How to Create Online Ads That People Don’t Hate Trent Mankelow with Mike Pethig

Support the visitor’s goals “ I would have expected a link down the bottom to go to a website to go and buy the album.”

“ I would have expected a link down the bottom to go to a website to go and buy the album.”

Support the visitor’s goals

Interactive ads

Text links vs. Graphic adverts We are attracted to: People and faces Movement Familiarity Brightness High contrast Vivid colour Strong pattern

We are attracted to:

People and faces

Movement

Familiarity

Brightness

High contrast

Vivid colour

Strong pattern

Text links vs. Graphic adverts

Text links vs. Graphic adverts A 2004 study showed that text ads were viewed by more participants and for longer than graphical ads

A 2004 study showed that text ads were viewed by more participants and for longer than graphical ads

Text ads done right

Position links to the right of the editorial

Don’t use a border to separate text ads & editorial

Use dark text on light non-patterned background

Consider word shape ALL CAPS REDUCES READING SPEED BY 13% Underlining also reduces legibility

ALL CAPS REDUCES READING SPEED BY 13%

Underlining also reduces legibility

Creative is everything

Creative is everything

Use common, imageable words in your ads Low frequency words are harder and slower to comprehend than high frequency, familiar words Low frequency words: abode, processor, livid High frequency words: house, computer, angry Highly imageable words were perceived more quickly and accurately than low imageable words High imageability words: lamp, cloud Low imageability words: fact, liberty

Low frequency words are harder and slower to comprehend than high frequency, familiar words

Low frequency words: abode, processor, livid

High frequency words: house, computer, angry

Highly imageable words were perceived more quickly and accurately than low imageable words

High imageability words: lamp, cloud

Low imageability words: fact, liberty

Putting it all together

The future of online advertising

Questions? Trent Mankelow Optimal Usability [email_address] Mike Pethig Ad Protocol [email_address]

Trent Mankelow Optimal Usability [email_address]

Mike Pethig

Ad Protocol

[email_address]