Four Tips for Better Banner Ads

The current wisdom surrounding content marketing suggests that it's important to focus on helping—create content that provides value to readers. The world of advertising should be the same. If you've noticed a decline in your banner ad clicks, or are considering using banner ads to bring more visitors to your website, here are four things you should implement in your advertising.

Provide Value

Your banner ads, like the rest of your content, should provide some kind of value to readers. If they don't, readers won't click them because there's no motivation to do so. Instead of a "buy now" type of ad, offer a free eBook or other downloadable resource. Find what your ideal clients are searching for, and fulfill that need.

Be Relevant

Going hand-in-hand with providing value, your banner ads should be relevant. It's important to determine who you're trying to connect with and what they want. Even if your ad has a great value proposition, it won't be beneficial if it isn't reaching people who will find it interesting. When you're running a targeted campaign, use any data you've collected on your webpage to determine who is visiting the site you're advertising on and why they're there.

Use the Funnel

Think about the type of audience you're attracting to your site and use your banner ads to help guide them through the funnel. When first time visitors come to your site, they may not be ready to make a commitment yet. Have a specific plan in place to nurture new visitors to your site from the exploration and research phase all the way to choosing you to represent them. By doing so, you're gently guiding them through the sales process rather than bombarding them at the beginning.

Make It Mobile-Friendly

Mobile web traffic is growing in all online categories, and if your site isn't optimized for mobile, you risk losing a lot of your traffic. A site that isn't mobile optimized will often cause more difficulties for users, as they progress through the layers. To avoid this, build a mobile-friendly site and use the calls-to-action in your content to connect with viewers.

Getting viewers to your website from your banner ads can be a challenge, especially when you're working to get your site on the first page of a Google search. To take some of the pressure off, check out Homes.com's new Local Ads. These prominent banner ads give users a valuable and relevant reason to click, and can be a great way for you to direct more traffic to your real estate website.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.