What are banner ads?
Also known as a web banner, banner ads are a type of online ad that appears on a web page. They are among the first digital ads ever published online and rely more heavily on the use of visuals than a copy. Just like other forms of online ads, banner ads take the user to an external website when clicked.
Depending on where you buy your banner ad space, you may be charged on a cost-per-mille (a.k.a. cost-per-thousand-impressions) or cost-per-click basis. The latter is the pricing model used by Google Ads, which was formerly known as AdWords.
If you wish to learn more about this topic, check out the FAQ section below:
Question #1: What are the different types of banner ads?
While banner ads are technically just a single type of ad, it comes in a variety of formats: rectangular, square, leaderboard, and skyscraper.
The beauty of having different formats for this is that it provides web developers the ability to choose one (or a combination of different ones) that works perfectly with their design. They can make their ads appear as organic or out of place as they want, depending on the effect they are looking to create.
Question #2: Where do banner ads appear?
It can appear virtually anywhere on a web page. It all depends on where the owner of the website wants them. That being said, however, different banner ad formats work best in certain sections of a web page.
For instance, skyscraper banner ads look best when placed on one side of a page instead of at the center of it. A leaderboard banner ad, on the other hand, as the name suggests, creates the most impact when placed horizontally at the top of a web page.
As for rectangular and square ads, the former looks best when placed horizontally virtually anywhere on the page, while the latter can be placed on the side, at the center, or, if the web page has product thumbnails, beside them.
Question #3: How does it work?
Banner ads work in virtually the same way as any other digital ad: they promote a product, service, or idea using attention-grabbing visuals and copy and then take any user that clicks to a web page (or entire website) dedicated to that product, service, or idea.
The Google Ads online advertising platform gives advertisers powerful targeting tools that allow them to only show their ads to prospects who are more likely to click and buy, sign up, or do whatever other action is required.
Question #4: How do I publish it?
The easiest way to publish banner ads is to use Google Ads. Aside from providing you with powerful targeting tools, as we have seen in the previous section, the platform also gives you access to Google’s powerful search and recommendation algorithm. This means you can be sure that your banner ads will be shown to the right people instead of simply broadcasting to anyone.
Question #5: What’s the difference between banner ads and pop-up ads?
The main difference between banner ads and pop-up ads is the method by which they appear on a web page.
Banner ads are ‘already’ on a web page and load along with the rest of its other elements. They are meant to be viewed as an actual part of the page. In contrast, pop-up ads, as the name suggests, pop up either after a set time or when the user performs a specific action, such as scrolling or clicking.
While pop-up ads are generally believed to be the more effective digital ad format between the two, they are also extremely polarising and can create a terrible experience for the user.