Banner blindness – what is it and how to remedy it?

Banner blindness (banner blindness) – what it is and how to remedy it

Users are able to identify and reject banner ads based on their appearance and location on the site. Advertising blindness thus becomes a kind of defense mechanism that allows them to focus on content that is relevant to them and desired by them.

As a result, banner blindness affects the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. However, banner blindness does not mean that online ads are completely useless. There are still ways to effectively reach your audience. However, this requires innovation, personalization and delivering valuable advertising content that interests users and encourages them to interact.

Personalization of ads versus websites

Personalized ads use information about viewers, such as demographics, personal information and purchasing habits. An ad is easier to see if it has a higher degree of personalization, even if it makes users uncomfortable. Personalized ads are clicked on more often than other ads. If a user is engaged in a demanding task, personalized ads get more attention than non-personalized ads.

When it comes to personalized ads, it is important to remember moderation. People with privacy concerns will avoid personalized ads, mainly because of the potential for its data to be shared with third parties. Users are more likely to accept behavioral tracking if they trust the company that allowed the ad to be displayed. 

Users do not always wish to have their behavior used to personalize ads. And while dynamic remarketing, i.e., displaying a product we’ve looked at before on a site, doesn’t seem like a pushy precedent, displaying an ad for a product we’ve just discussed with a friend can make recipients apprehensive. So be sure to regularly optimize your display campaigns

Displaying ads to users who have already made a purchase can cause them frustration. Therefore, be sure to exclude people who have converted in your remarketing lists. Depending on the type of business you have, adjust the length of time recipients stay on remarketing lists accordingly. 

Depending on where you want to display ads, they should be in the right format. You can read about display ads in the article titled. “Types of display ads in Google Ads“.

Native-advertising – comfort-browsing

Contrary to popular belief, the more prominent the ad is, contrasting with its surroundings, the higher the likelihood that the Internet user’s brain will filter out the promotional material. Ads that do not convey any specific, useful information are also particularly vulnerable to this disadvantageous phenomenon for advertisers and publishers.

Native advertising is a form of advertising that is designed to blend harmoniously into the context and appearance of the page on which it is displayed. Unlike traditional forms of advertising, native advertising is not conspicuous as a promotional element, but resembles organic content. Its goal is to provide users with a consistent and unobtrusive advertising experience. By examining the effectiveness of Google Ads, you can see which sites they display on, so you can assess the context of their placement and potential user experience.

Native ads are designed to match the aesthetics and layout of the website on which they are presented. They can take various forms, such as sponsored articles, product recommendations, recommended content or similar promotional content. Depending on the platform and context, a native ad may be labeled as an advertisement, but its design and layout are adapted to the environment to look more natural.

How do I design native advertising?”

One of the key elements of native advertising is to provide valuable and relevant content for users. Advertisers strive to create content that is interesting, educational or entertaining to capture the attention and engage the audience. Native advertising focuses on quality and context, rather than just promoting products or services.

Native advertising has many advantages. First, it can generate higher levels of user engagement because it is not seen as pushy advertising, but as part of organic content. It can also increase brand awareness and build trust if it provides valuable information. Native advertising also has the potential to achieve better click-through and conversion rates compared to traditional forms of advertising.

Transparency and honesty are key in native advertising. Labeling such ads as advertisements is important to avoid misleading users and to keep communications transparent. Users should be aware that they are a form of promotion, even if they are presented naturally and tailored to the site.

Placing ads on a page – internet users are most important

It is also important to place banner ads in the right places on the website. Users mainly focus on the top of the page, so it’s a good idea to place ads in a prominent location. It’s also worth experimenting with different banner sizes and layouts to see which ones are most effective.

Users typically read a website from the top left corner to the bottom right corner, so ads along this path may be more noticeable. Since viewers are less likely to notice something peripherally, ads on the right side of the page content will be less noticeable. Banner ads just below the navigation area may be more likely to be seen because users expect content at the top of the page.

If you are wondering where on your website users are most likely to hold their attention, or what their purchase path looks like, you can use HotJar’s tool to explore these aspects.

Banner blindness-a-animations

Users dislike animated ads because they can cause them to lose concentration. Users engaged in a specific task usually do not remember animated ads, and the task itself and its completion take more time. Because of this, they experience an increased workload. If you decide to use animated ads, use moderate animation. It can increase recognition rates. Flashy animated banner ads, on the other hand, can cause lower recognition of the ad itself and negative attitudes toward the advertiser.

Although repeated exposure to animations can have the effect of ordinary exposure. it is animations that signal the existence of ads to users and lead them to avoid them, which ultimately increases the phenomenon of ad blindness.

Video ads

Internauts find watching videos more engaging than reading texts. You can use this to your advantage and invest in video advertising This ad format used on Facebook and YouTube will increase user engagement and help you reach a wider audience.

It is usually recommended that commercial videos should not exceed 60 seconds. Longer videos can also be engaging, as long as you have a good story to tell, but it generally pays to use shorter content. Also keep in mind the quality of the video as well as the sound so that the content you provide is attractive from every possible angle.

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If you want your ads to be placed in the right places and to evoke a pleasant user experience, you can use the services of Digital Agency The agency primarily deals with the planning and implementation of online marketing activities. These may consist of brand building, search engine advertising, public relations, creating marketing communications, optimizing online campaigns or data analytics. The agency’s marketing department will assess budget allocation, recommend solutions in ppc advertising and make any changes to the website.