Research shows that only 14% of internet users remembered the last advertisement they saw. More so, only a fraction of those users actually recall what the advertisement was actually about. Does this mean that banner blindness is killing paid eCommerce marketing? And if that is the case, how do we overcome banner blindness?
Of course, banner advertising has become competitive and increasingly difficult. Today, eCommerce advertisers are doing everything they can to make their ads stand out.
Then again, banner advertising has evolved and is so much more than just designing engaging advertisements. It is also about context and placement strategy. After all, you have to stand out, right?
Earlier, banner blindness was just about dedicated customers looking for products online and ignore unimportant ads. However, banner blindness has spread like an epidemic these days.
People have been conditioned to ignore traditional banner ads altogether. It’s like those ads do not exist at all.
So how do we overcome banner blindness? We’ve got the answer!
7 Strategies To Overcome Banner Blindness
#1 Utilize Targeted Content
Banner advertisements aimed at directly targeting the desired audience is one of the best strategies to overcome banner blindness.
Have you ever noticed that the corners of your screen are displaying the same products you just searched for some time ago? Well, that is remarketing as you know it!
Remarketing is one of the most effective ways to get consumers to click on your advertisements and convert those clicks into actual sales.
After all, it is difficult to not be tempted by the advertisements for the products you were searching for just a little earlier.
#2 Adopt An Appealing Design
Bright colors, bold text, quirky designs, and tag lines; all of these are a great strategy to overcome banner blindness.
They attract the user’s eye immediately and direct their attention to your advertisement. However, the trick lies in maintaining that attention once you have earned it.
Keep the text as alluring and appealing as possible. Let the user be intrigued by your tag line or the offer. Let them know just enough to be tempted to click into your ad and be directed to a specific landing page or your home page.
#3 Ad Placements
The location of your banner ad is a major factor in determining how hard you have been hit by the banner blindness epidemic.
Every webpage is different. Still, in general, different areas on any webpage get a specified share of eye traffic.
Some areas of the page might get more overall visibility but might end up getting less engagement time. The reverse is also true.
Being a gray area, larger leaderboard banners generally tend to perform better than smaller banner ads. A much bigger exposure in terms of screen space draws a lot of eyeballs to these advertisements.
#4 360-Degree Banner
360-degree ads are the rage today. After all, it is still a unique concept to engage and immerse consumers with your brand all platforms.
Real estate companies are known to make use of this concept while listing new properties. And in reality, it is worth taking a virtual tour to determine your preferences before taking the actual tour of the apartment.
#5 Making Use Of The F-Pattern
The human eye scans lines by following a pattern. The same concept works while deciding on strategies to overcome banner blindness.
As per the study conducted by Jakob Nielsen, humans tend to scan the top of a webpage from left to right while moving downwards in the same pattern.
The pattern resembles the English alphabet ‘F’ and hence known as the ‘F-pattern’. Based on this pattern, banner ads placed on the top of the page generally tend to perform well.
#6 Website Takeovers
Website takeovers, also known as homepage takeovers, are one of the new strategies being adopted to overcome banner blindness.
Although website takeovers do not fit the bill perfectly in terms of traditional banner ads, they have their advantages.
Unlike banner ads, they are not restricted by space and placement constraints. The whole webpage can be converted into an advertisement hence attracting better traffic and a greater number of eyeballs.
This strategy is being greatly implemented in the movie industry. Rather than launching a banner ad close to the launch of the movie, production houses are relying heavily on website takeovers.
The whole website translates into a much better experience for the customers ensuring better returns.
While this may seem extensive, it is surely effective. You can adopt this tactic to promote your eCommerce store or specific products that you know will have a larger appeal.
#7 AR Ads
Augmented reality ads (AR ads) are immersive. They engage customers and even aid in creating a certain level of emotional connect with the customers.
Unlike traditional banner ads, AR ads are interactive and feel lifelike. These ads even invite users and experience a virtual try-on experience.
As an eCommerce store, you should definitely explore the possibilities of AR and how it can help to offer better customer experience in addition to smart promotions.
Final Thoughts
So is banner blindness real or just a scare?
Of course, banner blindness is real but that does not mean you should give up on an effective paid marketing strategy.
Banner ads are not only cost-effective advertising channels but they also offer a lot of scope for customization and personalization.
With a combination of well thought out ads and to the point information, you can make your consumers aware of all the new information about your brand and products.
Focus on creating better ads and concentrate on what your visitors are interested in. Combine compelling content with paid strategies to overcome banner blindness and you will attract better traffic and experience better returns.
