eMarketer predicts that US online display ad spending will see a 24.1% increase this year, to 15.4 billion. According to the research company, their “estimate includes spending on banners, rich media, sponsorships and video purchased across all major display ad inventory providers (e.g., publisher sites, networks, exchanges, DSPs, etc.) as well as social networks and mobile.” Meanwhile, social ad spend (ads across social networks, games, and apps) is expected to increase to 43% this year, while mobile ad spend is estimated to grow 80%.
Additionally, eMarketer reports that industry research firm Advertiser Perception did a study on display ad buying and found that “More than half (59%) of US marketers and agencies planned to increase their social media display ad spending on sites like Facebook in the next 12 months.” Moreover, 31% expected to grow display ad spending on ad networks and exchanges, while 29% intended to do so on publisher websites.
The rise of online ad spending across the board is truly a sign that we are now living in the digital age. People are online all the time—on their desktops and laptops, as well as smartphones and tablets, and the above-mentioned findings are indicating that advertisers are keeping up with their consumers.
Of course, while these findings spell good news for the online advertising industry, it also means that advertisers will have to work extra hard to grab users’ attention. Before finalizing your advertising budget and funding your campaigns, check out the insights below on dealing with the hottest types of ads out there:
Display Advertising – There are a number of things to think about when running a display advertising campaign. You have to consider where your ads are going to be displayed and for how long. Be sure to get the corresponding numbers and stats for the websites where your ad will appear. How many unique monthly visitors do they have? How many impressions can they offer for your ad?
Mobile Ads – Perhaps the best way to keep up with your customers, mobile ads enable you to reach users even when they’re out and about. When running mobile ads, bear in mind that users are probably on the go, and they may not have the luxury of reading long copy or looking for the right buttons to click. With that said, ensure that your ad is very user-friendly. Make the call to action button easy to find and click, and if possible, create a mobile-friendly landing page, instead of leading users to your full site.
Social Ads – When it comes to advertising on social networks (and the games inside those sites), it’s crucial that you get into your target audience’s heads. Users who visit social networks and play games don’t have a lot of attention for ads. They’re in social websites to socialize and interact with their friends. However, this isn’t to say that you shouldn’t invest in social sites. This only means that you have to work a little harder to grab your audience’s attention. Make sure to target your ads as specific as you can. The more “relatable” your ads are, the more likely that they’ll notice them. Additionally, create ads that are more interactive. Instead of spoon-feeding your audience the information, inject the social factor to your ads. Turn them into a game or contest, and encourage users to share it with their friends. After all, that’s really what social media is all about.