An Overview on Display Advertising

An Overview on Display Advertising

May 21, 2021

Display advertising is a powerful digital marketing strategy that involves placing ads on various websites, social media platforms, and apps to attract potential customers. These ads can take many forms, including banners, videos, and interactive content, and are designed to capture the attention of users and drive them to take action. In this comprehensive guide, we will provide an overview of display advertising, from its types and benefits to best practices and performance measurement.

1. Understanding Display Advertising

a. What is Display Advertising?

Display advertising involves the use of visually engaging ads placed on websites, social media platforms, and apps. These ads aim to attract attention, convey messages, and encourage users to take specific actions, such as clicking on the ad, visiting a website, or making a purchase (https://www.hubspot.com/display-advertising).

b. Types of Display Ads

There are several types of display ads, each serving different purposes and engaging users in unique ways:

  • Banner Ads: Static or animated images placed at various positions on a web page.
  • Video Ads: Short video clips that play before, during, or after online videos.
  • Rich Media Ads: Interactive ads that can include animations, slideshows, and other engaging elements.
  • Native Ads: Ads that blend seamlessly with the content of the website, making them less intrusive.
  • Interstitial Ads: Full-screen ads that appear at natural transition points, such as between activities or content pages (https://neilpatel.com/blog/types-of-display-ads/).

2. Benefits of Display Advertising

a. Wide Reach
  1. Audience Targeting: Display ads can reach a broad audience across various websites, apps, and social media platforms.
  2. Brand Awareness: Effective for increasing brand visibility and awareness among potential customers.
  3. Cross-Device Reach: Display ads can be shown on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, ensuring comprehensive audience coverage (https://www.hubspot.com/display-advertising-benefits).
b. Targeted Advertising
  1. Demographic Targeting: Target ads based on user demographics such as age, gender, and location.
  2. Interest Targeting: Reach users based on their interests and online behavior.
  3. Retargeting: Show ads to users who have previously visited your website or interacted with your brand (https://neilpatel.com/blog/display-advertising-targeting/).
c. Measurable Results
  1. Performance Tracking: Monitor the performance of display ads through various metrics such as impressions, clicks, and conversions.
  2. Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable insights into user behavior and ad effectiveness.
  3. ROI Measurement: Measure the return on investment (ROI) of display advertising campaigns to optimize future efforts (https://www.hubspot.com/display-advertising-measurement).

3. Setting Up a Display Advertising Campaign

a. Define Your Goals
  1. Clear Objectives: Define the primary goals of your display advertising campaign, such as brand awareness, lead generation, or sales.
  2. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Establish KPIs to measure the success of your campaign, such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per acquisition (CPA) (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/11/06/display-advertising-goals).
b. Choose the Right Platforms
  1. Google Display Network: Utilize Google’s vast network to place ads on millions of websites, apps, and videos.
  2. Social Media Platforms: Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach targeted audiences.
  3. Programmatic Advertising: Employ programmatic advertising platforms to automate the buying and placement of ads based on specific criteria (https://neilpatel.com/blog/display-advertising-platforms/).
c. Create Engaging Ads
  1. Compelling Visuals: Use high-quality images, graphics, and videos to capture attention.
  2. Clear Messaging: Ensure your ad copy is clear, concise, and aligned with your campaign goals.
  3. Call to Action (CTA): Include a strong CTA that encourages users to take the desired action, such as "Learn More," "Shop Now," or "Sign Up" (https://www.hubspot.com/display-advertising-creative).
d. Set Your Budget
  1. Determine Your Budget: Establish a budget for your display advertising campaign based on your goals and available resources.
  2. Bid Strategies: Choose appropriate bid strategies, such as cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM), or cost-per-acquisition (CPA).
  3. Budget Allocation: Allocate your budget across different platforms and ad formats to maximize reach and effectiveness (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2018/09/24/display-advertising-budget).

