On most every web page we are confronted with advertisements. I am so familiar with their presence now that I’ve gotten into the habit of ignoring them, or mostly just skimming over their contents and features. Intrusive, busy, and, for lack of a better word, annoying ads include all of the pop ads that suddenly appear on your screen, ads that appear in a browser window, ads that immediately start playing sound, and ads that prevent you from getting to the home page of a site first. I don’t like to get interrupted while I’m trying to accomplish something, but I’ve noticed that those bright and flashy pop-up ads aren’t as frequent as they once were. The styles of the advertisements I now see have become more attractive and more targeted to my likes and tastes. Those ads that are simple and tasteful: those are the ones I actually pay attention to.
When it comes to banner advertising, simplicity is very important. While on the Internet, we’re already being bombarded with innumerous amounts of information and don’t want to get overwhelmed with more. There is already text, pictures, sounds, and more on a web page, so those creating banner ads have to create something that will win in the competition for a user’s attention and where their ad will not get drowned in all the clutter. I personally look at banner ads that don’t look like the “typical” online advertisement.
Attractiveness in advertising encompasses clearness and simplicity, and by implementing this style, I believe ads will be more effectively utilized by appealing to the user’s first impression. Targeting the ad to a desirable audience is also important because it will build more interest within the users for the ad. Attractive branding should be used to make the ad stand out from other banner ads, and should also inform users of the company that is being presented to them. Simple graphics, the right text, and a professional design will drive users to investigate more, which is very important in regards to the click through rates. When an ad looks professional and trustworthy, users will believe that the information the ad is offering is also professional, and they will be encouraged to explore more.