Many display ads never seen by consumers
Although many organizations use search engine optimization to great effect, some marketers may be struggling to create successful display ads. It may be a sign that it’s time to make adjustments to Internet marketing methods.
In fact, a report from Sticky, a media technology company, found a staggering total of 77 percent of display ads are never seen by consumers. Out of display ads that were considered viewable, slightly more than half were actually seen. Sticky used an eyeball-tracking platform to test ad views. The company also found advertisers have an average of 1.7 seconds to engage people. Since the majority of ads are never viewed and marketers have such a small window to engage potential customers, they may need to adjust their display campaigns.
Reasons why ads weren’t being viewed
One of the biggest factors hurting display campaigns was where the ad was placed on the page. Placing an ad below the fold could prevent someone from seeing it. While positioning an ad at the top of the page can have a positive impact on views, this isn’t the case if website users spend most of their time scrolling. And placing an ad on either of side of the page can be ineffective if users’ screens aren’t wide enough to view the whole page at once.
Ad load times were another major reason people never saw banners. If it was too slow to load, consumers may have already navigated to a different part of the website. Too many graphics or rich media can slow load times.
How to get higher click-through rates from display ads
Display advertising is still an effective way to engage potential customers, but marketers need to be more savvy about how they reach their audience, according to IM Soup, an Internet marketing resource. In addition to the placement affecting whether ads are views, you need to consider the size, shape and color of banners. While some placements require certain sizes and shapes, the way the elements are arranged in this frame have an impact on whether a consumer chooses to click. Poor color combinations can create negative associations with the brand.
To boost click-through rates, the content in the ad needs to deliver value to viewers. The offer needs to be relevant to the target audience to drive clicks and conversions. Marketers need to know their target audience to generate more effective ads.
