Enhance Your Digital Marketing with Display Advertising

Author: Brooke Osmundson
Published: August 16, 2024
Reading Time: 12 minutes

Imagine browsing your favorite blog and coming across a visually captivating ad that grabs your attention without disrupting your experience. That’s the essence of display advertising.

As a digital marketing professional, you’ve likely encountered display networks within PPC advertising. But are you leveraging this powerful tool to its fullest potential?

In this guide, we’ll explore what display advertising is, the different types available, and how you can use it to elevate your brand.

What Is Display Advertising?

Display advertising is a form of online marketing that utilizes images or videos to promote your brand. It’s designed to catch the eye of potential customers as they browse the internet, use mobile apps, or engage on social media platforms.

Display ads can include various elements such as:

• Text
• Images
• Videos
• Logos

These ads aim to capture attention subtly, encouraging users to take action without interrupting their online experience. While often associated with top-of-funnel marketing, display ads are versatile and can be used throughout the entire buyer’s journey for purposes like:

• Brand awareness
• Product promotion
• Sales campaigns
• Content marketing

Types of Display Ads

Understanding the different types of display ads allows you to choose the best format for your marketing goals, maximizing engagement and conversions.

1. Responsive Display Ads:
Unique to the Google Display Network, these ads automatically adjust their size, appearance, and format to fit available ad spaces. They use machine learning to create the best combinations of provided assets like images, headlines, and logos, ensuring optimal performance across various platforms.

2. Banner Ads:
Banner ads are traditional display ads that appear on websites and apps, typically at the top, bottom, or sides of web pages. They can be static or animated, designed to catch the user’s eye without being overly intrusive.

3. Interstitial Ads:
These are full-screen ads that cover the entire screen of a webpage or app during natural transition points, such as between app screens or while waiting for content to load. Interstitial ads are highly engaging but should be used sparingly to avoid overwhelming the user.

4. Rich Media Ads:
Rich media ads offer an interactive experience by combining video, image, audio, and clickable elements. This format engages users more fully than traditional static ads.

5. Native Ads:
Designed to blend seamlessly with the content and layout of a webpage, native ads are non-disruptive and match the look and feel of surrounding content, which can lead to higher engagement rates.

6. Retargeting Ads:
These ads re-engage past visitors to your website or app who haven’t completed a desired action, like making a purchase. Retargeting ads can take the form of any display ad type and often feature dynamic content based on the user’s previous interactions.

Display Advertising vs. Search Advertising

While both display and search ads are essential to a robust digital marketing strategy, they serve different purposes:

• Targeting: Display ads target users based on demographics, interests, and browsing behavior, whereas search ads are keyword-based.
• Intent: Display ads focus on creating demand and raising awareness, while search ads capture existing demand.
• Format: Display ads are visually driven with images and videos, while search ads are text-based.
• Reach: Display ads can reach broader audiences across the web, while search ads are limited to search engine results and their partner networks.

Display Advertising Strategy

A successful display advertising campaign begins with a solid strategy. Here are the key steps:

1. Define Clear Goals:
Start by establishing your campaign objectives, whether it’s brand awareness, lead generation, or sales. Align your display ads with these goals to guide your strategy.

2. Set Your Budget, Bidding Strategy, and Audience:
Choose a budget and bid strategy that aligns with your goals, whether on a CPC (cost-per-click) or CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) basis. Refine your audience targeting based on demographics, interests, and browsing behavior.

3. Choose Ad Types, Formats, and Placements:
Select the appropriate display ad types and formats for your campaign. Use Google Ads to target specific website placements or apps, and consider using both uploaded display ads and responsive display ads for broader reach.

4. Create Compelling Ad Content:
Design visually appealing ads that capture attention and align with your brand. Test different creative elements and rotate out underperforming ones to optimize engagement.

5. Track and Optimize Performance:
Monitor your campaign’s key metrics and adjust as necessary. Allow the campaign to run for a period before making major changes, and use insights from performance data to refine your strategy.

Tools for Display Advertising

Ad Creation and Design:

• Google Web Designer: A free tool for creating HTML5 ads and motion graphics.
• Canva: User-friendly with templates for display ads.
• Bannersnack: Specializes in creating banner ads with drag-and-drop components.

Ad Analysis and Optimization:

• Google Analytics: Essential for tracking and analyzing campaign performance.
• Google Ads Performance Planner: Provides budget and bidding recommendations based on historical data.
• Hotjar: Offers insights into user behavior through heatmaps and session recordings.

Ad Management and Automation:

• Google Ads Editor: Manage multiple campaigns offline and make bulk changes.
• Optmyzr: Provides automation tools for PPC campaigns.
• Semrush: Helps with competitive analysis for display ads.

Conclusion

Display advertising is a vital component of any comprehensive digital marketing strategy. With the ability to scale and reach wide audiences, display ads can increase brand awareness, engagement, and sales. By understanding the different types, implementing effective strategies, and utilizing the right tools, you can maximize the impact of your display advertising campaigns.