Banners You Cant Ignore

Some "experts" say they don't exist. Apparently we have become so accustomed to seeing banners, we have learned to ignore them. We sub-consciously create little white blocks exactly 468x60 pixels in size that neatly fit over banners so that we no longer see them and NEVER click on them.

Of course these same experts will then tell you what, of course, you SHOULD be using. Their product.

Naturally some marketing techniques work better than others. But that doesn't mean the less effective approaches should be ignored. A balanced advertising campaign will spread itself across a variety of mediums.

But isn't it true that click-thru rates (CTR) on banners have dropped over the years?

This is difficult to ascertain and views on this are conflicting but, ultimately, CTR's on banners are irrelvant and the measure of success should not be based on this misleading statistic.

Let's say you get a 2% CTR on your banner. In other words, 2 out of every 100 views results in 2 mouse clicks.

Most would consider this to be a successful banner as most achieve considerably less than this. But how many of those "clickers" then take a genuine interest in the website they view?

Not many. Especially when you consider that the most effective banners are those that give nothing away and lure you in through sheer curiosity.

The banner has successfully achieved a good CTR, but for what purpose.

A banner with a high CTR does not automatically translate into success for your website.

The success of a banner should be judged by a different criteria. By one that cannot easily be measured.

Just for a moment, compare banners to billboard advertising.

How many times have you seen an interesting billboard and then communicated with it to learn more information.

Well, unless you're Steve Martin in LA Story, the answer is never.

How many times have you rung the phone number or written to the address printed on a billboard?

Once? Twice? Never?

In fact how many billboards do you see that actually provide you with a contact number and / or address so that you can find out more?

They exist, but are few and far between.

Does this mean that billboards are a monumental failure?

Not a bit of it. Billboard advertising is primarily about branding. About getting a product, a logo, a tv channel, a movie, absolutely anything into your brain. If you see it enough times, you will remember it.

You might not even know what it is you have seen, but you can be assured that when you see it on the supermarket shelf or in your TV guide, the billboard image will be recalled and a connection is made.

Branding isn't about CTR's, it is about visibility. It's about presence. If you're seen enough times, people will instinctively start to think that there must be something worth-while behind the advert.

At the very least, you project the image of success.

And this is important not just to draw new customers but also to keep your existing ones happy.

Think about all the billboards you see for the number one selling brand of cola. Are they looking for new business? Are they really trying to find that miniscule group of people that have yet to try their soft drink?

Not a bit of it. They are just reminding their millions of existing customers that they exist and to keep on buying their product.

So think of your banners, not as a draw to lure people to your webpage, but as an opportunity to tell the viewer that you're out there. Be sure to remember the following:

-- Colour scheme and logo. This should match your website exactly. Placed side by side, the connection between your banner and your website should be glaring.

-- Make sure the banner communicates or, at the very least, strongly hints what you are about. Luring people into clicking on your banner about traffic exchanges and then trying to sell them a car is not helpful.

-- When you create new banners, keep the style consistent. Viewers should be able to connect your banners together while still seeing something new.

Of coure if CTR's really matter to you, then this article cannot help you. Instead, you might like to try spending your hard-earned cash on one of those ebooks that teach you how to "hypnotise" your customers.

Although I can't speak for their quality. I've never brought a single one of their "mesmerising" products.

Dylan Campbell has been quietly making a living on the Internet since 2000, he has a unique, and often controversial, view of the industry.

Dylan write exclusively for the nettle ezine

house refresh service Lincolnshire ..
In The News:

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.
DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.
Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.
New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.
Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.
New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.
Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.
Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.
New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.
The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

Is Your Website Content Worth Reading or Obvious Search Engine Bait?

Webmasters are always looking for ways to increase their traffic... Read More

Restaurant Website Promotion - How to Boost Your Business Using Tested Online Marketing Tactics

Being a restaurant owner means you are always interested in... Read More

Online Advertising: Three Smart Online Advertising Secrets To Promote Your Online Business

The shortcut to succeed in business is to do what... Read More

Are You A Winner Or A Loser?

What do you do next! you have been working so... Read More

Benefits of Website Localization

Benefits of Website Localization Maximising profit today... Read More

How To Get Your Visitors To Tell A Friend

Does your website offer visitors a quick and easy way... Read More

Successful Promotion is a State of Mind

Every good marketing plan should have a section on ongoing... Read More

You?ve Created a Business Website: So Now What?

Congratulations! You and your designer have just finished creating your... Read More

To Link or Not To Link - That Is The Question

You know the drill. Everybody claims that in order to... Read More

4 Steps to a Robot?s Tea Party

Creating a new website is only the first stage in... Read More

Free Exposure and Traffic for Your Website

Most new webmasters face the same conundrum: how can I... Read More

The Power of Link Exchanges

Let's face it. Getting webmasters to link to your site... Read More

Web Site Promotion: 42 Deadly Ad Copy Sins To Avoid, To Ensure Rapid Success

Most people who are not doing well on the internet... Read More

Free Advertising and Traffic Exchanges

Reading the postings in different Newsgroups it becomes clear that... Read More

How Do I Promote My Website?

If you are a small business owner with a website,... Read More

Web Site Promotion: Use Web Site Awards To Increase Your Credibility

Web Site Awards are given from other sites to reward... Read More

Get Listed at DMOZ

When you are deciding on the major search engine directories... Read More

DMOZ - Is it Still Worth the Submission Time?

DMOZ is known all over the internet as being the... Read More

Link Cheating On The Rise

Website owners and webmasters who are trying to improve their... Read More

Promote Your Web Store

After spending substantial time and efforts the big day came... Read More

What Can You Do To Beat Your Competition?

In many cases when you start a new website you... Read More

Top 7 Ways To Promote Your Website, NOW

We will start with the best, than make our way... Read More

Youve Got A New Website, But How Do You Get Folks to Look At It?

I took a look at a new Website recently in... Read More

Make Sure The World Sees Your Website

You have spent hours creating a HTML masterpiece, you have... Read More

Branding With Banners

You might have heard that banner advertising is dead. Nothing... Read More

licensed cleaning services Lake Forest ..