22.5.2024
Animated banner ads can engage your audience much better than static ones.
I wrote this piece to elaborate exactly why and how you should make use of animated banner ads as there's no doubt static ads will be replaced by animated banner ads and likewise shortly.
Just think about the last time you actually paid attention to a static digital ad... Doesn't happen very often, right?
If you have any questions at all, contact me on LinkedIn through the link in the picture below!
Jacob Wolf Frandsen
CRO / Zuuvi
Quick guide:
Animated banners have emerged as a fundamental element in digital marketing, utilizing motion and storytelling to captivate audiences on different online platforms. These dynamic ads grab attention and improve message communication, proving to be a crucial asset for brands aiming to increase engagement and memory retention.
This guide explores the basics of animated display ads, evaluates the impact of animated banner ads, discusses the benefits of using an animated banner maker, examines examples of effective animated ads, and outlines how to craft animated ads that engage and persuade.
Here's an example of animations being used to perfection by Ekstra Bladet.
What are Animated Banner Ads?
Animated banner ads are dynamic, visually engaging advertisements designed to capture user attention more effectively than traditional static ads. These ads typically feature moving graphics, interactive elements, and sleek transitions and are created in animation banner makers and creators.
Benefits of Using Animated Banner Ads
The advantages of using animated banners are clear:
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Increased Engagement: It’s commonly known that movement grabs attention. An animated ad can stop scroll behavior and engage the viewer in ways static images simply cannot.
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Enhanced Storytelling: With animation, you can tell your story smoothly, making your ad more convincing and compelling which makes it easier to resonate with audiences.
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Higher Click-through Rates (CTRs): Statistics show that animated ads typically achieve higher CTRs, turning viewers into visitors and visitors into customers. Conversion, conversion, conversion.
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Improved Return on Investment (ROI): The combination of increased engagement, higher click-through rates, and enhanced branding opportunities can lead to a significant boost in ROI for animated banner ad campaigns. By effectively capturing and retaining audience attention, animated ads have the potential to drive more conversions and revenue for your business.
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Adaptability to Trends: Animated banner ads can easily adapt to current design trends and creative formats, allowing advertisers to stay relevant and innovative in their advertising campaigns. Whether it's incorporating GIFs or interactive animations, animated ads can evolve with changing consumer preferences and digital trends.
Utilizing Zuuvi’s recent data, we see a significant uptick in engagement for campaigns using animated ads, with many marketers reporting enhanced performance metrics across various industries.
Where Should You Use Animated Banner Ads?
Animated ads can be used for many different platforms. Consider where your ads would be a natural fit. Below we’ll provide you with a few examples of suitable platforms.
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Social Media: Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are ideal for animated ads, as they fit smoothly into the already dynamic content present on these platforms. These ads can appear in users' feeds, stories, or as sponsored content, providing opportunities to reach a large and engaged audience.
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Websites and Blogs: Incorporating animated ads on your website or alongside blog content can draw attention to special offers or calls to action.
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Email Campaigns: Animated banners can be used as part of a promotional email, newsletter, or as a standalone ad within the email content. They can bring life to your messages and increase the chances of clicks. Which we like. A lot.
It's important to know where your target audience spends most of their time and tailor your animated ad placements accordingly, to ensure your ads reach your potential customers. This involves efficiently guiding your audience through your marketing funnel, which you can read much more about here.
Most Performing Animated Banner Sizes and Formats
For optimal performance, these sizes and formats have been proven to perform well with animated banners:
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Leaderboard (728x90 pixels): Great for top-of-page placement.
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Half-page (300x600 pixels): Offers a lot of space for detailed animations.
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Large rectangle (336x280 pixels): Ideal for embedding within text content or at the end of articles.
Here's an example of an animated half page banner ad from SVT:
Pros and Cons of File Types for Animated Banner Ads
There are different file types that can be used for animated banners. We’ll go over some of the advantages and disadvantages of using each file type for animated ads:
HTML5
Advantages:
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Flexibility and Interactivity: Allows for complex animations and interactive elements.
