When you think of digital advertising, a Facebook ad may come to mind. However, there are many platforms for online marketing that rarely get the spotlight. One that is lesser known, but seen everywhere, is display and it boasts a variety of benefits.

Display works by using an image or a slideshow of images to promote your business on websites and apps.

When clicked on, the display advert takes the user to your website or wherever you want to direct people to. Display follows a target user’s search patterns, meaning your ad could appear on websites such as Sky Sports, Forbes, The Guardian and a variety of mobile apps if that’s what your target audience is viewing.

This method of advertising has many benefits:

• Brand awareness. The main purpose of display advertising is to visually increase brand awareness online, and it’s incredibly good at it too. According to WordStream, 90% of global internet users are reached by display advertising. Website or app users see a snapshot of who you are and what you do, without even having to search for you. This creates a substantial amount of exposure and reach, reinforcing brand identity by making it easier for potential users to recognise and remember your business.

• Cost effective. As a form of advertising, display can be very efficient with various pricing models and metrics. These variations mean that ads are paid for based on an action such as clicks or impressions and involve much less guesswork. For example, if no one clicks on your ad then you don’t have to pay anything. Don’t worry though, if you get lots of clicks a budget cap can be put in place so you can control how much you spend. Display is ideal for advertising in a small island like Guernsey, as it can easily reach the whole island while using very little budget.

• Targeted advertising. Display advertising can reach audience demographics, interests, behaviours and locations specific or relevant to your customer base through precise targeting. Display allows for ads to be shown based on browsing behaviour, such as websites visited, searches conducted, and content consumed. By utilising targeting, adverts for your business can reach the right people at the right time.

• Engaging formats. Another benefit of display advertising is its versatile nature. Display allows for dynamic and adaptable advertising by using engaging formats. For example, animated banners attract attention by incorporating moving text, images and transitions. This makes it much more likely for a user to click through to find out more about your service or product.

• Supporting other content. Display advertising works well to coincide with multi-platform marketing strategies by conveying a shorter, visual-focused version of an advert that may already be on social media or YouTube. This can be used to drive traffic to a landing page which is already being promoted on other platforms, essentially helping to create a big multi-platform push towards a specific product or service.

Display advertising is a powerful tool. It puts your advert right in front of your target audience, increasing the chances for interaction and conversion by guiding the user from initial awareness to a final action.

To utilise the benefits of display advertising, get in touch with Clicksmith today.