What are Banners (2024)

When competition for attention is fierce, and consumers are tired of seeing ads everywhere, businesses constantly seek ways to elevate their brand visibility.

Among these tools, banners have emerged as a versatile and impactful solution.

But what exactly is a banner?

This entry delves into the world of banners, exploring their various types, benefits, and measurement methods, shedding light on how they can amplify your marketing efforts.

What Is a Banner?

Usually, a banner refers to a large, eye-catching display made of various materials such as fabric, vinyl, or paper. It typically contains text, images, and graphics and is used for advertising, promoting events, conveying messages, or enhancing brand visibility.

So, what is a banner in eCommerce, Retail, or any other online business?

In the online environment, a banner is a rectangular or square advertisem*nt placed on a website, including graphic images and text and links to the advertiser’s website or another page on the same website.

Whether we’re talking about a vinyl banner hung on a street pole, a standard banner displayed at a flea market, or a designer banner ad appearing on social media, the essence of a banner never changes.

You’re creating a visually impactful display that aims to engage viewers, tell the customer story, and create a memorable impression.

What Are Banners Used for?

The main points of banners are:

• Catching your eye
• Generating awareness
• Communicating effectively.

One primary purpose of banners is advertising.

Placed strategically in high-visibility areas, banner advertisem*nts will catch passers’ eyes and generate awareness (sometimes outrage) among potential customers.

While it’s not necessarily a topic for this article, it’s interesting to look at how banners are used offline: in trade shows, exhibitions, or conferences.

These events gather a diverse range of businesses and people looking to showcase their products, innovations, or ideas.

Banners act as attention-grabbing displays, effectively communicating key messages and attracting visitors to booths or presentations.

In such contexts, banners serve as powerful branding and informational tools.

Banners are frequently used as hero images for category pages in eCommerce websites and presentation websites – if their primary purpose is to draw attention to a specific product or service.

You could place a banner anywhere on a website. However, they’re typically located above or below the main content blocks or in the website’s sidebars.

Types of Banners

It’s a picture, right? What is there to say more about banners?

You’d be surprised.

There’s more than one type of banner in advertising, marketing, and eCommerce. Moreover, these various types have different purposes, each with unique characteristics and benefits.

Let’s look at some examples and discuss the advantages of some common types of banners:

Vinyl Banners

These represent a popular choice for outdoor advertising; their material makes it possible for vinyl banners to withstand various weather conditions.

Use a vinyl banner for advertising your business if you’re looking for durability, cost-effectiveness (an excellent solution for large-scale advertising campaigns), and insane levels of customization.

Retractable Banners

Also known as roll-up or pull-up banners, retractable banners are mobile and easy to assemble.

They’re commonly used for trade shows, conferences, and retail environments. Some of the benefits include portability, quick setup, and reusability (excellent for your budget… and the environment as well.)

Static Banners (For the Online World)

Static banners are simple image-based ads that do not contain any animation or interactive elements. They are broadly used due to their simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and impact on brand awareness.

Rich Media Banners

These are highly interactive banners featuring multimedia elements like video, audio, or interactive games. Advertisers love using them as they provide an immersive experience that encourages user interaction and engagement.

Moreover, with the ability to incorporate multimedia elements, rich media banners allow businesses to convey complex messages or narratives effectively.

Evidently, each type of banner serves a specific purpose and offers distinct advantages.

Choose the right type considering their use, environment, and the desired visual impact.

How Banners Are Measured

How do you measure a banner? Does it come with a KPI?

Surprisingly, yes.

(And no, we don’t mean taking a ruler and measuring in inches.)

To measure a banner’s impact, you typically assess its effectiveness in achieving your marketing goals. Here are some common KPIs or other metrics you could use should you ever want to measure the impact of a banner:

Impressions

A.k.a., the number of times individuals view a banner.

This metric provides an estimate of the banner’s reach and exposure.

Click-through Rate (CTR)

The CTR measures the % of times someone clicks on the ad.

It indicates the level of engagement and interest generated by the banner and can be tracked using online advertising platforms, where clicks are directly attributed to the banner.

(be mindful of the copy – sometimes you can’t tell whether someone clicked because of the banner or the text)

Conversion Rate

This metric is similar to the CTR, measuring the percentage of viewers who complete an action.

Whether buying something, signing up for a newsletter, or completing a survey, the Conversion Rate indicates a banner’s effectiveness in driving desired outcomes.

A/B Testing

Moving to a more pragmatic and scientific approach, A/B testing involves creating different banner versions and comparing their performance.

You can determine which version generates higher engagement, clicks, and conversions by presenting two to different audience segments. This method helps optimize banner design and messaging, and it’s a best practice in the eComm industry.

Social Media Metrics

Let’s remember the channel on which you’re displaying your banners.

When discussing Social Media, use metrics such as likes, shares, comments, or retweets to measure audience engagement and reach.

Thus being said, it’s important to note that the measurement approach may vary.

Everything is closely related to your specific objectives and the context of the banner campaign.

However, analyzing these metrics is a great starting point to evaluate your banner’s performance, identify areas for refinement, and make more data-driven decisions to optimize future campaigns.

Banners Examples

What we love about banners is that they beautifully combine creativity and data-driven, hard decisions. You can go wild and splurge in color, yet you need the metrics to confirm your instincts.

On the other hand, even if your numbers are spiking, you want to avoid creating boring banners that get lost in the everyday humdrum.

