Banner ads often have extremely low click-through rates and even worse conversion rates. Why are they so ineffective? It all comes down to inbound vs. outbound marketing: Unlike search ads, display ads are not shown to people actively searching for a specific product or service. Instead, we place image ads on social media feeds or informational websites, hoping to grab users’ attention and entice them to click through to our website, even if it means interrupting their current online activity. As if pulling users away from what they’re already doing wasn’t difficult enough, we also have to compete with a multitude of other image ads, creating a very cluttered online environment.

Don’t worry! Despite the challenging circumstances, it IS possible to create incredibly engaging ads that cut through the clutter, grab viewers’ attention, and ultimately drive clicks to your website. Here are 8 innovative and effective image ad ideas to try, illustrated with real-world display ad examples from our own marketing campaigns and client accounts, all backed by real data.

Creative Display Ad Tip #1: Tailor Your Ad to the Platform

Before you start designing your ad, you absolutely must consider where it will be displayed. Social media ads, in particular, face stiff competition, not just from other paid advertisements, but also from the user’s entire social network. As Brett McHale, nexus-security’s Paid Social Specialist, puts it, social media ads should “blend in AND stand out” on the page. That might sound a bit contradictory, but what he means is that your ad content should be relevant to its surroundings (so it doesn’t scream “advertisement!”) while still capturing attention with eye-catching visuals and design elements like contrasting colors and negative space. Avoid using generic stock photos in your social media ads; they’re a surefire way to kill your ad performance. Instead, follow Krista Neher’s “three R” strategy to create compelling social media content: Use real pictures of real things taken by real people. You can even ask your audience to submit photos that you can use in your ads.

Michael Kors, the first brand to run ads on Instagram, is a master of this technique. Their ads look like they belong on the platform while still effectively showcasing their products. Their very first Instagram ad, shown in the first image above, led to a remarkable 370% increase in new followers.

Creative Display Ad Tip #2: Speak Directly to Your Intended Audience

Display advertising allows you to target specific audience segments based on their demographics. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to create highly targeted ads that will resonate with each segment of your audience. Using a generic, one-size-fits-all approach rarely yields positive results for advertisers. For instance, consider a jeweler who specializes in women’s jewelry. They might be tempted to create ads targeting a female audience, believing that this is their ideal customer. However, after analyzing their audience segments in greater detail, they might discover that a significant portion of their customers are actually men who tend to purchase more expensive pieces, likely as gifts. In this scenario, the jeweler would be wise to create a separate set of ads specifically designed to appeal to a male audience. One of our account managers, Allen Finn, shared a real-life example of this principle in a blog post about how small businesses can effectively compete with larger corporations. His team was working with a weight-loss company and noticed that while men were less likely than women to click on their ads, they were considerably more likely to convert into paying customers. To boost click-through rates among this valuable male demographic, they created the ad shown below.

The new ad resulted in a substantial increase in click-through rates and an impressive decrease in cost-per-acquisition (3 times lower than the account average). As you can see, simply tailoring the ad content to a specific audience can yield significant results.

Creative Display Ad Tip #3: Don’t Shy Away from Subtle Suggestiveness

It’s a well-known saying for a reason: sex sells. Using subtle sexual innuendo is a powerful and effective marketing technique. Of course, this tactic is nothing new. It can be traced back to 1871, when Pearl Tobacco started printing images of naked women on their packaging, which led to a sudden surge in sales. Other marketers quickly caught on, and the strategy spread like…well, wildfire. However, before you replace all the models in your image ads with scantily clad counterparts, keep in mind that most online advertising platforms have strict guidelines prohibiting overtly sexual content. To get your ads approved, you need to be clever and use images or messaging that only hint at something more risqué. I love this example from Volkswagen. The image and copy are perfectly innocent, but the innuendo is clear.

Here at nexus-security, we stumbled upon success with this tactic completely by chance. We created a guide titled “69 Creative Marketing Ideas to Boost Your Business” and started promoting it on our social media channels. The engagement rates for these posts were through the roof, so we dug into the data and realized that people were commenting and sharing because of the (unintentionally suggestive) number in the title. This increased visibility also translated into a significant number of people clicking on the URL to check out the guide. Based on its organic success, we started running paid ads to promote the guide.

Creative Display Ad Tip #4: Tap into Emotions

One of the most effective ways to connect with your audience is by triggering their emotions through your ad copy. According to Courtney Seiter, Content Marketing Manager at Buffer, the four “basic” emotions are happiness, sadness, surprise, and anger or disgust. Although people react to these emotions differently, they all have the power to motivate action. Earlier this year, we worked with a client that offered weight loss solutions. Initially, they were running the ad below, which features a generic stock photo. Not only is the image forgettable, but it also doesn’t exactly scream “it’s time to lose weight!”. In fact, you wouldn’t even know the ad was for weight loss services if it weren’t for the accompanying text.

Recognizing that this ad was hindering the campaign’s success, our strategy team decided to try a completely different approach. They wanted their ads to resonate with viewers on a personal level and encourage them to take immediate action. To achieve this, they created an ad that evoked a sense of disgust.

