Decide What You Want to Convey

When people browse websites and see display ads, they are not necessarily looking for a specific product or service – they are most likely still in the discovery stage of the marketing funnel, searching with passive intent. Thus, the display network is ideal for creating demand for your service or product instead of answering demand like the search network. It allows you to cultivate a feeling of want and need instead of immediately capitalizing on one that already exists. Appear on popular sites among your target audience and build brand awareness before transitioning to more high-intent search engine advertising.

Awareness Campaigns

Awareness campaigns expose target audiences to unique characteristics within a brand, product, or service. Paid media advertising increases awareness in the marketplace and helps businesses distinguish themselves from competitors. Awareness ads take an educational and informative approach to create a buzz and raise interest to move target audiences along the information timeline. Therefore, awareness advertising creative tends to be very brand-specific, and the messaging is straightforward and simplistic. 

Media campaigns raise awareness by sending impressions to target audiences through a variety of delivery channels. In traditional media, awareness vehicles can take the form of television, radio, billboards, or print. Digital awareness examples would be display banners, mobile banners, paid social ads, and streaming video or radio. Clear, consistent messaging across a variety of traditional and digital media platforms gives less informed consumers a chance to gain knowledge and move towards becoming more aware of a product or service. The more educated the potential client is about the solutions offered, the more likely they will take action.

Conversion Campaigns

Conversion campaigns are different than awareness campaigns because they assume a customer has already moved across some or most of the awareness spectrum. At this point, the prospect knows there is a possible solution to the problem, might have previously heard of the advertiser’s brand, and is more likely to express interest in the promoted service or product. Media planners use a different mix of paid vehicles for conversion campaigns than campaigns used to raise awareness. Some digital conversion vehicles are lead generation, paid search such as Google ads, and retargeting. For TV or radio ads to be conversion-ready in traditional media, they must have a final call to action and a web link or phone number in the ad messaging. Conversion campaigns must generate leads that are trackable and initiate a measurable interaction between the advertiser and the prospective customer.

Choose the Right Target Audience

Where does audience targeting data come from, and how can it improve your ad campaigns? There are three types of data sets for audience targeting: first-party, second-party, and third-party data. Some are more effective than others.

First-Party Data
First-party data is data your brand has already collected. It includes information on past customers, contacts, prospects, leads, email newsletter subscribers, social media followers, or website visitors. First-party data is commonly used for audience targeting because it is unique to your business, and it is generally more precise than third-party data. First-party audiences have already shown interest in your brand, meaning these are people with a high likelihood of conversion.

Second-Party Data
Used less than first and third-party data, second-party data is first-party data from someone else. It can be shared through a partnership, bought through data exchange, or given by a contact in the industry. It is a great way to broaden your audience while maintaining exclusivity and data set quality. 

Third-Party Data
Data providers sell third-party data after it has been collected and segmented. These data sets are bought through demand-side platforms, data management platforms, or public data exchanges. Third-party data is used to scale an advertising campaign fast. While it is not as targeted as first or second-party data, third-party data allows you to reach new groups that go beyond what first-party data would allow on its own.

Use Striking Visuals That Speak to Your Brand

Hierarchy
Pay attention to your hierarchy. Banner ad design depends on the right balance within the ad. Effective banner ads are designed to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your website. They have three essential components: 

1. Your Company Logo
Vital to build brand awareness, you must include your company logo. It should be visually dominant but not take away from the call to action or value proposition. 

2. The Value Proposition
The value proposition showcases the product or service and calls attention to special offers and price discounts. It should be the first thing the viewer sees and take up the most space in the ad.

3. The Call to Action
The call to action (CTA) is the button or text that users will click. A good CTA can help with decision fatigue, give meaning to your content, and help create a meaningful sense of urgency.

Consistency
Your banner ad links to a landing page that displays the offer. The ad should match your landing page and overall branding so potential customers do not become confused.

Imagery
Select photos and graphics that are directly related to your product and help enhance your message. Avoid abstract concepts and choose original illustrations or graphics created by a designer. Remember that you don’t always have to use images in your banner ads. Attractive typography and catchy copy are equally effective. 

Colors
Color is often the first thing noticed in banner ads. Colors are subjective, so it is imperative to consider what type of emotion you want to evoke. Study your target audience when making color selections, as colors have different associations in different cultures.

Use Animation to Increase Engagement

Animated ads deliver visual appeal through movement with elements that capture viewers’ attention by engaging their interest. Advertisements in motion evoke strong feelings conveyed by an ad, inviting the viewer to be a part of the experience. We are seeing the rising trend of people preferring to consume video content over written content, and as a result, there may be a correlation with rising viewership in animated advertisements. 

Fun, fresh, and creative – animation can help simplify your message through motion instead of static text. Animated videos have proven to be a highly effective type of marketing in the digital world. They are easy to remember and are applicable to any service or product.

DemandPro Effectiveness

First-Party Data
Unlike most display providers, the solution is powered by first-party contact level data, the most accurate customer baseline. This reliable data is directly from the source and the ideal match for your target audience.

Contact Level Targeting
Influence the decision-makers and buyers within your target accounts and only pay for impressions that drive ROI.

One of a Kind Platform
Deliver ads on a platform built for B2B marketers. Use high-quality, brand-safe sites with transparent reporting to where your ads are placed, and visualize real-time buyer intent.

No Annual Contracts
Some companies are not ready to sign a contract for a 12+ month agreement. Work on a campaign-to-campaign basis, month to month, or annual, and do what works best for your organization.