Display Advertising in Digital Marketing
Display advertising is a form of online advertising that uses visual formats—such as banners, images, animations and video—to promote a product, service or brand. These ads appear across websites, apps and other digital platforms, helping businesses reach people as they browse online.
Unlike search advertising, which typically responds to a query someone has already made, display advertising can introduce a brand to potential customers before they are actively looking for it. It can also help businesses stay visible to people who have previously visited their website.
How display advertising works
Display ads are commonly bought through advertising platforms and networks. Advertisers set a budget, choose who they want to reach and create ads in suitable formats. The platform then places those ads on websites or apps that are part of its network.
Campaigns can be targeted in several ways, including by:
- Audience: Reaching people based on factors such as interests, broad demographic groups or online behaviour.
- Context: Placing ads on pages related to particular topics or subject areas.
- Location: Focusing on people in selected countries, regions or local areas.
- Remarketing: Showing ads to people who have previously visited a website or interacted with a business, where permitted and in line with applicable privacy requirements.
Many display campaigns use automated buying systems, including programmatic advertising. These systems can buy ad placements in real time, using campaign settings and available signals to decide where an ad may appear.
Common display ad formats
Display advertising includes a range of formats, each suited to different placements and objectives:
- Static banner ads: Fixed images with a headline, visual and call to action.
- Animated ads: Ads that use motion to attract attention or communicate a sequence of messages.
- Responsive display ads: Ads that adapt their layout to available spaces, often using assets supplied by the advertiser.
- Native ads: Paid placements designed to fit the look and feel of the surrounding content, while still being identified as advertising.
- Video ads: Short video creative shown within or alongside digital content.
Why businesses use display advertising
Display advertising can support several parts of a digital marketing strategy. It is often used to build brand awareness by putting a business in front of relevant audiences. Repeated exposure can also help people recognise a brand when they are ready to make a decision.
Display campaigns can be useful for promoting a new product, seasonal offer, event or piece of content. They can also complement other channels, such as search advertising, social media and email marketing. For example, a person might first discover a business through a display ad, then later visit its website after seeing a search result.
Remarketing is another common use. A business may show follow-up ads to people who viewed a product or visited a particular page. This can help keep an offering in mind, although frequency should be managed carefully so that advertising does not become intrusive.
Measuring campaign performance
The right measures depend on what a campaign is designed to achieve. Common metrics include:
- Impressions: The number of times an ad is served.
- Reach: The number of people who saw an ad, where the platform can estimate this.
- Click-through rate: The proportion of impressions that resulted in a click.
- Conversions: Valuable actions attributed to the campaign, such as a purchase, enquiry or sign-up.
- Cost per result: The average amount spent to generate a chosen action or outcome.
- Viewability: Whether an ad had the opportunity to be seen on screen, according to the measurement standard used.
Clicks are not the only sign of success. A campaign focused on awareness may be judged by reach, frequency, brand searches or changes in brand recognition. Conversion-focused campaigns should be assessed against meaningful business outcomes, taking account of attribution limitations and the role other channels may have played.
What makes an effective display campaign?
Effective campaigns begin with a clear objective and a well-defined audience. The creative should communicate one main idea, use a strong visual hierarchy and include a clear call to action. Ad copy needs to be concise, as people may only see it briefly while browsing.
It is also important to make sure that the landing page matches the promise of the ad. A relevant, fast-loading page can provide a better user experience and make it easier for visitors to take the next step. Testing different headlines, images, formats and audience settings can reveal what works best.
Campaigns should be monitored after launch. Advertisers can review performance, adjust budgets and targeting, and remove placements that are unsuitable or delivering poor results. Brand-safety controls and placement reports can help reduce the risk of ads appearing alongside inappropriate content.
Privacy and responsible targeting
Display advertising operates within a changing privacy landscape. Businesses should understand the rules that apply to their use of cookies, tracking technologies and personal data, including UK data protection and privacy requirements. Consent may be required for certain forms of tracking, and advertising platforms have their own policies and controls.
Responsible advertising also means avoiding misleading claims, respecting people’s choices and limiting excessive ad frequency. Clear privacy information and thoughtful targeting help build trust with audiences.
Display advertising as part of a wider strategy
Display advertising is most effective when it supports a broader marketing plan rather than working in isolation. It can introduce a brand, reinforce messages across channels and encourage people to return to a website. By setting clear goals, using relevant creative and measuring meaningful outcomes, businesses can make display advertising a valuable part of their digital marketing mix.
5 Tips for More Effective Display Advertising
- Use clear, eye-catching visuals.
- Keep ad copy concise and relevant.
- Target audiences by interests and behaviour.
- Test different formats and placements.
- Track results and optimise regularly.
Use clear, eye-catching visuals.
Use clear, eye-catching visuals to help your display ads stand out and communicate their message quickly. Choose high-quality images, bold colours and a simple layout that reflects your brand, while keeping text brief and easy to read. Make sure the main message and call to action are immediately visible, even on smaller screens.
Keep ad copy concise and relevant.
Keep display ad copy concise and relevant so people can understand your message at a glance. Focus on one clear benefit, use wording that speaks to your audience’s needs and include a straightforward call to action. Match the copy to the image and landing page, and remove any details that do not help the reader decide what to do next.
Target audiences by interests and behaviour.
Targeting audiences by their interests and online behaviour can help make display advertising more relevant and effective. Rather than showing the same advert to everyone, use available audience insights to reach people whose interests, browsing activity or previous interactions suggest they may value your product or service. Keep targeting focused, respect privacy and consent requirements, and review campaign results regularly to ensure your ads are reaching the right people without becoming intrusive.
Test different formats and placements.
Test different ad formats and placements to find what works best for your audience and campaign goals. Compare options such as static banners, animation and video, and try them across different websites, apps and page positions. Monitor results using relevant measures—such as reach, engagement or conversions—and use what you learn to refine your campaign. Ensure each placement suits your brand and gives people a clear, relevant experience.
Track results and optimise regularly.
Track the results of your display advertising regularly to see whether your ads are reaching the right people and supporting your campaign goals. Review relevant metrics, such as impressions, click-through rate, conversions and cost per result, then use what you learn to refine your audience, creative, placements and budget. Small, ongoing adjustments can improve performance over time, but allow enough time and data to identify meaningful trends before making major changes.
