5 Steps to More Effective Online Ads

 

1. Get to the point quickly in your online ad.

As with direct-response print ads, headlines that don't promise a clear benefit won't be effective. Why? People flipping through a magazine or newspaper don't read every ad line-by-line, word-for-word. They scan. If they aren't attracted by your benefit headline, they're not going to read further to figure out what it is you're selling. And it's the same with online ads. Don't be coy or "tease" -- your audience likely doesn't have time for that, and won't click on anything that doesn't promise a significant benefit.

2. Brand is key in an online ad.

A recent study by Starch Communications found that you have about 3 seconds to catch a viewer's interest. Their conclusion: brand should be the first thing a person sees. If you're using animated ads -- where messages and/or images rotate, be sure your brand always appears in view. For static ads, include the brand prominently. Be sure your brand is visible "at a glance".

3. Focus on the benefits.

Similar to the brand issue above, be sure your benefits come first in an animated ad. Not sure of the difference between features and benefits? Benefits focus on RESULTS and answer the questions, "What's in it for me?" and "Why should I buy YOURS?" Be sure your ad doesn't focus on describing your product or your company. (No one cares about your product or company -- they only care about what you can do for them!)

4. Be sure one image dominates.

The effectiveness of your ad is in direct proportion to the size of the largest element (as it is with a magazine or newspaper ad). Use your space wisely, by making one image dominate as a focal point. That single dominant image will help draw the eye to your ad.

5. Create significant contrast between background color and type color.

The Starch Communications study validates what Direct-Response Design guru Colin Wheildon has found from his 9 years of research: don't make your background color match your type color. Wheildon found that screens of 10% (no more) helped draw the eye to the copy. But when the screen was in the same color as the type (e.g., 10% blue screen, with 100% blue copy), comprehension went down.

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