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Cross-device Compatibility: Works seamlessly across desktop and mobile browsers.
Challenges:
Can Require Technical Skills: Creating HTML5 animations can require coding skills or specific software.
However, with Zuuvi, this is one of the challenges we have eliminated. You need absolutely no coding skills to produce HTML5 animated banner ads in Zuuvi.
Curious to learn more about HTML5? Click here.
MP4
Advantages:
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High-Quality Animations: Supports detailed and smooth animations. High quality is an important aspect of animated ads.
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Broad Compatibility: Well-supported on video platforms and social media.
Challenges:
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File Size: Can be larger, affecting load times and data usage - no one wants to wait for an ad to load.
AMPHTML
Advantages:
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Optimized for Mobile: Fast loading times and improved performance on mobile devices.
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Efficiency: Uses less data, which is ideal for mobile users.
Challenges:
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Creative Limitations: Not as flexible as HTML5 for complex animations.
GIF
Advantages:
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Simplicity: Easy to create and no need for special software.
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Universal Support: Works on virtually all platforms and devices.
Challenges:
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Lower Quality: Often lower resolution and limited color palette.
Best Practices When Creating Animated Banner Ads
When crafting animated banners, these are the considerations you need to make to ensure effective and captivating ad creatives.
1. Mind the Color Use
Choose colors that grab attention but importantly, remain harmonious with your brand palette. Colors are not just decoration; they create associations with your brand if used correctly and can significantly impact the effectiveness of your ads.
2. Use Eye-catching Motion
Incorporate motion that enhances the ad's message rather than distracting from it. This is one of the most important aspects of animated banner creation. Smooth animations such as looping transitions are particularly effective as they provide movement without causing distraction. Go through this guide to learn how to make looping transitions in Zuuvi!
An example of these first two points is this ad, we created:
3. Use Animation to Tell a Story
Tell a short narrative that aligns with your brand message. This can help make your ad memorable and increase the likelihood of viewer engagement, which is a key goal with your ads.
4. Highlight Key Messages
Use animations to accentuate important parts of your ad, such as the call-to-action or special offers, ensuring they stand out to the viewer.
In this ad, Ekstra Bladet tells a story of their long history through cool animations, while highlighting the CTA-button with animations. Very cool!
5. Show, Don’t Tell
Instead of relying heavily on text, use visual storytelling to demonstrate the benefits of your product or service. This approach can be more engaging and easier for the audience to understand. Also, it decreases the amount of effort the customer spends on understanding your ad, as they won’t have to read as much information.
6. Make Animation Part of Your Brand
Developing a specific animation style that becomes synonymous with your brand enhances recognition and consistency, which will increase memory retention and make your brand stay top-of-mind of your customers.
Someone who's generally known for their use of animations and have recongnizable brand colors in their ads is Telmore. See for yourself!
What to Avoid When Creating Animated Banner Ads
There are also things that can decrease the efficiency of your animated banners, and we’re here to tell you what not to do to avoid banner blindness. Check them out below:
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Overloading with Text: Keep text minimal. Let visuals and movement communicate the majority of the message.
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Clashing Colors: Use a color scheme that is pleasing to the eye and doesn't detract from the readability of the text or the clarity of the message.
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Inappropriate Animation Speeds: Ensure animations are not too fast to understand or too slow to maintain interest.
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Lack of Clear Call-to-Action: This one is important - always include a straightforward and compelling call-to-action, that makes it clear to the viewer what you want them to do.
If you master these best practices and avoid the don’ts, you should be well on your way to creating animated banner ads that makes your ad spend worth it.
Summary
Animated banner ads are a dynamic and effective tool for enhancing digital marketing campaigns. By understanding the types of animations available, the best practices for creating these ads, and the common mistakes to avoid, you can create compelling and high-converting advertising content. Animated ads not only improve engagement and retention but can also help you create a unique brand.
Remember, the key to successful animated banners lies in balancing creativity, clarity, and strategy.
You’re now ready to get started with your animated ads! Try Zuuvi out for free for 7 days right down below. Let’s elevate your ad game together.