Creating a successful banner ad requires careful consideration of several factors. From choosing the right size and placement to selecting the right colors and file formats, there are many elements that go into making an effective banner ad. To ensure your banner ad stands out and captures the attention of viewers, it is important to understand the basics of banner design and how to optimize it for maximum visibility. When it comes to size, the most effective standard banner sizes are typically 468 x 60 pixels, 728 x 90 pixels, 300 x 250 pixels, and 160 x 600 pixels.
It is important to place your banners correctly on the page so that they are visible and not blocked by other elements. People's eyes are naturally drawn to a subject within a frame, so it is important to create an effective frame for your banner ad. This can be done by ensuring that the graphics extend to the edges of the box. If the ad is white, it is common practice to place a 1-pixel gray border around the ad.
In terms of file size, it is important to keep it as small as possible - less than 150 kb according to Google Adwords. This is because your ad must load quickly on a page so that viewers will not scroll down and miss it. JPG, PNG, GIF or HTML5 files are all suitable formats for banner ads. The designer will typically work in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to deliver JPG, PNG, or GIF files, or in Google Web Designer or Adobe Animate for HTML5 files.
Choosing a color scheme that helps your banner stand out is not the only thing you need to consider when designing your banner ad. Color is also essential in conveying the right message - one study found that people form an opinion about people and products in 90 seconds, and 62-90 percent of that opinion is based solely on colors. When creating a graphic for your banner ad, make sure you save it as a vector file. Doing so ensures that the image does not lose clarity when zoomed in.
If you use a photograph or any type of raster image, including JPG, TIF and other common file types, make sure the file is not compressed and save it with an output resolution of between 100 and 200 dots per inch (DPI) at full image size. It is also important to use a printer that prints your banner in high resolution - for example, at Speedpro we often print images at 720 DPI, resulting in an impressively sharp image. When creating your banner ad, it is important to consider your audience and what message you want them to take away from it. Make sure that the text of your banners is always simple, concise and clear so that anyone looking at your banners can read and understand the message you are sending. Animation can also be used in banner ads - nowadays HTML5 should be used instead of Flash ads which are now out of date. Google Web Designer or Adobe Animate can be used for this purpose.
For static ads, there are some “new Photoshop tricks” which can be used to make them look sharp - such as creating 100% 300 dpi images. When creating a successful banner ad campaign, it is important to remember that there are many elements which need to be taken into consideration - from choosing the right size and placement to selecting the right colors and file formats. It is also important to consider your audience when designing your banner ad - make sure that the text is simple and clear so that anyone looking at your banners can read and understand the message you are sending.
