Most consumers see some form of digital display advertising every time they go onto a site.

It doesn’t matter if you are scrolling through your social media feed or shopping online. Maybe you’re listening to music or watching the news on your i-phone.  During your session, a display banner may appear in sight. The banner might be displayed on the top, bottom, or side of your screen.

You may notice this and totally disregard it. Or, you’re curious and click through to the landing page. Maybe you accidentally click in.

Did you notice that the moment you leave or close a specific page and open a new one you start seeing an ad that was exactly what you were looking for?  And, you start to see it multiple times.

It may seem scary, perhaps an infringement on privacy. However, all the statistics show it impacts our purchasing habits. And, bottom line, it works.

What is digital display advertising?

Digital display advertising is a form of advertising that utilizes custom or branded images to reach a specific audience. These ads are also known as “internet banners”. They typically use photos, videos and graphics to attract users to click and be taken to a landing page.

In this case, digital marketers utilize the concept of display ads for 3 reasons.  First, to increase brand awareness. Second, to reconnect with users who have visited their website.  Last, to expand the recall of their ad versus the competition.

The Way It Works

The idea behind display advertisements is to use engaging ways of interacting with potential buyers other than text ads.

The concept is targeting specific users who possess similar interests in your product or service, the likelihood of them visiting your site to take action such as filling out a form or making a purchase increases dramatically.

Example

A user is searching for a riding lawn mower but the next day is scanning a home goods site. They may then be served an ad on the home goods site for ‘John Deer’.

Another user is searching for a Henkel knife. The next day they are looking online for recipes. They will see an ad for knives on the recipe site.

There are thousands of sites and apps that accept and feature these ads. One of the best known networks is the Google Display Network.

Results

According to MarketingLand’s research, responsive digital display advertising can give a marketing campaign a big lift in response. Their study showed:

• 10 % increase in click-through rate.
• 59 % increasein conversion rate.
• 19 % decrease in cost-per-acquisition.

That is because responsive display ads keep the consumer in mind by its adaptive and personalized approach.

You may completely disregard banners online or pay attention to them every so often. It’s a matter of how relevant and eye-catching the ads are to you. The right ad at the right time is far from easy. However, by testing, you can figure out your winning combination.

Using Digital Display Advertising as a Component of a Direct Marketing Campaign

Marketers know that branding and name recognition are a factor of repetition. Our message becomes more important the more frequently someone hears or sees it.  And, in today’s multi-channel world, the consumer needs to see our message in multiple marketing channels.

I want to repeat. The more times someone sees your message, the more important your message becomes. And, the more marketing channels you use, the more widespread is your reach. After all, most people receive their messages through more than one marketing channel. This is the only way to break through all the clutter.

The Newest Trend – Addressable Geo-Fencing

With addressable geo-fencing, we take the actual direct mail list and match it to create plat lines. Think GPS. Using this technology, the actual digital display ads are directed to the specific target group by their address.

In this case, in addition to receiving your piece in the mail, these consumers will also see your digital display ads when they look at their phones or home computers.

Many mailers who have added this option into their marketing mix start the digital campaign before the mail hits. This way they can start to get their name out and get a little brand recognition using a less-expensive medium. The concept here is to soften the recipient for the direct mail. This way, when the direct mailer hits, some groundwork has already been laid.

It’s just a fact. The more times and more ways the same people hear or see your message, the higher your response will be. That’s why addressable geo-fencing is becoming a real force in the direct marketing toolbox.

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