Banner Ad Blindness and Sneetches: A Case of Following the Flock
by Terry Heath
One of the first methods many bloggers approach to monetize their sites is selling space for banner ads. However, studies show visitors have become blind to banner advertisements. In “Banner Blindness: Old and New Findings” Jakob Nielsen reports:
The most prominent result from the new eye-tracking studies is not actually new. We simply confirmed for the umpteenth time that banner blindness is real. Users almost never look at anything that looks like an advertisement, whether or not it’s actually an ad.
Eye tracking studies show either a reader will scan content looking for a quick fact, and not be diverted to advertising, or dig into an article they find interesting and not be distracted by ads. The studies also show readers ignored design elements which appeared to be ads, whether they actually were ads or not.
It isn’t exactly new information. Neilsen refers to similar findings from a study he was involved with in 1997.
But it is interesting to see what bloggers do with the information. We continue to sell banner ads even though it may not be the best use of the client’s advertising dollar or the most productive use of space on our blogs.
One popular banner-ad defense comes under the guise of “branding”. The idea is keeping your company’s image in the minds of people who are not ready to act now, but may be in the future. It’s the perfect smoke screen for low-performing media such as banner ads because the emphasis is not on click through.
For most online marketers, this sort of branding doesn’t work:
- Branding campaigns are expensive, depending on heavy market penetration or reach.
- Branding campaigns require constant impressions over a long period of time to achieve significant results.
- Branding overemphasizes the possibility of an emotional response. People don’t search the Internet looking for relationships with products, they want information.
Although studies like Nielsen’s show banner ads have for the most part become ineffective, many blogs continue selling banner space. The question which begs to be asked is, “Why?”
One of my favorite Dr. Seuss stories begins:
Now the Star-bellied Sneetches had bellies with stars. The Plain-bellied Sneetches had none upon thars.
These stars were small and served no purpose, but the Star-bellied Sneetches bragged they were the best on the beaches and soon the Plain-bellied Sneetches had stars installed on their bellies.
The blogosphere often runs parallel to Sneetch Beach. The Banner-bellied bloggers are seen as superior and everyone else copies them, forgetting or even denying, like the stars, banner ads are practically worthless. Perhaps one day the trend will reverse itself and it will be considered cool to be “banner free”.
Or perhaps we’ll simply ask ourselves what actually works instead of worrying about what’s plastered on our bellies.
10 Comments, Comment or Ping
JBO
Ok I agree with banner blindness - I rarely look at ads or banners and I can happily read a post with ads in without taking any notice.
But I have been a web user for a long time, I know the web, I know how blogs etc work so I have trained myself to be ad blind.
Newer users or newer vistiors to your site will not be so ad blind.
This is why I think it is still good to have ads and banners and they can still work as long as you are getting new readers.
Sep 4th, 2008
Terry Heath
@JBO: It makes sense that new users might not be as blind, but it’s important not to underestimate the web-savvy of today’s typical user. Also, some sites will by nature attract users who have already become banner blind. Don’t forget what Nielsen’s report shows, and these are typical users.
Sep 4th, 2008
olly@ graphics cards
So do you think it’s best to not have banners/advertising any more and just try and get subscribers to send mails to?
Sep 5th, 2008
Shlomo
My question as a blogger would be: “what type of ads will yield highest revenue?”. In other words, blind or not -that’s the advertisers problem. I’d see what advertisers are willing to pay and plan according to that. I think that is the real answer to the questions: bloggers use banners because they make more money that way.
Sep 5th, 2008
Terry Heath
@Shlomo: So you’re saying that, as a blogger, you’re more interested in which ads you put on your blog will bring in the most money? Okay, so maybe you’re not suffering from Sneech Syndrome but you still may not be looking out for the best interests of your advertisers if all you care about is which ads bring you the most money. The fact remains, banner ads are ineffective.
Sep 5th, 2008
JR @ Internet Marketing Strategies
I totally agree, banners are usually ignored by visitors, I noticed this early on in my AM and IM ventures, natural within content links and written content promotion, such as blog posts or review pages within websites, are often the best monetazation venues
JRs last blog post..Internet Marketing - Can Traffic Exchanges Increase Website Traffic?
Sep 6th, 2008
Terry Heath
@JR: Yet, I wonder if even “reviews” are somewhat ignored.
Sep 6th, 2008
kouji@haiku poems examples
i find that when i realize that what i’m reading is a paid review, i skip to the next post. and it really isn’t that difficult to tell which posts are paid and which aren’t. so bloggers who’re able to make even paid posts compelling i find quite impressive.
koujis last blog post..haiku poem: downpour
Sep 9th, 2008
Dallas SEO
You know I never really understood this whole banner advertisement thing either… i mean, doesn’t everyone already understand “banner blindness”.
It wasn’t until I was on a flight to Ad:Tech in San Francisco earlier this year that the light bulb finally went on for me. I was sitting next to an advertising executive representing three different hi-tech blogs. She said her primary job was to sell the CPM banner space on those websites. I asked “Why would anyone want to buy that?”. Her answer: “Because people have advertising budgets and have to spend the money.”
I guess that’s as good of a reason as I’ve ever heard… they have to spend the money!
btw: they were getting $60 CPM on those sites!
Sep 12th, 2008
Abhinav
I feel that advertisers should also change their expectations from banner advertising. If they can limit their expectation to promotion rather than selling (and consider it a bonus when product is sold) and pay low to all domain, then they might get more exposure. Yes things might differ in case of Affiliate Marketing.
Sep 21st, 2008
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