What is display advertising and what is it used for?

In the digital age, one of the most used marketing tools is display advertising. What is it exactly, what is it used for and how do you use it in a way that will bring real benefits?

Display advertising - what is it and what is it used for?

What is display advertising? It is nothing more than a form of online advertising that involves displaying graphic or multimedia content on:

• web sites;
• social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok);
• mobile applications;
• other platforms (e.g. Paczkomat® device screens).

It is an extremely effective way to reach potential customers and promote products, services, brands or content.

Display advertising - objective

The main purpose of display advertising is to attract the attention of internet users and increase their awareness of, for example, a brand or product, and they also allow:

• prominence of the brand's logo and name, which increases its recognition among online users;
• the presentation of a specific product or service, outlining its benefits and unique features;
• the inclusion of links directing to the advertiser's designated website, which can increase the number of visitors and potential customers;
• reaching out to people who have previously visited the online shop but have not made a purchase (thus encouraging them to return);
• targeting of marketing content so that it is tailored to the audience based on their demographics, interests, online behaviour (targeting).

Display campaigns - example

Display advertisements are frequently used by courier company InPost. When accessing the InPost Mobile application, which is used to efficiently manage parcels (both for sending and receiving), graphic content (headline and images) is displayed at the top of the interface (just below the three tabs 'I'm receiving', 'I'm sending' and 'I'm returning'). It is updated on a regular basis - users can find out about the latest developments and, with a single click, are redirected to a landing page, where they gain access to more detailed information on issues of interest from the banner ad.

It is worth pointing out that InPost takes a willing approach to proposals for cooperation with others - interested parties can choose not only to place their own banners on the carrier's website, but also, among other things:

• wrapping of parcel machines;
• advertising in Parcel Manager;
• advertising on the screens of Paczkomat devices;
• product sampling.

You can find out more about InPost's offer for companies by visiting the website https://inpost.pl/reklama . In the context of display advertising, this is one of the more interesting and unusual venues that businesses can opt for.

When to opt for display advertising?

In fact, there is no situation in which it would not be worthwhile to decide to expand the marketing of your own business. Combining different techniques ensures the greatest effectiveness in reaching potential customers. Using several communication channels at the same time (omnichannel and multichannel marketing) is content that reaches internet users:

• increase their loyalty;
• raise their level of commitment;
• encourage them to place more orders.

All this leads to increased conversions, i.e. higher earnings.

Reklama displayowa – remarketing

The use of display advertising will work extremely well for companies whose main objective is effective remarketing. It is based on the use of cookies, which are placed on the user's device when he or she visits a business website - thanks to the presence of cookies, it is possible to monitor the user's activity when he or she browses other online sites that cooperate with the advertising network.

How does this work in practice? If an internet user, who has already visited a company's website, arrives at an affiliate site, he or she will be shown an ad reminding him or her of the brand or specific product/service in which he or she was already interested.

Advantages of using display advertising

When it comes to the advantages of display ads, one of the biggest is their visibility. By placing them in strategic positions on selected websites, they reach a wide audience that is currently browsing online content. In addition, they can be personalised, so that they are then tailored to the interests and preferences of specific users - this increases their chances of being effective and achieving the intended marketing goals.

The flexibility of display adverts is also worth appreciating; animated banners attract attention and stand out on static websites, while videos, for example, have the potential to evoke emotion and engagement in the viewer. They can be adapted to specific computers, interactive screens, phones and other devices.

In addition, they make it possible to measure results and thus optimise campaigns. It is not without reason that more and more companies are opting for the use of display advertising - it is an economical solution (it is more expensive to publish video on TV and audio on the radio) and one that yields clear results.

What are the disadvantages of using display advertising?

Unfortunately, every marketing method has its drawbacks and display advertising is no different. Some of the potential problems you may encounter when deciding to use it are:

• ad-blockers - these block the advertising message and also sometimes interfere with the transparency of the statistics used by analysts (e.g. when a website has, for example, 100,000 unique impressions per day, but 85% of visitors choose to use ad-blocking software);
• Banner blindness - many internet users use the internet so frequently that they ignore display advertising almost without knowing it; they notice the similarities and realise very quickly when they have sponsored content in front of their eyes;
• Lack of control over ad placement - there is a risk that marketing content will be placed in inappropriate contexts by the algorithms (usually happens with blogs and non-traditional formats), which can negatively impact brand image.

To minimise the chance of these drawbacks occurring, all that is needed is to plan the campaign properly, prepare for it, choose the right place to place the ad, tailor the message to the target audience and then monitor the results on an ongoing basis to optimise the advertising network.

What forms can display advertising take?

The most popular forms of display advertising include:

• banners (including mobile banners) - simple graphic content in various shapes, usually containing: text, logos, images, link to the advertiser's website;
• rich media - interactive content, containing in addition (to banners): sounds, animations, video;
• video adverts - short spots that appear before or after the user watches the target video;
• pop-ups and modal windows - marketing content that obscures relevant content and needs to be turned off;
• native advertising - sponsored material that is integrated into the content proper or the website itself (e.g. from a visual perspective);

Which one to use? The choice should depend on two factors: the industry and the type of customer itself. Some web surfers browse exclusively on a smartphone; in their case, pop-ups and modal windows can become very intrusive and discourage the brand.

Reklama displayowa Google

Display adverts can also be placed on websites belonging to Google's advertising network, the Google Display Network - this includes company-owned sites such as Gmail and YouTube, as well as external sites.

A big downside to using GDN is that display advertising works on an auction basis, where advertisers bid for space to display their ads. It is true that a daily or total budget can be set and payment is based on impressions or clicks (CPC or CPM system), but for many businesses it is still more convenient to get in touch with affiliate sites directly.

Are there differences between display advertising and search advertising?

Yes, there are some differences between the two. Search advertising is displayed in the search results when a user enters a specific query, while display advertising shows up within the ad network (not necessarily in the context of the phrase the user types in).

Display advertising - what objectives can we achieve with it?

All marketing objectives, such as increasing brand recognition or consumer loyalty, lead to one thing: better conversions and thus increased revenue generation - a key reason why all businesses should at least consider using multiple communication channels, including display advertising.

Display advertising placement - what does it mean and how do I start the process myself?

Display ad placement refers to the selection of specific websites or locations on which ads will be displayed. For example, from the point of view of gadget entrepreneurs, it will make more sense to create marketing content for an Out Of The Box shop's web site, as there is thematic overlap - in which case paying a pharmacy, for example, to become an advertising partner will result in lower conversions.

How do you start this process yourself? Carry out an appropriate analysis in advance, e.g. using Google Trends, familiarise yourself with the various offers available and specify the exact target of the advertising campaign. The right decision can only be taken if the person responsible has detailed knowledge of the issue.

Display advertising is a form of online marketing that can be extremely cost-effective and efficient. It serves to increase a company's online visibility and can become a tool to generate more profit even on a single monthly basis.