Ask Mr. D - Banner Ads

Dear Mr. D,

Do you think banner ads are a waste of
time? Some of my friends tell me that I
am wasting my time by using banners
and I would like to know what you think.

Just one more thing. I have found a site
where I can make my own banners for
free, but they are not the animated kind.
I have read that animated banners do
better than the others. Is this so and how
can I make animated banners.

I sure do hope you can help me.

Signed,

Banner Man
___________________

Dear Banner Man,

No, I don't think banners are a waste of
time. While banners don't enjoy the high
click-through rate they once did, they can
still be an effective marketing tool.

To be most effective, banners need to
be placed on high traffic sites that target
visitors most likely to want your type of
product or service.

Animated banners do produce higher
click-through rates than non-animated
banners. At least, that has been my
experience. The two sites I have listed
below offer free animated banners. They
are both easy to use.

Animation Online
http://www.animationonline.com

AdDesigner
http://addesigner.com/cgi-bin/samples.pl

Don't make banner ads your only marketing
effort, but only one part of your overall
marketing plan.