You know why ads on the Spotify desktop client alternate between a vertical bar on the right and a horizontal banner on the bottom? It’s the change that’s important. They switch it up because human beings are better at sensing change than at noticing details.
And it’s also commonly shared know-how that changing the position of ads gets more people to notice it. Think of all the ad-supported sites you use. You can remember where the ads are located, even if you’ve never bothered to look at a single one.
Advertising and its strategies are changing rapidly in the modern world. In just 10 years, things like personal cameras and smartphones have become commonplace where they were unheard of before.
Here are some things that I’ve learned in the world of advertising strategy in the past few months:
- Don’t fool yourself into thinking that ads have no value to visitors. Not every internet user shops online, but those who do will agree with me that ads for products which you’ve been online-shopping for recently are deceptively distracting.
- Google is an advertising giant primarily because it has so much information on the typical Internet user. They know what you like and who you are. (You can examine your own interests and demographics courtesy of Google here. To make your ads more efficient, make sure you consider who your visitors are and what they’re in to.
- Poorly thought-out ad placement on top of otherwise great designs is surprisingly common the Internet. If you want good response to advertising, put as much time and effort into ad placement design as you would any other element of a well-designed page.
- Make it obvious that advertisements are advertisements, but at the same time, don’t make them stick out. Ads that look like they’re a natural part of the page are generally more effective and also more appealing to the eye.