Display Advertising* has been around long enough to develop its own set of rules and aesthetics guidelines. Here's a little checklist of what we like to see in display ads.
Definition: (from Google AdWords) "Display includes non-text ads that use images, Flash, video and other technologies and appear alongside publisher content."
#1 Be Intriguing, Not Obtrusive: It's easy to grab attention with an ad that expands above, below or sideways , but if you're like me (and many are like me) you would navigate away from the page in a blink. A well designed ad will grab attention with a single still image, good copy and correct targeting. As always, there are exceptions. But they are rare. Everything else is just lazy design or showing off.
#2 Keep It Simple: Trying to say too many things in one small rectangle ad? Don't! Choose only the most important information.
#3 Be Targeted, But Not Creepy: People like to discover new things. Make it so they feel like they found you, not the other way around.
#4 Be Engaging: The purpose of your ad is to get at least a mental note in the viewer's head. But you should always aim at getting a click.
#5 Now Apply All of The Above To Your Landing Page!
*Display advertising includes online and offline advertising vehicles. This blog is about Online Display Advertising in the form of banner ads on websites.
