Despite the consistent debate over the effectiveness of online banner advertising, billions are spent each year on digital banner ads which indicates that it’s not only an effective medium but a growing one too. With all the clutter these banner ads can create in the digital space, it’s important to break through creatively. That’s why more and more brands are turning to rich media banners to stand out from the crowd.
Rich media banners are a proven solution
Display advertising is never going away. However, as marketers pour over click through rates and conversions, there’s one thing that is consistently proving true: digital banner ads that are more personalized, sophisticated and relevant (i.e. richer) are actually enhancing a user’s experience rather than interrupting it.
That’s good news for companies who are getting ahead of the curve and investing in rich media solutions to enhance their brands. We’re talking more that static. More than Flash animation. With today’s evolving technological capabilities, rich media banners can deliver experiences like never before:
- Video
- Gamification
- Product Carousels
- Slides
- Animation
- Data Capture
- Interactivity and more
Rich Media Vendors: It’s all about captivating the consumer
With so much imbedded in them, good rich media banners can really take a campaign or brand to new levels of engagement. While static banners can deliver one single message or call to action, a rich media banner ad can totally immerse a consumer in a captivating experience. It’s what consumers are demanding, and it is what’s proven to work in the market.
Looking at published metrics by some of the industry’s top technology companies, the top three features that rich media banners use to increase web traffic, improving engagement and boost ROI include:
- Carousel slides, with over 50% completion rates
- Geo locator and mapping tools, with over 11% completion rates
- Video, with a whopping 45% or more average completion rates
A quick Google search of measurable results in rich media advertising shows success after success those ahead of the curve. One recent media mind study indicated that consumers who are exposed to rich media banners are three times more likely to click through to a company website that if they viewed a static banner. Other studies claim that rich media banners increase engagement by a whopping 1000%.
Rich media banners are great for testing optimization, too
Because there are so many engaging elements that can be imbedded in a rich media banner, marketers have many more elements to test, tweak and optimize. We all know that optimization is the key to stronger success for Dynamic Ads during the life of a campaign.
For example, rich media banners allow marketers to keep a close eye on various elements in real-time, including interaction rates, engagement rates, video plays, completions and mouse-overs and much more. If a video isn’t driving the desired response, it can be replaced. If a product in a slide isn’t selling, it can be removed to make room for another, etc. It’s all measurable and all easily optimized to improve response.
Are rich media banner mobile ready?
With all the focus on mobile marketing, the good news is that most rich media solutions are already mobile ready. In fact, with so many iOS devices around, rich media is the preferred solution (this is because flash ads don’t work on iOS mobile devices.) This is increasing the need and desire for rich media solutions in the mobile space.
Break free from the clutter
With the web becoming more cluttered, companies really have to break out of the box to stand out from the competition. If you are not already, it’s important to start investing in rich media to better engage with your consumers. As technology continues to transform, rich media production and other engaging content are going to be cornerstones of any successful marketing campaign.
