Display advertising is everywhere. Have you ever seen an ad for a tent after Googling “camping locations near me?” A display ad is the box or banner on a website that often distinctly stands out from the rest of the site. Sometimes referred to as banner advertising, this type of digital marketing for small businesses is a visual-based form of advertising that uses imagery, animations, logos, videos, and more to communicate a message.
Unlike text-based advertising, display ads are found on apps, websites, and social media platforms – not in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). The first-ever display ad appeared on HotWired, an online digital publication, in 1994. AT&T paid HotWired $30,000 to place the ad on their website for three months. When consumers clicked on the mysterious banner, shown below, they were transported to an AT&T landing page to learn more about the company’s services.
Create a visual identity for your brand and strengthen consistency
One of the top benefits of display advertising is that the ads can be designed in the brand guidelines of your business. This digital marketing service allows you to use bright colors, flashy text, and even video or audio to stand out and attract consumers’ attention. By creating a captivating ad with a catchy call-to-action (CTA), your intended audience will become familiar with your branding, raising awareness and building trust.
Consider including a promo code or discount in your display ad to encourage consumers to associate your brand with value.
Due to its high reach, display advertising is also an effective way to strengthen your brand’s consistency. This type of digital marketing for small businesses is generally found on websites that potential customers visit frequently. With display advertising, you aren’t restricted by a user’s preferred social platform or email provider. Instead, your brand can reach consumers across the internet wherever they might be looking for services or recommendations.
Target and re-target your preferred audience
When integrating display advertising into your strategic marketing plan, it’s crucial to target the people most relevant to your business. This type of digital marketing allows you to place your ad in front of consumers based on which websites they visit, where they live and the places they frequent, and which demographics are most likely to be interested in your products or services.
For example, an auto parts store can target people of driving age who live in their zip code and are frequenting other auto-related websites. Targeting ensures your ad is being seen by the most relevant audience while also maximizing your return on investment.
Retargeting in display advertising involves showing display ads to consumers who have visited your website but didn’t convert into a customer the first time. Once a potential customer knows about your business, a strategically placed display ad can remind them to return and seal the deal.
Reach consumers on-the-go
An effective tactic often used in display advertising is geofencing, which involves sending ads to consumers based on their current location and real-life movements.
Geofencing allows you to set up a virtual perimeter around a geographic area, like your business’s physical location or a competitor’s. From there, you can send out ads to anyone who enters that area with their mobile device.
Display ads containing discounts and special offers are especially effective when targeting consumers based on physical location.
With geofencing through display advertising, you can demand the attention of new consumers in the area who might be looking for the products or services you provide. Or, you can entice past customers back to your business with timely offers.
Display ads partner well with other marketing strategies
While display advertising is an effective marketing method on its own, it works great when combined with other strategies, too. Pairing display advertising with other digital marketing services like search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimization (SEO) is a prime example of this.
SEO is an important marketing strategy for brands, as almost all product searches originate on search engines. But just as consumers don’t shop on only one screen, advertisers can’t rely on one channel to reach their ideal customers. While SEO and SEM may drive the majority of your online traffic, it’s important not to discredit the power of building brand awareness for your business through display advertising.
The takeaway
With the right approach, display advertising can be a powerful marketing strategy that can help your business reach the right people, with the right ad, at the right time. And, when used in conjunction with other methods, it can boost your strategic marketing plan’s effectiveness.
Whether you’re boosting your brand’s visibility to new customers or enticing repeat customers to return with targeted deals and discounts, display advertising is an effective way to reach consumers every step of the way along the customer journey.
Hyport Digital offers a variety of display advertising options that can be combined with any of our other digital marketing services to create a stronger, more effective marketing strategy. Are you ready to learn more about how display advertising could benefit your business?
Reach out to our team today!
