Popunder or Banner Ads: Which advertising format should be chosen in 2021?
There are now several advertising strategies and formats that are effective enough to appeal to Millennials and Gen Z without annoying them. And what about the “oldies” among ad units? Do popunder ads still dominate the market? Are banner ads capable of making good ROI? Which format is better for advertisers and publishers, popunder or banner ads? This is put under the microscope in this informative guide.
Want to launch a successful ad campaign but not sure whether to go for popunder or banner ads? This post will help you decide.
What are display banner ads?
A banner ad is a rectangular, image-based content displayed on a web page to promote a product, service or brand to web users.
Also known as web ads, banner ads can be static .png or .jpg images or animated Flash multimedia. Banners have been around for quite some time and can be found on many websites because they generate enough clicks and are easy to create.
Monezilla provides banners that fit desktop and mobile screens: 468×60, 728×90, 320×50, 800×440, 300×250, 160×300, 160×600
Advantages of banner ads for advertisers and publishers
Attract attention
One of the most basic advantages of this form of advertising is that the ad content is not difficult to spot. Every internet user already sees them on almost every page they visit.
So with the right design and strategy, banner ads can drive massive traffic, especially when delivered to the right audience.
Easy to create
Another important reason why you should opt for banners is that they are easy to create. Using an image makes it easy to convey so much information to the viewer at a glance. What’s even more interesting is that you can easily design your banner ads using tools like Canva, Google Web Designer, Fotor, and Pixl.
You can also create multiple designs, each to suit the target audience. This works better than reusing the same content for different groups of people.
Familiar to users
These ads are some of the oldest ad formats in use. How can this argument help? It means that boomers and even millennials are pretty used to seeing them. While it might be detrimental in some ways, it’s still a trusted approach to building user reach and brand awareness.
Some experts suggest that visitors don’t mind banners as much as they do other ad formats.
Cost-effective for advertisers. Profitable for publishers
With many competing ad formats (such as in-page push or Social Bar), banners remain one of the most affordable advertising options. Advertisers still rely on them to run global-scale campaigns. Low CPMs may be good news for merchants, but what about publishers? They benefit, too. Even with discretionary payouts, they enjoy a nearly 100 percent fill rate with ads that consistently bring in predictable revenue.
Cost-effective for advertisers. Profitable for publishers.
Display banner ads are the most transparent ad formats and make it easy for potential customers to engage with them. When targeted to a specific audience, banners tend to achieve a high CTR. They also have a pervasive reach and an average high viewability.
Targeting on web pages
People browse the web on all kinds of devices, from mobile phones to tablets to desktop computers. Banners are easy to adapt to your website’s responsive design. Regardless of what device your potential customers are browsing on, they can enjoy their experience on your website and hopefully click on the ad.
Using an appropriate ad format gives you an edge and increases the chances of potential customers/clients clicking on your ad. There are various formats available, but for a wide reach and sure results, you can use our custom ad formats here at Monezilla.
Disadvantages of advertising banners for advertisers and publishers
Ad blindness
One of the main disadvantages of ad banners also comes with an advantage: They are widely used. And as a result, users have become too accustomed to them. So much so that the campaigns hardly attract attention anymore; they can be easily ignored.
Banners are also subject to Adblock
As more sophisticated ad blocking tools are developed from time to time, it becomes harder and harder for banners to escape Adblock.
Dynamic banner ads can irritate users
Most advertisers and publishers use dynamic banners to grab viewers’ attention with flashing or moving ads. On one hand, this may be a step in the right direction, but it could also irritate potential customers.
What are pop-up and popunder ads?
A popunder ad appears in a new window or tab behind your current browser window. They work like a coupon at the bottom of a shopping bag in a regular store. On the other hand, a pop-up ad is an interface that suddenly appears to a viewer during their session on a website.
Both popups and popunders contain information designed to elicit an action from the web user, which can range from making a purchase to booking a service with the advertiser.
Popunders, however, are different from popup ads; the latter format is much more intrusive as it appears in front of the web user’s open pages. Popunders are subtle and delicate, which makes them a very effective advertising format.
Benefits of popunder ads for advertisers and publishers.
Dynamic banner ads could irritate users
Speaking of great user experience, Popunder ads are great for digital marketing practices without pushing your brand, services, or practices down your audience’s throat because they open in a new tab or window.
They generate massive views and traffic
Popunders seem to go unnoticed, but they have been shown to generate just as much traffic and conversion as popups, especially on tablets and desktop devices. Thanks to their productivity, the demand for popunder ads is growing rapidly in 2021.
Popunders are immune to adblockers
If you’re looking for an ad type with high adblock immunity, popunders are your best bet. They don’t trigger ad blocking tools or appear on the user’s current page.
No page format restrictions
A common obstacle with other ad formats is that they are restricted in design. Essentially, the advertiser must overlook the offer with a short headline and image. On the other hand, publishers have to find ad space to place banners. With popunders, neither the former nor the latter have these problems.
Advertisers have the entire page at their disposal to make their ads as inviting and compelling as possible. Publishers don’t have to redesign web pages, remove important content, and smash UX.
Popunders are great for retargeting
This format is great for retargeting. You can use this ad type to deliver all the necessary details, enticing offers, etc. You can’t show most of this information to users when they first encounter your ad.
Thus, popunders increase your chances of attracting customers who haven’t converted or reminding your existing viewers about new updates that might make them patronize you even more.
Main disadvantages of Popunder ads for advertisers and publishers.
Not the best format for mobile devices
A major setback with this style of ad is that most mobile users find them annoying. But despite this and the fact that they usually cost more, many reports show that they are still a wise investment when appropriately targeted to relevant pages.
Ads can be disabled
Although immune to most adblock tools, there is a setting in browsers that allows users to automatically close new windows. This drastically limits the reach of pop-under ads.
Poor user behavior with poor design
Mobile users are always looking for quick information when browsing, so they may lack the patience to scroll through open tabs. If they encounter another popunder, they’re more likely to close the tab … unless the ad captivates, excites and offers real value. Not all advertisers are willing to produce a full-page ad that will be that compelling.
How to advertise with banners: tips for advertisers.
- When it comes to banners, it’s best to consult your account manager. The oldest industry format has many hidden dangers. Your manager knows all the dos and don’ts about banners for your industry and especially for your offer.
- Think of multiple banner designs; you will need to change them throughout your campaign as users tend to get bored of the same ads.
- Use contrasting colors for background and headlines.
- Choose different banner sizes for A/B testing and carefully adapt your design to each size.
- Use clear CTAs that provide value. Avoid boring phrases like “Learn more” or “View all items.”
- Create a sense of urgency. Use the FOMO effect along with scarcity and exclusivity accents.
- Monetizing with banner ads: tips for publishers
Combine multiple banner sizes on a website to increase your profits.
- Don’t oversaturate your website with banners. If you place too many, the banners will become annoying and users will ignore them along with your website.
- Build stable quality traffic, as advertisers value conversions, not just impressions and clicks.
- Maximize ad revenue for a given session by linking your blog pages together so users browse as much web content as possible.
Popunders or banner ads? Which would you choose? Pop ads and banners are two of the most effective ad formats widely used in digital marketing.