Avoiding Banner Blindness on Your Website

Ron Daly, DigitalMailer
October 5, 2007 | COMMENTS

Today's e-marketers have another issue to contend with: “banner blindness.” New research shows that consumers have come to ignore most banner ads, mentally blocking them out. Like TV and radio commercials before them, banner ads have to work harder to grab attention in today's crowded web space. Smart e-marketers are taking note . . . and taking action.

Researchers first identified the term “banner blindness” in the late 1990s, referring to website viewers' tendency to focus on page content and not accompanying banner ads. Early studies also showed viewers' recall and recognition of banner ads to be lower when they were looking for specific information online, as opposed to when they were just browsing websites.

A more recent finding by the Nielsen/Norman Group, which studied eye movements and mouse clicks of website viewers, showed that many avoid viewing banner ads altogether. They tend to view a web page by simply glancing at the top of the page before settling into the center, where primary information is placed. Some reasons for overlooking banners may be time constraints—viewers don't have time to digest complex branding messages, they may have had unfavorable experiences with banner ads in the past or they equate them with “pop-up” messages. Whatever the reason, the tendency for “banner blindness” has many companies rethinking—but not abandoning—their banner ad strategy.

According to eMarketer, display ads in 2006 accounted for more than 20 percent of overall U.S. online ad spending. As many businesses today continue to incorporate banner ads in their marketing activities, DigitalMailer is seeing credit unions create more eye-appealing ads by using interactive technology, or by enhancing the design and content of ads using clear and simple messages.

The strategy is working for Northwest Federal Credit Union ($1.5 billion in assets) in Herndon , Virginia , according to web developer Sandy McDonnell, who oversaw the credit union's redesign this past May.

“We used banner ads before, but they were too many, too static, and too few people clicked on them,” said McDonnell. “Now, we have one banner placement, positioned in the bottom half of the home web page, which rotates every 15 seconds among six different ads.”

At NWFCU, a typical banner ad line-up might include an employment ad, a mortgage promotion, an anniversary contest, and announcements of special events like financial-planning seminars and Shred-It Day.

“Our new approach keeps the ads simple and consistent—each has a header, an image and a call-to/click-though line,” said McDonnell. “We've had great response from members and measured many more hits. Our banners get the most hits the first three days of the month,” she said.

To help your website's banner ads grab the most attention, consider the following tips:

• Design for attention . When creating banner ads, remember that they first need to capture the viewer's attention. Keep the message simple, using clever, attention-getting copy and design elements. Your message to “sell” should be secondary.

• Incorporate FREE if possible . It is said that the most powerful word in advertising is “free.” Effective banner ads often include free give away items related to the focus of the business—this can create an indirect reminder the “for profit” products and services available from your company.

• Keep it interactive . Some of the most effective ad designs incorporate rolling-message banners that include interactive elements and calls for action. Give your website viewers a link to follow or a “click-through” opportunity in the ad.

• Consider placement carefully. Although studies show the top margin of websites may not be the best location for banner ads, you should positioned ads within the first screen shot if possible. It's best to avoid placing ads where viewers need to scroll down to view them.

• Use the home page . Position your banner ads on your website's home page where they're easy to find. Not only does this help viewers navigate your site, it drives click-through to key pages with product details, pricing and “closing tools.”

• Make changes often . Recall and response rates tend to drop quickly after three or four impressions of the same ad, so be sure your banner ad program includes changing ads frequently. Even if the featured product or service stays the same, vary the ad's look and feel. Viewers to your website will take greater notice of banner ads when messages and designs are changed regularly.

Ron Daly is president of DigitalMailer. Contact him at rdaly@digitalmailer.com or 703-733-0339 ext. 102.