Take a look at this blog by our Social Media Manager Tori Hoffman, as she talks about creating effective display ads.

It’s no secret that the Internet is the new way consumers are both researching and purchasing various items. However, the question remains, how do you ensure your product is the one being seen by consumers? The answer: clickable banner ads.

Banner ads, more commonly known as display ads, are ads that show up on various websites a business specifically targets. These can be targeted to Internet users based on location, search history or interests, as well as contextually placed (meaning the display ad is related to the content on the web page it appears next to). Say for example, you have recently read an article on a specific brand of car; a display ad relating to that vehicle may show up while reading that specific article, or my even appear at a later date.

It sounds simple enough right? But just because your banner ad shows up, does not mean users are actually clicking on it. So, how do you get those clicks? In my opinion you do this by creating display ads that are clickable. By this I mean create something that Internet users will want to click.

Currently there are various companies that are doing just that; they are creating display ads that draw people in. This can mean that they are relatable, for example it’s common knowledge that gas prices are on the rise, so why not focus on that, since consumers are actively turning towards more fuel-efficient vehicles. Or better yet, take a step out of the box and offer something different.

Nissan recently ran a campaign in Dubai aimed at ex-pats, who find it hard to purchase not only a car, but to become a homeowner in the country. The manufacturer teamed up with Dubizzle (a leading real estate website in Dubai) and combined both issues into one by creating the program “Nissan’s Househunter Test Drive”. This program allowed users who clicked on the ad to find the perfect Nissan for them based on their home, budget, neighborhood, and family size. After finding the car that is deemed right for you, the users are able to sign up for the Nissan to be brought to them for a test drive. By creating a banner ad that users in Dubai were able to find relatable, Nissan was able to promote their product, resulting in 1,200 test-drives.

Are your banner ads making the difference to consumers? Are they what we’d call clickable?