Internet banner ads can be a good choice of advertising, but there is some planning involved.
Firstly I should say that the internet ad market is an ever-changing field. The facts and figures you may have heard years ago are now completely obsolete, and the notion that people will wildly click on your link the first chance they get is now ridiculous. Consumers have been flooded with ads over the years and have built up a good immunity. That doesn't necessarily mean banner ads aren't profitable. It just means you're going to have to take your time and create a strong plan before you jump into the market.
One positive banners have over other advertising outlets is it's low price. Instead of hundreds of dollars for a newspaper ad or thousands for a TV spot, banners allow you to reach potential consumers by the thousands for a few dollars. This may lead you to believe that great things can be accomplished with just a few dollars when it comes to banner ads. Unfortunately that's not true. Because it often takes people multiple viewings of your ad before they click and then possibly make a purchase or sign up for an offer, you have to saturate your market. Don't expect to see any results from an ad campaign that shows your banner a few thousand, or even a few ten thousand times. To be successful you'll have to fork over the cash and buy your ads by the bulk.
And speaking of money, you're going to have to spend some to get a quality design on your ad. Consumers are weary of the simple ads, and the more yours stands out the higher the chance people will click on it. That's why it's important to get a professional design. This service can range anywhere from $50 to $1000 dollars for each banner, with the average being about $100. Also it's recommended that you get more than one in case the public doesn't respond to a particular design. As a last resort you could always go with an amateur design, but it's going to be far less successful.
Of course millions of banner impressions and the best design in the world won't do anything if you're not presenting it to the right people. Reaching your target market is extremely important. For instance, if you run a site selling kitchen appliances it wouldn't make much sense to advertise on a heavy metal band's website. You would want to place your ads on other appliance-related sites, preferably ones that tie into the exact products you're dealing with. Ads shown only to their indented audience are always more effective.
When deciding on if you should purchase banner advertising, it's important to weigh the value of your ads. If you run a site selling high end products it might be best to look elsewhere, as banners ads usually attract casual users not necessarily looking to make a purchase. If you do get a few purchases, do the math and see if the cost of the ads is worth the amount you made on the sale. On the other hand, if you run a content site that makes it's money off of advertising or through sponsors then banner ads might benefit you greatly. The people clicking through will have a much higher chance of coming back later, and possibly telling others of your site.
While there are other methods of internet advertising available, banner ads continue to play a strong role. They're affordable, easy to make and apply, and are generally effective. If you've got some money to spend and a quality site that you think might appeal to people, I would definitely recommend purchasing some ad space and see how the public responds.
