose a specific audience that is likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
Finally, you need to track your results. Measuring the success of your display advertising is essential in order to determine whether or not it is effective for your business. You can use a variety of tools to track your results, including website analytics tools, conversion tracking tools and advertising reporting tools.
Tips for Creating Successful Display Ads
Now that you understand the basics of display advertising, it’s time to start creating your own ads. Here are a few tips for creating successful display ads:
- Keep your message simple. Your ad should be self-explanatory and should not require any additional explanation to understand.
- Include a call-to-action. Display ads are meant to encourage the user to take action, so make sure your ad includes a compelling call to action.
- Include benefits or value propositions. Display advertising can be used to promote your product or service, so make sure to include benefits or value propositions in your ad.
- Make sure your ad looks good and engaging. The design of your ad is important, so make sure it is eye-catching and professional.
Targeting Your Audience
One of the most important aspects of display advertising is targeting the right audience that is likely to be interested in what you have to offer. Here are the number of ways to target your audience:
- By demographics: specific demographics such as age, gender, location or income level.
- By interests: people based on what attracts them and their hobbies.
- By past behaviour: ads can be targeted to people based on their past site usage, such as where they clicked and what content they viewed
- By future behaviour: ads can also be targeted to people based on their likely actions, such as when users are about to make a purchase or may need something in the near future
- By remarketing: the visitors who have already seen the website or utilized the app
- By contextual targeting: ads can be targeted to people based on the context of the page they are viewing.
Here are a few tips for measuring the success of your display advertising:
- Track website visits. Use website analytics tools to track how many people visit your site after clicking on an ad.
- Track conversions. You can track how many people take a specific action, such as filling out a contact form, scheduling an appointment or making a purchase, by using conversion tracking tools.
- Track advertising effectiveness. Use various advertising reporting tools to determine how effective your ads are at converting leads into customers.
If you’ve read this far, it means you are ready to take the next step with your display advertising. Understanding the basics of how display advertising works is an important step when it comes to building a successful campaign. Now, you can produce successful ads that generate results for your business. If you are considering taking your marketing strategy in this direction, we can help! Contact us today for more information about how our team can create ads that drive traffic and increase engagement with your target audience. We will work closely with you to make sure you have everything covered from start to finish. Which type of ad or creative idea would be best suited for your company? Let’s chat soon!
