This may sound like the latest and greatest trend in marketing, but display advertising is also known by a more familiar name; banner ads. Since the first one appeared in 1994, the size, shape, use, and frequency that people see banner ads has changed quite a bit. Statistics show that the average internet user sees 63 different ads per day, and that is by design.
Simply put, display advertising is the use of images or videos on publisher websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Display Network. The ads are placed on relevant third-party websites to reach a target audience that has a better chance of converting into clicks and purchases. Display ads is an umbrella term that can be broken down into three subcategories:
Display ads give you a chance to get your products and offers in front of your target audience in a wide variety of formats. They also have the chance to appear in front of millions of users around the world. Display ads are targeted, strategic advertisements, not a blanket ad that costs a lot of money where the audience most likely will not convert into sales. This is mainly because the wrong people are more likely to see a blanket ad. Conversion rates on display ads are higher because the user that sees it is in the market for the product on the ad.
Because of the nature of the ad, they demand the user’s attention. A banner ad that slides in to redirect the user to another page requires the person to click on it. When they attempt to minimize the ad, they are forced to look at it. Just looking at the ad may make a user decide it’s a good deal being offered and they might click on it, which could convert into a sale. Ultimately, display advertising has a better return on investment and can stretch a marketing budget much further.