Banner Ad
Ad Banner, Banner Advertisement, "Banner"


	dictionary . education . acronyms . start

home

Internet Marketing Reference

banner ad

Definition

A graphical web advertising unit, typically measuring 468 pixels wide and 60 pixels tall (i.e. 468x60).

Information

Love them or hate them, banner ads are one of the dominant forms of advertising online. Due to the widespread acceptance of the standard 468x60 banner ad size, buyers can easily secure placements at most sites, and publishers can accept ads from most advertisers.

Banner ads were initially judged primarily on the basis of click-through rate (CTR). In the early days of the Web, click-through rates were generally much higher than they are now, perhaps due to the novelty factor. Other causes for the decline in CTR may include technical limitations, the awkward horizontal shape, poor banner design, an excessive percentage of run-of-network buys, and accumulated bad experiences of Web surfers.

"Banners never work" is a common refrain from the anti-banner crowd. Although click-through rates have gone consistently downward, the same can be said of banner ad prices. It is still possible to achieve a click-through rate many times the industry average by combining good placement and design. Combining below-average ad rates and above-average response rates can lead to an acceptable return on investment, just as in any other advertising medium.

Online Advertising Handbook
Examples on how to increase rich media CTRs by up to 132%
Examples on how to improve the effectiveness of your ads up to 219%
116 tables and charts
30 creative samples

Landing Page Handbook
Real case studies showing up to 55% conversion rate increase
Research data, comparison stats & case studies
114 landing page samples
54 stat and data charts