When you’re in charge of a budding business concern, one of the toughest hurdles you’re likely to face is building a significant online presence. An online advertising campaign is one of the more common solutions around, but nevertheless, it represents a step in the right direction.

However, given the sheer number of ads displayed on various bits of online real estate, saturated users usually ignore much of the collateral they view. So, you’re going to have to come up with something truly exceptional if you want your ad to stand out amongst the clutter.

Here’s how you can create an effective banner ad that drives traffic and conversions to your web portal.

Tell Them What To Do!

A call to action is an absolute must when designing a banner ad. Every banner is intended to achieve a specific goal. Whether that means driving more traffic to your website, generating leads or increasing your sales for a specific product, all will be undone without a call to action.

The internet is rife with examples of poor advertising and vaguely phrased copy that leaves a trail of disinterested or oblivious users. Don’t let your ad be one among them. Unequivocally tell viewers to ‘Click here’ or take a similar sort of action.

A great way to attract more traffic is to give away a freebie (like a discount or a white paper) for every user that clicks; mention the freebie in your call to action.

eg: Click to download a free white paper/get a 10% discount

Minimize The File Size!

Keep the file size down to a minimum. If begin the project with your animation and design cannons blazing, limiting the file size will probably be a significant stumbling block and could potentially cause untold amounts of frustration.

But believe me, a small file will ensure that your banner loads quickly and a quick loading banner can improve your CTR in the long run. The last thing you want is a user completely missing your ad because it failed to load fast enough.

Get Your Colours Straight!

Color is one of the most important elements of banner design. Pick a selection of two or three colors that are associated with your brand or those that are likely to catch a viewer’s eye. The banner background should use a light, yet vivid shade or monochromatic combination. While you certainly shouldn’t start a rainbow riot, don’t use muted business-like tones either. The idea is to appear lively while maintaining your cool; a balancing act that can be hard to accomplish at the best of times.

Tickle & Tease!

Don’t give too much away. An effective banner ad will entice clicks by piquing a customer’s interest. Sometimes, alluding to the truth can accomplish far better results than stating it out right.

Space Things Out!

Ensure that the crux of the message is uncluttered by superfluous design elements. Whitespace is critical to being perceived as efficient and professional so don’t go crowding the banner with oodles of text and images.

Be Animated!

Animated ads are a staple of the Web 2.0 experience, lending your banner interactivity and allowing it to quickly catch the user’s eye. In fact, the best banner ads out there are interactive, so if you don’t have the resources to create an animated ad, you may have to resign yourself to diminished user attention.