E-commerce banners are graphic elements that stand out from the background of the website or application and catch the eye. They are supposed to generate user engagement and conversions without compromising the UX. Designing e-commerce banners is a demanding art of balancing between attracting attention and providing positive experiences. In this text, we will explain how to do it!
E-commerce banners — the most common challenges
Creating good e-commerce banners doesn’t have to be as easy as it seems. After all, these are quite specific elements that stand out from other graphics. They must sell and not irritate the audience at the same time. To achieve this, designers answer the following questions, among others:
- Should banners be permanent or temporary?
- Should banners be interactive or just informative?
- How to achieve the effect of persuasion without compromising the UX?
- How to avoid banner blindness?
What is banner blindness?
Banner blindness is a common phenomenon associated with Internet browsing. It consists of the fact that users have learned to ignore any advertising messages automatically. This is the effect of information overload, which significantly hinders reading the content of individual websites. However, not only stereotypical intrusive pop-ups fell victim to banner blindness, but also ordinary e-commerce banners. Recipients subconsciously skip them while browsing the pages. Needless to say, this approach makes their creation much harder.
How to design e-commerce banners
As in the case of billboards or print ads, e-commerce banners are supposed to convey a certain message in such a way that the recipient can easily and quickly understand it. To achieve this effect, it is worth following the following practices:
- Understandable title — it should say directly what the banner is about.
- Simple design — the fewer distracting elements, the better the banner fulfils its role.
- Clear call to action — this is probably the most important element of the banner because its purpose is to encourage recipients to take a specific action.
- Concise content — the recipient should understand the message in no more than 3 seconds.
- Well-designed graphics — the banner should be simply pleasing to the eye and, at the same time, made with the visual identification of the brand in mind.
- Prioritization — in order to make it easier for the recipient to perceive the banner, certain proportions should be respected (for example, the main message must be larger and more visible than the brand logo or promotion rules).
When designing an e-commerce banner, you also need to consider its target location. On the website, it can be placed above the fold (ATF) or below the fold (BTF). In the first case, it will be visible immediately after opening the page, thanks to which it can be noticed by most users. In the second, it will be displayed only after a user scrolls through the content, where it will be less visible but also less annoying for recipients.
Another aspect worth paying attention to is personalization. In marketing, it is considered one of the recipes for success because as many as 80% of consumers admit that messages of this type encourage them to make a transaction. In order to adapt banners to different segments of your target group, you need to use data collected on your website, for example, by Google Analytics.
Advantages of well-designed e-commerce banners
There are a whole lot of benefits to the thoughtful design of e-commerce banners. Among them are:
- Building trust among customers
- Creating a positive brand image
- Increasing conversions
- Unifying the visual identity of the brand
- Directing traffic to the desired places on the website
- Refreshing the image through seasonal changes in banners
- Demonstrating products in use
- Distinguishing the brand from its competition
To sum up, creating good e-commerce banners is definitely not an easy task. It requires attracting attention and providing positive experiences at the same time. However, it is worth the effort because designing good messages can help you achieve many business goals. If you want to know more about e-commerce banners, read the full article by NoA Ignite: The ultimate guide to banners in e-commerce.