While that’s a story where experimentation and reiteration are the main characters, let’s look at some examples of banners you could use (should the occasion arise.)

Event Banners

Commonly, banners were first used to promote events such as concerts or festivals. Then, as the world evolved, they were used for conferences or trade shows.

Even banners should be placed in high-visibility areas, on the event venue, or along busy streets to generate awareness and attract attendees.

When designing this type of banner, use bold graphics, event details, and eye-catching visuals to emulate the event’s theme and purpose.

Retail Banners

Moving on to a more business-casual range, retail businesses often use banners to advertise sales, discounts, or new product launches.

They typically feature compelling visuals, enticing offers, and clear calls to action to drive foot traffic and increase sales.

Street Banners

A banner’s purpose isn’t limited to selling and generating revenue for a business.

Municipalities and organizations often use street banners to beautify and enhance public spaces.

They can feature local attractions, community events, or public service announcements.

While strolling down the street, you might stumble upon a banner on lampposts, light poles, or bus stations.

Online Banners

In the digital realm, banners display advertisem*nts on websites, social media platforms, or mobile apps.

These banners can be static or interactive, aiming to capture online users’ attention and direct them to a website or landing page.

Advertisers often incorporate targeted advertising techniques into their online banners to reach specific audiences.

Social Media Banners

This is a main category of online banners specifically designed for display on social media platforms.

These banners are essentially advertisem*nts presented within users’ social media feeds or on dedicated ad spaces.

Businesses strategically place captivating social media banners in users’ feeds to effectively engage their target audience, create brand awareness, and inspire desired actions.

Benefits of Using Banners

Evidently, creating a banner brings more than an hour of play for your inner child. These eye-catching displays are versatile, cost-effective, and impactful.

No wonder they’ve been used throughout the centuries for advertising, marketing, and various other purposes.

Let’s see how they can be of specific use to you at this very moment and how they contribute to brand visibility, customer engagement, and overall business success.

Increased Brand Visibility

Banners are designed to grab attention and effectively convey messages, so this one is given (provided your design is on point.)

Placing banners in strategic locations with high foot traffic or on highly visited online channels will significantly increase your brand visibility.

A well-designed and prominently displayed banner can capture the attention of prospects, making them aware of the brand and its offerings.

In turn, increased visibility generates immediate interest and creates a lasting impression. Being in your prospects’ back of mind leads to future business opportunities.

Cost-Effectiveness

Compared to other forms of advertising, banners offer a cost-effective solution.

Traditional advertising methods such as television, radio, or print media come with hefty price tags.

Banners, on the other hand, are a more affordable option while still providing a broad reach.

Plus, banners are durable and reusable. You can maximize a single investment by utilizing a banner for multiple campaigns or events.

Targeted Advertising

You can use different banners for the same campaign to tweak and adapt your messages to target specific demographics or locations.

For example, a business promoting a children’s toy can display a banner on parenting websites to target parents.

This targeted approach helps optimize advertising efforts by focusing on those most likely interested in the product or service.

Flexibility and Versatility

Banners are diverse and creative.

They come in multiple sizes, materials, and shapes, offering flexibility in design and usage.

You can tailor them to fit precise requirements, making them suitable for mixed purposes.

Whether promoting a sale, announcing an event, showcasing a new product, or providing information, a banner can and will meet your specific marketing objectives.

Their versatility allows you to use banners in diverse settings such as trade shows, conferences, retail spaces, sports events, social media, blog posts, and more. If your goal is to maintain consistent branding and messaging across various platforms, banners are the ideal choice.

Creative Branding Opportunities

Boring brands don’t stand a chance in a competitive and innovative landscape.

This is why banners are so important; they give you space for creative expression and branding opportunities.

Think about compelling visuals, captivating colors, and powerful messaging. All these features combined can effectively convey your brand personality and values.

The design of banners can incorporate your company’s logo, tagline, key selling points, or any other relevant information, helping to reinforce brand recognition.

Creative and visually appealing banners will leave a lasting impression on your target audience, enhancing brand perception and increasing engagement rates, conversions, and long-term revenue.

High Impact and Engagement

Banners have the power to capture attention and engage viewers effectively.

Their size, vibrant colors, and compelling graphics make them hard to ignore.

Well-designed banners with clear and concise messaging can communicate the desired information at a glance, impacting prospects.

Using persuasive language, bold visuals, and strong calls to action on your banners will motivate prospects to do what you want.

This ability to generate immediate engagement and response is a significant benefit of using banners as a marketing tool.

Customization and Adaptability

You can customize banners to align with specific marketing campaigns or events.

The flexibility to adapt the design, message, and placement of banners enables you to respond to changing market trends, seasons, or promotional periods.

For example, ask your designers to update a banner to reflect current sales or special offers, thus ensuring that the messaging remains relevant and timely.

With this level of adaptability and customization, you can maintain a fresh and engaging marketing presence while staying responsive to market dynamics.

Wrap Up

As you can see, the benefits of using banners are numerous and impactful.

Are banners a miraculous cure to all your awareness and visibility challenges? No.

However, they’re an important factor contributing to increased brand visibility and cost optimization while designing creative branding opportunities.

Essentially, banners provide a versatile, practical, and flexible marketing tool.

Leveraging the power of banners means enhancing your visibility, communicating effectively, and ultimately achieving your marketing objectives.

FAQs