Web users tend to dislike banner ads - especially the infamous pop-up banner ads (hence all the pop-up blocker tools out on the market). The click-through rate (CTR) on banner ads are generally low, below 1 percent. In addition, people visit websites not for the banner ads but for the content it provides.

If you asked a random group of people today how they feel about online banner ads, they would most likely tell you that they either hate them, they get in the way of reading content, or that they really don’t care. No one besides a web designer or marketer would tell you that they like banner ads. So if people generally dislike banner ads and banner are so “annoying”, why is it that a large percentage of the top 100 visited websites (from Alexa.com) display banner ads, and continue to grow in popularity? Besides the fact that these websites provide great content and services - my theory is that users are subconsciously affected by online banner ads in many ways that draws them into a website rather than discouraging them.

My theory is that banner ads subconsciously tell users that the site is Free, it’s Alive and it’s Popular. This train of thought came about recently while I was researching a new car on many of the popular car buying websites (cars.com, edmunds.com, carsdirect.com etc.). In addition to the popular sites, I might have visited over 50 different websites that offered car reviews and info. Some of them I liked, others not so much. I’m always searching for new things to write about, so I began to question myself on why certain car related websites stood out over others. Why did I spend more time on certain sites, and not so much on others? Why did some sites draw me in while others didn’t? Keep in mind, all of the sites I visited provided the same type of information.

So I began to list out characteristics of the sites I that I liked and sites that I didn’t like. While I was building my list, I noticed that almost all of the sites I liked had some sort of banner ad. And the sites that I didn’t feel so highly about contained no banner ads. This was interesting to me. Can banner ads have some sort of effect on a user? Of course. It’s like with any flash component of a website – it’s animated, it generates movement, it’s engaging.

The Subcoucious Affect of Banner Ads
Not only can banner ads liven up a flat static website with animated movement, but Banner ads subconsciously give users a feeling that the website is FREE, that there are more people on this site, that the site must be popular, that the site is alive and kicking. Users subconsciously are thinking it has to be a popular site, it’s generating ad revenue, right? All of these things lead to visitors staying on the site that much longer, making an extra click into site, taking a step further beyond the home page - all of which benefits the website owner.

The next time you visit a popular website, whether it’s CNN.com, ESPN.com, take note of the ads. How well are the banner ads designed? Are the banner ads from major brands? These ads may be affecting you without you even knowing it. Also, take note of similar sites that doesn’t display banner ads – is there a difference that you can tell. Does the site without banner feel different? It’s just something to think about.

In Conclusion
There are many things that can make or break a website. My theory on the affect banner ads have on users is just one example. These are just my thoughts on the hidden value that animated or static banners can add to your site. If you have a free, informational base website that competes with other leading brands that rank higher than you on competitive keywords – make sure the ads on your site are consistent with the ads on the leading websites. Build relationships with leading brands and place ads on your site for free until you begin to generate a high volume of traffic. This instantly gives you a look and feel that is similar to all the big players – giving users the impression that your site must be just as good as the ones at the top.

Please feel free to share your thoughts?