If you look around the web, you’ll see all sorts of ads. We’re bombarded with them every day, whether we’re on a website, using an app, or even checking our email. So how do advertisers stand out in this noisy world? The answer is simple—by using rich media ads.
Not only are rich media ads interactive and engaging, but they also attract attention more than traditional banner or text ads.
What are rich media ads, and how can they help your business stand out from the competition? Let’s dive in.
Key Points
- What Are Rich Media Ads
- Types of Rich Media Advertising
- In-Page Ads
- Out-of Page Ads
- In-Stream Ads
- Rich Media Ad Formats
- Benefits of Rich Media Ads
- How to Create Rich Media Ads
- Our Takeaway
What Are Rich Media Ads?
Rich media advertising uses much more than just text and images. It can include video, audio, and animation features. Rich media ads are often used to capture attention and engage consumers.
Because they are more engaging than traditional ads, rich media ads can be more effective at driving conversions. However, they can also be more expensive to produce and may require specialized skills or software.
Types of Rich Media Advertising
In-Page Ads
In-page ads are directly integrated into the content of a webpage. They can take many different forms, but they are typically less obtrusive than other types of ads.
Out-of Page Ads
As opposed to in-page ads, out-of-page ads typically appear in sidebars or other areas of the page that are less visible to users.
In-Stream Ads
Generally, in-stream ads are played before, during, or after a video stream. They are often used to generate revenue for content creators.
Rich Media Ad Formats
Although rich media ads are accessible in a variety of formats, let’s take a closer look at advertisers’ top choices.
Banner Ads
Banner ads are a popular form of advertising that can be found on websites all over the internet. Generally, rich media banner ads are designed to promote a product or service, and they usually include a link to the advertiser’s website. Many businesses use banner ads as part of their online marketing strategy, as they can be quite effective in driving traffic to a website.
However, banner ads can also be annoying and intrusive, so it’s important to use them sparingly and make sure that they are relevant to the website’s content. When used wisely, banner ads can be a powerful tool for driving traffic and increase lead generating numbers.
Interstitial Ads
Unlike traditional banner ads, which are typically small and located at the top or bottom of a web page, interstitial ads are larger and take up the entire screen. In fact, interstitial ads allow marketers to promote their products or services in a way that interrupts the user’s experience. Unfortunately, this can make them very intrusive and difficult to ignore.
Although interstitial ads can be an effective marketing tool, they can frustrate and even anger users if overused or placed inappropriately.
Pushdown Ads
Online advertisers are always looking for new ways to grab people’s attention. One relatively new type of ad is the pushdown ad, which expands down from the top of a webpage as soon as it loads.
Pushdown ads are typically animated and can include video, images, and text. Most pushdown ads are closed by clicking on a small “x” in the corner, but some will close automatically after a few seconds. While pushdown ads can be effective in getting people to notice them, they are also often considered to be intrusive and annoying. As a result, many website visitors will simply close the ad without giving it a second glance.
Expandable Ads
Thanks to expandable ads, advertisers can increase the size of their ad unit while a user is engaged with it. This type of ad is typically used to display additional information about a product or service, such as an extended description, pricing details, or customer testimonials.
However, advertisers should carefully consider the placement of expandable ads on their websites to ensure that they are providing a positive user experience.
Slider Ads
Slider ads are a type of online advertising that lets users control how long they want to see an ad. This makes slider ads more interactive and engaging than other types of online ads.
Additionally, slider ads can be used to target specific demographics or interests. For example, a travel company might use a slider ad to target people who are interested in travel. By doing this, the company can ensure that its ad is seen by people who actively want to purchase its products or services.
Benefits of Rich Media Ads
If you’re still unsure whether to use rich media ads or not, now it’s the time to give you some reasons why you should.
Higher Interaction Rate
Compared to traditional banner ads, rich media ads have a much higher interaction rate. This means that people are more likely to click on rich media ads and engage with them.
Measurable and Scalable
Rich media advertising can be measured and tracked. That said, all advertisers can track the performance of their ads and make changes to improve results. Additionally, rich media ads can be scaled to reach a larger audience.
Improved Performance
Rich media ads have been shown to improve the performance of online advertising campaigns. Marketers can achieve a higher return on investment when using rich media ads.
Brand Awareness
If you’re looking to increase brand awareness, rich media is the way of doing so. Rich media ads make it easier for people to remember a brand they have interacted with in the past.
Enhanced User Experience
Increasing user experience is one of the primary purposes of rich media ads. This can be easily achieved thanks to their interactive and engaging nature.
How to Create Rich Media Ads
Now that you know what rich media ads are and what benefits they offer, you might be wondering how to create them. Luckily, there are a few simple steps that you can follow.
Get Inspiration
Before you start creating your rich media ad, it’s important to get inspiration. Online portfolios, creative agencies, online directories, and even competitor brands are some of the places you would want to check out.
Once you have found some inspiration, take some time to think about what you want your ad to achieve.
Choose Your Strategy
Now, it’s time to pick your strategy. Would you like to add interactive elements, such as quizzes or games?
Alternatively, you can create a custom ad unit specifically designed for your brand. Custom ad units are often more effective than existing ad units, as they are more likely to capture users’ attention.
Plan Your Assets
The next step of the process is arguably the most important one: planning your assets. It’s important to know which images, videos, or other interactive elements you want to include, as they will play a big role in the success of your ad.
Use Ad Creation Tools
Once you have planned your assets, you can start to use ad creation tools, such as Google Web Designer and Adobe Edge Animate.
These tools will help you create rich media ads that are interactive and engaging. Additionally, they will allow you to track the performance of your ads.
Test Your Ad
Before it goes live, you need to make sure that your ad is effective and that people are able to interact with it. You might want to avoid technical issues on the way.
Measure Your Ad’s Performance
Your ad is now live, but the process is not over yet. If you want to know how your ad is performing, it’s important to measure it. Click-through rate, conversion rate, and cost per acquisition are some of the most popular metrics.
What Are Rich Media Ads: Our Takeaway
Compared to traditional ads, rich media ads are more powerful in terms of customer engagement and effectiveness. By using dynamic content and interactive elements, you can create an ad that is truly memorable and engaging. This will help you drive more conversions and sales.
So, if you haven’t created a rich media ad for your business yet, now it’s time to start.