This ad was shown exclusively to a male audience, and the results were incredible. The unsettling image of the beer belly, combined with the “size does matter” double entendre, grabbed viewers’ attention and resonated with those whose own midsections looked strikingly similar, leading to a 47% higher click-through rate compared to the original ad. For more examples of how emotional ad copy can be used successfully, check out Helen’s blog post on the psychology behind successful PPC ads.

Creative Display Ad Tip #5: Don’t Be Afraid to Make ‘Em Laugh

There’s no denying that humor can be a powerful tool in advertising. In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Marketing in 1993, when humor is used effectively in ads, it “is more likely to capture audience attention, enhance ad memorability, overcome sales resistance, and increase message persuasiveness.” Who wouldn’t want to incorporate humor into their marketing strategy after hearing that?

Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula for creating funny ad copy. Our recommendation is to brainstorm with your team, conduct customer focus groups, and even seek inspiration from local comedians. Even if you don’t have the most exciting product or service, a little creativity can go a long way, as demonstrated by GoDaddy’s witty banner ad below.

When in doubt, you can always draw inspiration from well-known cultural references (just make sure you’re adhering to the platform’s advertising guidelines). While the ad below might not be laugh-out-loud funny on its own, viewers will likely associate it with Will Ferrell’s movie Anchorman, which is full of slapstick humor. The quote below the image, which is also from Anchorman, further emphasizes this connection. What’s even better is that when users click to like the ad, the heart appears directly over both the ice cream and Ron Burgundy’s heart. Clever, right?

Creative Display Ad Tip #6: Offer an Enticing Discount

I’m a total sucker for a good deal. A few years ago, a blue satin dress at TJ Maxx caught my eye. I didn’t love the style, but the fabric was beautiful, and the length was perfect for my height (or lack thereof, at 5'1"). I decided to try it on and made a deal with myself—if it was under $75, I’d buy it; if it was over $75, it was going back on the rack. I checked the price tag, and at $109, it was a bit over my budget. However, then I noticed that it was a designer dress by Stella McCartney, originally priced at $1,750. That’s a whopping 94% off! Let me repeat that—a NINETY-FOUR PERCENT discount. Needless to say, I bought the dress, and even though I spent a little more than I planned, I felt great about it, even a little smug. I had snagged an AMAZING deal.

Salma Hayek owns the exact same dress! She may have styled it better, but I bet she didn’t get it for the same price… The point is, we humans are much more inclined to make a purchase if we feel like we’re getting a bargain. Advertisers should take advantage of this psychological tendency and include special offers or discounts in their display ads. To determine what truly resonates with your audience, test out different types of offers. In the example below, you can see how we experimented with two options: Free Shipping and 50% off. The client’s click-through rates DOUBLED when we switched to the 50% off offer. You could also experiment with offering a percentage discount versus a specific dollar amount off.

Of course, you’ll need to carefully consider which offers make the most sense for your business model, but this tactic is definitely worth exploring! Want to see more examples? Take a look at our roundup of the best display ads of 2020.

Creative Display Ad Tip #7: Choose Your Colors Strategically

Every element of your image ad matters, and color choice is no exception. When deciding on the main color for your ad, consider the psychological associations we have with different colors.

Source: KissMetrics’ Infographic, How Do Colors Affect Purchases? Once you’ve settled on your primary color, pair it with a contrasting color to make sure your ad copy is easily readable and your CTA button really pops. Refer to the helpful chart below to find the perfect color combination.

Source: SnackToolsBlog Post Lastly, when choosing your color scheme, think about the background where your ads will be shown. Of course, with the Google Display Network, this is often unknown and constantly changing. But with social media platforms, you know exactly what background you’re working with. Facebook, for example, has a blue and white color scheme. If your ads are predominantly blue and white, they risk blending in with the Newsfeed and getting lost in the shuffle. Instead, advertisers should opt for contrasting colors that will make their ads visually stand out.

I love this example from Tough Mudder—the bright orange really grabs your attention in the newsfeed.

Creative Display Ad Tip #8: Surprise Viewers with Unexpected Imagery

With so many ads vying for attention online, it can be tough to create ones that truly stand out. One highly effective approach is to use bold, unexpected imagery that evokes an emotional response from viewers. This technique, sometimes referred to as “shockvertising,” aims to elicit strong emotions that make people more likely to engage with the ad and remember it.

While digital advertisers should tread carefully with this approach—avoiding images that are overly graphic, sexualized, or otherwise offensive—a little creativity can go a long way. I love the example above, which advertises motor engine oil. The opening line, “He burnt a newborn baby’s hand,” initially portrays the subject as a villain. However, it then goes on to say, “But he saved the rest of it from a burning building,” transforming him into a hero. This narrative cleverly ties in with the tagline “It’s what’s inside that counts.” Finally, I’ll leave you with a piece of advice I received when I was creating my first display ads: “When in doubt, use puppies or babies.” It seems to work, no matter what you’re selling or who your target audience is. For tips on running display advertising campaigns during the pandemic, check out this post: 4 Tips for Better Display Advertising During COVID-19.