The Appeal of Banner Advertising

Banners are right in people's faces everywhere on the Internet. Do these advertisers really think that so much exposure is eventually going to lead to product recognition or move someone to finally click on that banner? Odds are most Internet users are totally blocking out that banner and ignoring it as just static behind the scenes. Still, many Internet Marketing sources feel banners can be effective advertising tools if used correctly and in the right place.

An Internet user is most receptive to your banner and the banner's message if it's presented carefully. Positioning of the banner entails getting the viewer's attention in a positive manner instead of in an annoying way. Useful attention grabbers include animation, specific call-to-action offers, and freebies. Animation works if it isn't a bothersome distraction. Call-to-action offers include advice like "If you do this, then you can get rid of that!" Freebies work if no catch is involved or doesn't sound too good to be true. When a banner offers more than basic information, a viewer is more likely to click-through and performs the requested action.

Some critics say banner advertising is nothing more than exposure and draws in site tourists better than ready customers who are leaning toward making a purchase. Is this really the attention that the banner advertiser was seeking? Furthermore, today's Internet user is much savvier than the wave of Internet users in the '90s who didn't mind following a banner to new and exciting spots. Truth be told, today's users are more cautious and skeptical of so called "freebees" and other gimmicks.

Another reason banners fall short of their expectations is more Internet users are ignoring or blocking banners to avoid the risk of identity theft, ad ware, spy ware, and other goodies that often lurk behind the attractive banner. This skepticism is causing many website creators to find more creative ways to get across messages about their location than through banners that are perceived as destructive or invasive to one's computer.

According to some studies, a website has 8 seconds or less to seize a visitor's attention before he either decides to stick around or leave. If a banner slows down the loading time, many website owners will opt out on certain banners rather than risk loosing buying customers.

Banner advertising can bring an extra source of income to many websites if visitors click-through. However, if the banner starts to bother some visitors, many websites will stop running it. For this reason, more websites carry simple banners rather than complicated, flashy ones.

What's the appeal in an advertising campaign that uses online banners? What makes a banner effective - savvy navigators or the banner itself? The answer lies in the banner's planning. However, even the best laid out plans can be hit and miss in a very wide spread medium.