It really depends on the type of campaign it is. Typically, the only banners that I see as really effective at driving traffic are highly interactive. However, in some cases, if you’ve got an interactive site with a strong pull, whether that be information or entertainment, they will act as a “media multiplier” in which case banners are a great investment since they’re relatively inexpensive in terms of CPM.
In general, however, unless a brand has a ridiculously simple and effective hook, I don’t put much stock in banners. Sometimes a roadblock can get my attention, but in general, I barely even notice them anymore.
Everyone agrees, including myself, that Banner ads are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, but I can’t deny the fact that they always will be a great ‘visibility enhancer’. If you need to boost your brand or you’re launching a new product (as we are in the form of CampaignerPro) and just want to get out there and in the faces of your target audience, they’re a simple, cheap and relatively effective way to build your brand. Lower your expectations of banner ads a bit and you might be pleasantly surprised by what they can drive.
On that note, thanks to Ken at One Degree for letting us sponsor the month of September with our banner ads – and I can’t help but mention that when you have a highly-specific audience like One Degree, and sponsoring means being the sole advertiser on the site (as is the case here), banner ads can take on a whole different meaning. Thanks again Ken!
My pleasure Jonathan!
In fact my concerns about sites cluttered with random, unconnected, irrelevant ads was exactly why I decided that One Degree sponsorships would be exclusive for a period of time so that all visual ads belong to one advertiser at a time – effectively you “own” the site. I think that is much more impactful then miscellaneous banners strewn across the web.
But maybe that’s just me, and hence this question.
As some of the above responses state, there are instances where certain campaigns, initiatives or other conditions warrant the strong consideration and use of banner advertising.
Perhaps I’m on the wrong side of things, but I think it’s also very important to consider the site the banners are appearing on. Some sites have tried to grab every last bit of monetization out of a site by selling loads of real estate to the highest bidders. Other sites intentionally limit this, because of the saturation issue stated.
With any site, there is a hypothetical (and unfortunately ever-changing) forumla that determines the highest return for monetization, and often, only the short-term view prevails because it’s hard to turn away fists of money in your face. Recognizing the long-term value in both readers and advertisers and working to achieve the goals of both seems to be a better way to progress.
I do work for a site that sells advertising, and I’d like to think we limit the amount of advertising so our remaining messages (advertising or editorial) are more powerful. As with all, though, we’re not perfect, but recognizing the hazards is at least a step forward.
It really depends on the type of campaign it is. Typically, the only banners that I see as really effective at driving traffic are highly interactive. However, in some cases, if you’ve got an interactive site with a strong pull, whether that be information or entertainment, they will act as a “media multiplier” in which case banners are a great investment since they’re relatively inexpensive in terms of CPM.
In general, however, unless a brand has a ridiculously simple and effective hook, I don’t put much stock in banners. Sometimes a roadblock can get my attention, but in general, I barely even notice them anymore.
Everyone agrees, including myself, that Banner ads are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, but I can’t deny the fact that they always will be a great ‘visibility enhancer’. If you need to boost your brand or you’re launching a new product (as we are in the form of CampaignerPro) and just want to get out there and in the faces of your target audience, they’re a simple, cheap and relatively effective way to build your brand. Lower your expectations of banner ads a bit and you might be pleasantly surprised by what they can drive.
On that note, thanks to Ken at One Degree for letting us sponsor the month of September with our banner ads – and I can’t help but mention that when you have a highly-specific audience like One Degree, and sponsoring means being the sole advertiser on the site (as is the case here), banner ads can take on a whole different meaning. Thanks again Ken!
My pleasure Jonathan!
In fact my concerns about sites cluttered with random, unconnected, irrelevant ads was exactly why I decided that One Degree sponsorships would be exclusive for a period of time so that all visual ads belong to one advertiser at a time – effectively you “own” the site. I think that is much more impactful then miscellaneous banners strewn across the web.
But maybe that’s just me, and hence this question.
As some of the above responses state, there are instances where certain campaigns, initiatives or other conditions warrant the strong consideration and use of banner advertising.
Perhaps I’m on the wrong side of things, but I think it’s also very important to consider the site the banners are appearing on. Some sites have tried to grab every last bit of monetization out of a site by selling loads of real estate to the highest bidders. Other sites intentionally limit this, because of the saturation issue stated.
With any site, there is a hypothetical (and unfortunately ever-changing) forumla that determines the highest return for monetization, and often, only the short-term view prevails because it’s hard to turn away fists of money in your face. Recognizing the long-term value in both readers and advertisers and working to achieve the goals of both seems to be a better way to progress.
I do work for a site that sells advertising, and I’d like to think we limit the amount of advertising so our remaining messages (advertising or editorial) are more powerful. As with all, though, we’re not perfect, but recognizing the hazards is at least a step forward.