Advertising Banner

 Many businesses use social media advertising as one of the main tools to promote their business and motivate potential customers to interact. And it's no wonder: multiple formats, visual appeal, speed of interaction, e-commerce capabilities and one-click direct purchase. But is everything as perfect as it seems at first glance? 

In addition to the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, brand marketers are increasingly talking about the concept of "banner blindness." They say that attracting the attention of the customer is increasingly difficult, and some users simply ignore banner offers. But most advertisers still overlook a crucial fact: when everything is done correctly, banners work and work very effectively!

Therefore, to create an advertising campaign that will effectively attract the attention of potential buyers, knowledge in marketing and design is required, and only the symbiosis of these areas can bring a synergistic effect. Focus more on the brand and the key message, rather than the nuances of design tricks.

Let’s analyze the process of creating an advertising campaign and banners in order to present your brand to the widest possible audience as effectively as possible. Let's break down the process step by step.

Banner design — what is it?

Web banners (banners for the site) are special digital banners that are displayed in different parts of the site page: at the top, bottom, or side. The design of web banners requires finding the perfect balance between technical capabilities and engaging potential customers.

Banner advertising is a powerful tool for companies to present their brand, products and services to their target audience. In fact, Google alone can reach up to 90% of the Internet audience, which means that marketers can advertise brands and businesses in the widest possible reach.

Why is modern design so important in 2024?

Why do we scroll past some ads while others capture our attention and stick in our memory? The key lies in how thoroughly a brand develops the elements of interaction with its audience and promotes its value proposition.

In the year 2024, running ads only is not sufficient. Otherwise, you will not be able to stand out among competitors by emphasizing advantages and features of the company. It is necessary to work not only on the visual component, but also on the marketing content. Advertising that responds to the needs and wants of the target audience, rather than simply targeting the general public, shows much higher rates of engagement and effectiveness in general. 

Design trends of 2024 include:

the increasing development of AI for searching, generating and publishing design materials of companies;

consistently high popularity of video graphics, which confidently occupies leading positions and sets popularity vectors;

nostalgia and longing for the past and the return of the "good old days" (modern interpretations of vintage styles, as well as hyper-realistic visualizations of past periods);

the return of retro fonts, but in a rethought modern interpretation;

multidimensionality instead of minimalism (the growth of the 3D elements market);

a combination of contrasting fonts (for example, legible grotesques with pixel ones) with the aim of intriguing the audience;

kinetic typography (brands will increasingly use dynamics and animation in designs);

human-centered design (more about the senses than the visual).

In addition, one of the most important factors that all marketers in the world understand is speed. It is necessary to quickly launch advertising, quickly update banners, quickly respond to changes in the preferences and needs of the target audience, quickly optimize campaigns and adjust strategies.

How to Begin Your Banner Design: Planning and Research

So, you decided to create a banner ad. Whether you want to make a brand statement to the world and create a bold design, consider choosing a minimalistic style and using simple text, utilizing banners is a powerful way to accomplish this.

But, the ideal banner is not the will of chance. Effective design requires strategic design and marketing decisions. More about them later.

Defining the audience and goals

First, you should clearly understand the purpose of the advertising campaign: why are you creating it and what goals do you hope to accomplish?

What can be the purpose of advertising?

increase brand recognition;

make rebranding and change the perception of the company in the minds of consumers;

advertise a new product or line of business;

draw an attention to a promotion or special sale;

find an audience for a new event or promote an organized event;

foster a sense of community and strengthen brand identity

increase the audience's awareness of the company's social initiatives.

Some goals are long-term, others are temporary.

Once you have a clear goal in mind, the next step is to consider your target audience. Who is your banner advertising campaign intended for? If you do not have an analysis of the brand's target audience, then immediately start doing this task. You can begin by using the "buyer persona method", which involves creating a questionnaire for your ideal customer and describe him in as much detail as possible: what this person does for a living, what interests, hobbies, field of activity, etc. In this way, you will create a prototype of a specific person who will see your ad on the other side of the screen and want to become a customer. With this information, it will be easier to create a design that is more personalized and relevant to their needs.

Detailed audience analysis will provide maximum audience engagement because the probability of a response to a relevant advertising message is much higher. Furthermore, it will also help in the creative process as it allows developing detailed concepts and ideas. This will ultimately lead to the creation of an exciting and effective banner.

Competitor research

The initial step before embarking on the creation of an advertising campaign is to analyze the efforts of competitors and colleagues in the market: what they are doing now, what advertising accents they use, which design they prefer, which audience they are targeting. This information can become an effective foundation for building a strong advertisement along with a modern visual brand style.

In order to understand what advertising activities are conducted by competitors, you can:

• analyze the company's website and social media;
• see Google search results;
• check out Facebook's Ad Library to see what banners are currently in the ad space.

