With all the digital ads floating around these days, it’s hard to determine which are best both for the advertiser and for the systems that ads run on. While some ads may appear to be superior because of their advanced photography or clever logos, this doesn’t mean they are the most efficient ones out there. What is it that characterizes good-quality, technologically sound digital ads?
There are, in fact, things that you can keep in mind when creating ads. This applies to type, placement, and construction. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with these features so that you can create the best ads for your audience.
Correct use of URLs and UTMs
Ads that are placed with the right direction in mind are ones that go to the right URLs. URLs all contain UTM tracking parameters that can help guide you when you send out ads. Many ads are sent to particular sites intentionally.
This makes the advertising process more efficient for both the sender and the receiver. Popunder ads, for example, are unobtrusive yet direct. You can find the best popunder ad networks online.
Pop-up ads that are the result of cookie storage – or, even worse, malware – do not involve intentional URL direction. Therefore, they are not only a nuisance to the receiver, but can bottle up systems unnecessarily.
Creative parameters
There are specific creative parameters that ads should utilize, and many sites that include advertising have established boundaries beyond which ads cannot expand. This means several things:
- There is only a certain amount of text allowed. For example, on Facebook the limit is 20 percent text in relation to images.
- There are image standards that should be observed. Horizontal, square, and vertical images all have particular quality standards that should be met to create professional-level images.
- There are standards with regard to clarity, filter usage, positioning (upside-down or sideways images are not acceptable), and other characteristics
While not all host sites mandate all of these particulars, they are an understood standard of the industry. Ads that do not meet these standards are usually considered spam and are not useful for the sender or receiver. Mobile advertising, for example, often neglects to test these standards sufficiently and receivers consequently end up with poor-quality ads.
Targeting
Correct targeting is one of the most important features of efficient advertising. And unfortunately, this rule is not observed nearly enough in the industry. One recent study concluded that 51% of targeted advertising is incorrect across types and platforms. It is the job of the advertiser to ensure that their ads are directed towards the right audience.
This means more than just getting the URL right. Accurate targeting is the result of specific analyses, including:
- Data collection. Target audiences can be determined to a precise degree based upon the collection of user data, preferences, purchase histories, etc.
- Data analysis. Analysis takes different forms. Analysts look at the geographic locations of users, their income levels, trends in spending, and other indicators to hone their target markets.
- Personalization and placement. Data analysis can also determine user preferences with regard to personalization levels, character types, and where ads should best be placed. Display advertising, for example, needs to be placed carefully or it will result in mismatches and hurt the advertiser and the host site.
- Segmentation. Ad placement is often conducted in terms of demographic segments. Careful analysis helps to ensure that people are correctly segmented and that ads sent to particular segments are relevant and appropriate.
- Optimization. Perhaps the most critical aspect of digital advertising is the ability to track performance and make adjustments based upon the results. Inefficiently-placed ads become a burden for receivers and a waste of money for advertisers themselves.
Effective budgeting
For advertisers themselves, it is essential to create a reasonable budget for advertising. This should be the result of careful analysis, past performance, and competitor analysis. Simply spending large amounts on advertising because of an overwhelming desire to hit a target audience is foolhardy.
Advertisers should consider advertising types very carefully. Some ads, such as those on social networks, tend to be very cheap. Banner ads, on the other hand, tend to cost much more. And yet other types of ads – such as ones on social media and those sent through email – can sometimes cost nothing at all (depending on whether you use an email service).
And an additional consideration is the amount of time that ads should run. Experts recommend a minimum of five days to reach a target audience.
Who are the winners?
With all this in mind, we should return to our original question, which is which types of ads are the most efficient. While budgets and priorities do vary from company to company, overall we can say the following with confidence:
- Popunder ads can be extremely effective if targeted towards the right people. They also need to be decent-quality ads, of course, with a mind towards quality graphics, reasonable messaging towards the group(s) in question, and also timing and frequency of placement. But overall these types of ads get a very high click-through rate and end up being profitable for the businesses that use them.
- Social media ads are also a big winner for businesses. Companies that place ads on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or wherever they are deemed to be most effective can reach a lot of people if placed effectively. Marketers need to be very careful about which demographic they are shooting for, though. Social media advertising is effective because it is highly measurable, so people can easily see their ROI. It is also relatively cheap for the company.
- Pay-per-click advertising is also an easily measurable form of advertising if done right. It involves the process of “bidding” on keywords in order to get ads on particular sites. As the name suggests, the company pays for the number of people that click on their link. If people don’t click on it, the company doesn’t have to pay. In this way, it is an extremely efficient use of a company’s advertising budget.
- Email ads. Email ads are actually still quite profitable for businesses these days. Although some people might consider it out of date, email ads still manage to reach large numbers of people every day as email is something that people use on a regular basis. It needs to be targeted and unobtrusive in order to really work; people do not like being added to lists unless they explicitly agree to it. But if done correctly, it can be a winner for your company.
Consider your business goals and type
While the ideas offered here are general ones that apply most widely, every industry and business has its own individual needs. You might find that using certain ad types and platforms works best for your company based upon your target audience.
But before you make any decisions, you should thoroughly familiarize yourself with industry standards and know how they apply to you. Consciously or not, you target audience will know if you are on top of your game.
