In the digital age, businesses must build brand awareness. It’s key to a strong industry presence. One of the best ways to achieve this is with display advertising. It is a form of online advertising that uses visual banners, images, and rich media to attract potential customers. Unlike search ads, which target active product seekers, display ads aim to create awareness. They appear on relevant websites, apps, and platforms, even when users aren’t looking for the advertised product.
This guide will cover display advertising. It will explain its benefits and how it works. It will also provide strategies to maximize brand awareness with display ads in 2024.
What Are Display Ads?
Display ads are visual ads. They appear on the web, on platforms like the Google Display Network, social media, and partner sites. They come in various formats:
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Banner ads: Rectangular ads that typically sit at the top or sides of web pages.
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Video ads: Short promotional videos embedded within websites or apps.
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Interactive rich media ads: Ads that allow users to interact, such as swiping, tapping, or scrolling.
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Responsive ads: Ads that automatically adjust size, appearance, and format to fit different devices and placements.
Display ads can build strong brand awareness. They do this by repeatedly exposing potential customers to your brand. This is done by using engaging content and effective targeting.
Why Use Display Ads for Brand Awareness?
1. Wider Audience Reach
Display ads allow you to reach a broad audience by targeting them on various websites, apps, and platforms. This broad reach ensures that your brand is seen by users who may not have come across your products through traditional search methods. For example, Google’s Display Network reaches over 90% of global internet users. It lets your brand appear on millions of websites and apps.
2. Visual Appeal
Humans process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, making display ads a highly effective way to communicate your brand’s message. Using high-quality images, videos, and interactive elements captures users’ attention. It ensures your brand makes a lasting impression.
3. Cost-Effective
Display ads are often more cost-effective compared to traditional media, such as TV or print ads. Display ads let businesses of all sizes create cost-effective, high-visibility campaigns. They offer precise targeting and bidding options.
4. Brand Recall
Repetition is key to building brand awareness. The more users see your display ads, the more they know your brand. Even if they don’t click the ad right away, the exposure helps brand recognition. That could lead to conversions later.
How Display Ads Work
Before diving into strategy, we must understand display advertising. Here’s a quick breakdown of how display ads work:
1. Targeting
Display ads allow you to target specific audiences based on demographics, behaviors, interests, and browsing history. For example:
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Demographic targeting: You can choose to show your ads to people based on age, gender, income, education level, etc.
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Interest-based targeting: This focuses on users who have shown interest in topics relevant to your business (e.g., fitness, travel, fashion).
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Behavioral targeting: This targets users based on their online behavior, such as websites visited, searches made, or purchases completed.
2. Ad Placement
Display ads can appear on a variety of platforms, including:
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Websites within the Google Display Network (GDN), which covers millions of sites across the web.
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Mobile apps where users can see ads while using their favorite applications.
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Social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter, which offer native display ads.
3. Ad Format and Design
You can create various display ads to suit your audience and placement strategy. These include static banners, animated graphics, and videos. Rich media ads, which are interactive, often engage users better than static ads.
4. Bidding and Budget
Display ads use a bidding system where you pay for impressions (CPM) or clicks (CPC). You can control your budget. Set a daily spend limit and your max bid for each impression or click. This makes it easier to manage advertising costs while maximizing reach.
Strategies for Using Display Ads to Build Brand Awareness
1. Leverage Audience Targeting
Audience targeting is key when it comes to display ads. Without proper targeting, your ads could be wasted on users who aren’t interested in your product or service. Here are some targeting strategies you can implement:
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Interest-based targeting: By showing your ads to users who have expressed interest in topics related to your industry, you increase the likelihood of reaching an audience that resonates with your brand.
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Demographic targeting: Tailoring your ads to a specific demographic, such as age, gender, or income level, allows you to focus on a more relevant audience.
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Contextual targeting: This method targets users based on the content they are viewing. For example, if you sell sports equipment, your display ads could appear on sports blogs, news websites, or fitness apps.
2. Create Compelling, Visual Ads
One of the main advantages of display advertising is the ability to use visuals to catch the audience’s attention. To create impactful display ads:
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Use high-quality images or videos that represent your brand. These could include product shots, lifestyle imagery, or behind-the-scenes videos.
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Design for clarity: Your message should be clear and concise. Too much text or visual clutter can cause users to lose interest.
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Include your logo and branding: Ensure your brand’s logo and color scheme are prominent. This enhances brand recognition even if users don’t immediately click through to your site.
3. Implement Remarketing Strategies
Remarketing is a powerful tool in display advertising. It involves targeting users who have previously visited your website but didn’t convert. Display ads remind users of your brand. They encourage them to return to your site and complete an action.
For example, a user might browse a product on your e-commerce site without making a purchase. Display ads with the same product or a related offer can help. They will increase the chances of users returning and buying.
4. Focus on Frequency
One of the goals of display advertising is to increase brand recall. To do this, you need to ensure users see your ad multiple times. However, be careful not to overdo it, as excessive repetition can annoy potential customers. Use frequency capping to control how often your ad is shown to the same user.
5. Use A/B Testing for Ad Performance
Testing different versions of your display ads can provide insights into what works best for your audience. A/B testing involves running multiple ad variations. Each has a different element, like a headline, image, or call-to-action. Then, measure which version performs better. This allows you to optimize your ad creatives for the best results.
6. Leverage Cross-Device Targeting
People switch between devices frequently during the day, so it’s important to ensure your ads can follow them across devices. Cross-device targeting shows your ads to users on any device. It works on desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. This ensures consistent brand exposure.
7. Track Performance with Metrics
To maximize your display ads, you must monitor their performance. Use the following key metrics:
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Impressions: The number of times your ad was displayed.
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Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of people who clicked on your ad after viewing it.
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Conversion rate: The percentage of users who completed a desired action (e.g., signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase) after interacting with your ad.
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Cost per click (CPC) and cost per thousand impressions (CPM): The costs associated with each ad interaction.
Use these metrics to make data-driven decisions. Optimize your display ads for better performance.
Conclusion
Display ads are an essential tool for building brand awareness in today’s digital landscape. Display ads can reach a wide audience and boost brand recognition. They do this by using targeted strategies and engaging visuals. Continuously refine your targeting, test creative elements, and monitor performance. This will maximize your display ad campaigns. With the right strategy, display ads can create lasting impressions. They can lead to future customer engagement and conversions.
In 2024, digital ads will evolve. Using display ads well can help your brand stand out from the competition.