4. Targeting Your Audience

a. Demographic Targeting
  1. Age and Gender: Target users based on their age and gender to ensure your ads reach the right audience.
  2. Location: Use geo-targeting to show ads to users in specific locations, such as cities, regions, or countries.
  3. Language: Target users based on their preferred language to ensure your ads are understood and effective (https://neilpatel.com/blog/demographic-targeting-display-ads/).
b. Behavioral Targeting
  1. Interest-Based Targeting: Reach users based on their interests, such as hobbies, lifestyle, and preferences.
  2. Remarketing: Show ads to users who have previously visited your website or interacted with your brand.
  3. Contextual Targeting: Place ads on websites and pages that are relevant to your product or service (https://www.hubspot.com/behavioral-targeting).
c. Custom Audience Targeting
  1. Customer Lists: Upload customer lists to target ads to your existing customers.
  2. Lookalike Audiences: Create lookalike audiences to reach new users who are similar to your existing customers.
  3. Custom Intent Audiences: Target users who have shown intent to purchase by searching for related products or services (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/12/18/custom-audience-targeting).

5. Measuring and Analyzing Performance

a. Key Metrics to Track
  1. Impressions: The number of times your ad is displayed.
  2. Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of users who clicked on your ad after seeing it.
  3. Conversion Rate: The percentage of users who completed the desired action after clicking on your ad.
  4. Cost Per Click (CPC): The average cost you pay for each click on your ad.
  5. Return on Investment (ROI): The overall return on investment from your display advertising campaign (https://www.hubspot.com/display-advertising-metrics).
b. Analyzing Ad Performance
  1. Performance Reports: Use performance reports to analyze the effectiveness of your ads and identify areas for improvement.
  2. A/B Testing: Conduct A/B tests to compare different ad creatives, targeting options, and bid strategies.
  3. Optimization: Continuously optimize your ads based on performance data to improve results and achieve your campaign goals (https://neilpatel.com/blog/display-advertising-analysis/).
c. Tools and Platforms
  1. Google Analytics: Use Google Analytics to track and analyze the performance of your display ads.
  2. Ad Platform Analytics: Utilize analytics tools provided by ad platforms like Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, and LinkedIn Campaign Manager.
  3. Third-Party Tools: Consider using third-party tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or HubSpot for advanced analytics and insights (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/04/03/display-advertising-tools).

6. Best Practices for Display Advertising

a. Design Effective Ads
  1. Consistent Branding: Ensure your ads are consistent with your brand’s visual identity and messaging.
  2. High-Quality Visuals: Use high-resolution images and videos to create visually appealing ads.
  3. Clear CTA: Include a clear and compelling call to action in your ads to encourage user engagement (https://www.hubspot.com/display-advertising-design).
b. Optimize Landing Pages
  1. Relevance: Ensure your landing page is relevant to the ad and provides a seamless user experience.
  2. Mobile-Friendly: Optimize your landing page for mobile devices to accommodate all users.
  3. Fast Load Times: Improve your landing page’s load time to reduce bounce rates and improve conversions (https://neilpatel.com/blog/landing-page-optimization/).
c. Monitor and Adjust Campaigns
  1. Regular Monitoring: Continuously monitor the performance of your display ads to identify any issues or opportunities.
  2. Adjust Targeting: Refine your targeting options based on performance data to reach the most relevant audience.
  3. Update Creatives: Refresh your ad creatives regularly to avoid ad fatigue and keep your audience engaged (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/05/18/display-advertising-optimization).

Conclusion

Display advertising is a powerful tool for reaching and engaging your target audience across various digital platforms. By understanding the types and benefits of display ads, setting up effective campaigns, targeting the right audience, and continuously measuring and optimizing performance, you can achieve your marketing goals and drive business growth. Regularly monitor and adjust your strategies to stay ahead of the competition and maximize the effectiveness of your display advertising efforts.


For further assistance on setting up and optimizing display advertising for your business, consider partnering with Eastmoor Digital. Schedule a discovery call today at Eastmoor Digital Discovery Call or call us at 302-514-7003. Let our experts help you maximize the potential of display advertising to enhance your marketing strategy and achieve your business objectives.