Custom Banner Advertising

You've compared a number of banner advertising services, perhaps even many. Their banners don't seem to meet your needs or are too gaudy with their neon lights and incessantly jumping characters. In fact, they never seem to stop blinking, racing, or yelling at you. If they're irritating you, your customers are going to click away--fast.

The answer may be customized banner advertising. From the quiet woods of Vermont to New South Wales in Australia, regional banner networks are popular and successful promotions. They may be fixed or animated, but they aren't obnoxious. No one much likes an in-your-face sales force, no matter what they're pushing. It's true that without sales, nothing much happens in the world, but a bad sales approach drives people so far away, they never come back.

You may well want to design your own custom banner and upload it to the advertising service you've chosen. It will probably still alternate with those of their other customers, but at least yours will be one of those banners that's in good taste. It's also possible to find a service that will display your banner--and only your banner, with a link to your website--on a particular page. You may have to pay for the 30 or 90 days, or six or 12 months ahead of time, or may be able to pay on a monthly basis.

Let the Experts Design Your Banner

Unless you're a graphic artist who's familiar with the Internet, it's often a good idea to let the advertiser's staff or freelancer design your customized banner. Of course, you'll have the opportunity to comment and suggest changes. However, with a different pair of eyes working on the banner, the results can be quite distinct and very appealing. Plus, the advertiser has the advantage of knowing what works in your region or niche.