Display Advertising at a Glance

First, what is display advertising? As we’ve already alluded to, anyone who’s ever used the Internet has encountered display ads. In fact, you’ve probably seen countless display ads just today, even if you didn’t realize that’s what they were called.

Display ads are published to third-party sites and combine images, text, and URLs, generally with the purpose of raising awareness for a product, a service, or a brand. For an easy example, think again of the banner ad. Most display ads feature rectangular images and, when clicked, direct the user to a laser-targeted landing page, focused exclusively on promoting a specific product or service.

For advertisers who want to add display ads to their media mix, one way to do so is by using a display network. There are plenty of options out there, ranging from Google to Apple to Facebook display networks. The network you choose to run your display ads will provide you with certain reach (for example, using the Google network would mean your ads can be displayed across Google properties), but also with a specific set of targeting features. A more complex, but much more effective way is to use a programmatic approach that does not rely on one specific display network but instead uses multiple networks across countless platforms and websites. This is usually done through a Demand Side Platform (DSP). This approach allows more sophisticated targeting and gives you access to more than just the Google, Apple & Facebook universe, but certainly includes them as well.

It’s worth highlighting the fact that display ads are distinct from native ads, another common instrument in the advertiser’s toolbox. The big difference is that native ads are usually disguised to look like editorial content; in other words, they “blend in” with their surroundings. Display ads intentionally stand out, which can make them quite effective at commanding attention, raising brand awareness in a way that’s unsubtle yet not ineffective.

The Advantages of Display Advertising

That brings us to our second consideration: What are some of the primary benefits of using display advertising within your media mix? Here’s just a partial list of display advertising’s benefits.

1. Display advertising provides retargeting options. One of the best reasons to add display advertising to your mix is that it empowers you to retarget consumers based on their previous online activity. For example, you can display ads to users who have visited your website without making a purchase, or to users who have searched for products similar to the ones you offer. This can be a great way to keep your brand top-of-mind for users who are currently in-market for your products and services.
2. Display ads work well in our increasingly visual world. From Instagram to TikTok, it seems like the online experience is increasingly image focused. With their reliance on visuals over plain text, display ads tend to make a strong first impression, and can linger in a user’s mind long after they scroll past. Again, for awareness-raising, display ads are invaluable.
3. Display ads provide a lot of creative wiggle room. Another reason to consider display ads is that they provide ample opportunity to tell the story of your brand in rich, creative ways, even using animation effects to dramatize your marketing message. This is not to denigrate more text-oriented ads, including SEM, but the visual nature of display advertising simply provides a lot of artistic potential.
4. Display advertising boasts rich targeting features. Especially when using a programmatic approach, you’ll find that there are plenty of strategic ways to ensure that you’re only showing your ads to the people in your core audience (e.g., those most likely to make a purchase). That helps you use your ad budget as efficiently as possible.

Of course, to take full advantage of display advertising’s potential, it’s imperative to work with the right partner. That’s where enCOMPASS Agency comes in.

The enCOMPASS Difference

Not only do we encourage our clients to take a strategic, programmatic approach to display advertising, but we provide the tools and technologies necessary to deliver display ads as effectively as possible. These tools include:

• Intelligent on-point delivery from the IMI Display Advertising Platform.
• Double-click verification and fraud neutralization.
• Strong retargeting/remarketing options.
• Thousands of data partners for the most advanced targeting.
• Award-winning display creative.

We’d love to tell you more about the benefits of running display ads via enCOMPASS. To start that conversation, reach out to our team at any time.