Formation of a key message

The ad text should serve as a teaser for your key value proposition, enticing users to click a button to learn more or make a purchase. And only after that the audience will be able to view the main part of the content on the target page.

Answer the questions:

• what message should be conveyed to the target audience?
• how short and concise can you say it?
• what is the main content emphasis of the proposal?
• will the text be easy to read, will it convey an emotional component?
• Yes, yes, you need to develop copywriting skills and try to make the message short and bright!

Design elements: what is important to know?

Design is, of course, a creative process, but it also has inherent systematicity. There is a list of rules and features that you should take into account when designing advertising banners.

Color theory

The use of color is crucial in communicating the intended message effectively. According to research, users form an opinion about the relevance of an advertising message in 90 seconds, and some 62-90% of these opinions are based on the colors of the banner design.

While color associations are largely subjective and vary based on personal preferences, there are also common stereotypes and cultural associations tied to different colors. These associations can significantly impact the perception and effectiveness of banners.

red: passion, anger, excitement and love;

orange: playfulness, cheerfulness, energy and activity;

yellow: cheerfulness, sunlight and friendliness;

green: health, freshness, wealth, environment, growth, education and new beginnings;

blue: security, trust, clarity, maturity, calmness, intelligence, formality, refreshment, coolness and courage;

purple: luxury, royalty, extravagance, wisdom, magic, femininity and creativity;

pink: love, sweetness, femininity, youth and children;

black: exclusivity, mystery, modernity, power, prestige, luxury and officialdom;

white: purity, modernity, sterility, simplicity, honesty and innocence;

brown: nature, wood, leather, seriousness, courage, firmness and modesty;

gray: neutrality and practicality.

What colors are best for banner ads?

The answer to this question depends on the impression you want to create. Visual images play a significant role in shaping the brand's image during the implementation of the brand strategy. If your goal is to create a banner that will introduce your company to the world and enhance brand recognition, it is crucial that the design fully aligns with your brandbook and its needs.

Typography

When it comes to fonts and typography, it's crucial to keep in mind that potential clients will only take a few seconds to engage with an ad, so it is important to make the text comfortable and easy to read. It's not just the size of the font that can be a problem, it's also the style — script and italic fonts can be difficult to read, especially at a distance or during animated transitions. Here you will have to balance trends and ease of perception, but we are sure that this task can be successfully solved.

How to make typography correct?

Choose the right font: Choose a font that is easy to read, clear and matches the style and theme of the banner. You can use a larger and more expressive font for headings, and a simple and easy-to-read font for the basic text.

Use adequate font size: The font size should be large enough to be easily read on the screen. Usually, the font size for headings should be at least 36 pt, and for text — at least 16 pt.

Limit the number of fonts: Use no more than two options for the banner in order not to overload it and maintain a uniform style.

Consider the color scheme: To ensure legibility, the color of the text should contrast with the background. The color of the text should also match the corporate style of the brand or the theme of the banner.

Follow the principle of simplicity: Use short and simple phrases that are easy to read and understand for the audience. Avoid complex terms and the use of stylistic colors that hinder reading.

Check how the banner looks on different devices: Check how the banner looks on different devices and adhere to the proportions of the size of the text and graphic elements to ensure readability and quality of the visual impression.

Images and graphics

Reinforce the textual component with relevant graphics and photos that are directly related to your product. There are no definitive criteria for selecting images for advertising. But there is a golden rule: avoid using low-quality or blurry photos, even if the start of the advertising campaign depends on it. It is very easy to receive negative reviews, but it is not so easy to revive after a failed advertisement.

Can't afford professional photography? Better buy a stock photo license. 

By the way, it is not necessary to always use photos in banner advertising. A short, catchy text, perfect typography and a relevant message, even without a photo, can bring high results.

Dynamics and animation

Display networks block aggressive advertising. Well-thought-out and balanced animation can be a highly effective way to capture attention and engage your audience.

Don't let the animation distract the potential buyer from the message, instead make it an additional element that encourages them to look at the ad again.

Important! When you've created an animation, it's important to keep the weight of the saved creative as low as possible. Particularly in the case of GIF banners. It’s important to avoid slowing down the loading speed of the landing page. Optimize file formats to prevent them from slowing down user experience.

CTA (call-to-action button)

Banners should have a clear call-to-action, prompting the user to take a specific action. The most popular texts are "Learn more", "Buy", "Find out the price", or phrases aimed at encouraging people to do something here and now.

Tell your audience:

What should be done next?

Do they have to register?

How to learn more information?

How to take advantage of the offer or promotion?

Make it simple and clear in your ad. It will help not only increase clickability, but also the number of conversions.