Banner Ad Hot Seat Part Two: Design

Earlier this week, we started our discussion of Web advertising by analyzing The Message. Today, we're going to focus more on the design of the ad. As always, I'm using as the basis for this discussion my original thoughts on Web advertising that I shared in October.

You only have a second. Use it wisely

Part of designing a good ad is knowing your place. The reader didn't come to the site looking for your ad. They came to the site to see that site's content.

Your job in designing an ad is to steal their attention.

And your best bet in doing that is a strong visual.

If you try to cram too much type into that little space, the result is a jumble of words and too little room for the visual.

And that's no way to steal eyes.

To the right are all ads that could be improved with a little editing.

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