Banner advertisements are a very powerful way of promoting your website. The difference between well designed banners and poorly designed banners could
see your site traffic go through the roof. This article will deal with a variety of techniques which can be used to increase the number of clicks your banners receive. 

Banner advertisements are everywhere you look on the web. Internet users are bombarded with web advertising on almost every web site they visit. It is because of this that you must make your banner advertisements stand out from the others. But before you start creating a banner which will generate high click throughs, you
must first decide what this banner is aiming to do. 


You have seen all of those "Click Here To Vote For Me" links out there. Ever wanted a top site list of your own? The first and still number one FREE hosted top site lists. 

  rate this site /vote for me

Purpose of the banner: 

Banners are usually used for one of two things.
- To generate clicks and attract visitors to your site; or
- For branding purposes 

I will be dealing with the first of the two in this article. However, an article on using banner advertisements for branding purposes may come at a later time. 

Creating banners to generate more click throughs: 

Once you have chosen what you are aiming to achieve with your banner advertisement, it is time to start designing it. When designing a banner there are a
number of elements which can be included to increase the number of clicks the banner generates. 

Using prompting words: 

Using words which prompt the user to take action will have a very positive effects on the results of a banner advertisement. Words such as "Click Here", "Click to
Visit" or, "Visit Now!" are examples of such words. Using the word "Free" will also attract the visitors attention and make them more likely to click on the banner. 

Creating a sense of urgency: 

In order for the visitor to click on your banner, it must convey the message that visiting your site is more important than the information they are currently
viewing. This can be done by creating a sense of urgency in the visitor. Phrases such as "Hurry!, only while stocks last" and "Quick!, Get in before it runs
out!" are both good examples which you have most likely seen other advertisers use. 

Keep it simple:    ( KISS )

Try to keep your banners clear and simple. It is the banners job to get the visitor to click on it. It is the web sites job to provide them with information about
your products and services. Limit your banner space to techniques which will attract a click through. 


Banner formatting: 

Creating a colour scheme for your banner is very important. Choose colours which stand out and attract the visitors attention while still complementing each
other. Once you have decided on the colour scheme, make sure you keep it constant throughout the banner, especially when using animation. However, you must be careful. Make sure your key words such as "Free" and
"Click Here" stand out. 

Interactive Banners 

One technique which I am sure you have seen around the web is to make your banner look interactive. This can be done by adding buttons and objects the user is
familiar with clicking on. Banners which simulate the "Windows" environment have become quite common. 

Target your audience: 

Targeting your audience is a very important aspect of banner creation. Be sure to sit down and think about the kinds of things your target audience would be
familiar with and likely to click on. 

By incorporating some of these ideas into your banner advertisements, you could see a dramatic increase in the number of click throughs your banners receive.
Another thing to consider is that the effectiveness of banners ware out after a while. It is a good idea to create new banners every month or so.