Animated banners, known as GIF ads, are a popular form of advertising and marketing. They’re small and easy to share. However, they still require strong creative planning to ensure they work well. If you’re thinking about using animated banners in your advertising campaign, here are some things you should know.
What is an animated banner?
Animated banners are basically GIFs that play in an ad format on your website. Since they’re built to be played on a site, an animated banner is usually static. This means the GIF’s quality is not dependent on the speed at which the user scrolls down the page. Like static banners, animated banners can have a single image or can feature a series of images that are looped to create an animated effect. Animated banners can also be placed on other platforms, like Facebook and YouTube. However, these are not the same as GIF ads on your website, because the ad format is different.
GIF ads are a type of animated banner
GIF ads are just an animated banner version. They do everything a GIF does and more. GIF ads are made to be played on a website. That means they’re static and the GIF’s quality is not dependent on the speed at which the user scrolls down the page. They can also be placed on other platforms, like Facebook and YouTube. But GIFs on other platforms are not the same as GIF ads on your website, because the ad format is different.
Know the benefits of GIF ads
- Long-form content - Animated banners are perfect for creating long-form content, like infographics and explainer videos. - Easy sharing - Animated banners are perfect for creating easy-to-share content. Unlike static images, GIFs have a multitude of sharing options, like email, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as Pinterest. - Intuitive for visitors - Animated banners are perfect for creating intuitive content. The movement makes it easy for users to follow even when they don’t have the patience for lengthy content, like long-form articles. - Easy for creatives - Animated banners are perfect for creatives, like the ability to create long-form content. They also allow you to create GIFs with a higher production value, like scenes from movies or sports.
GIF ads take more planning than static ads
GIF ads are perfect for creating easy-to-share content, so they’re perfect for campaigns that want to get their content out there as quickly as possible. However, this means you’ll have to plan out your content more carefully than in a static ad campaign. In addition, you’ll have to plan out your GIF’s length more carefully than in a static campaign. As mentioned above, GIFs can last much longer than static images. If you’re planning on using longer GIFs that last several seconds, you’ll have to plan ahead for the content that will be shown in between the GIFs.
Finding the right GIF for your campaign
GIF ads are short, so finding the right GIF for your campaign requires a bit more planning than static ads. However, it also makes them more customizable. For example, if you have sports-related content, you’ll have to find the right GIF for your campaign. You may have to try a few different GIFs to find the one that doesn’t feel like it’s just for the bottom of a page, but is also relevant to your content. While you’re searching for the right GIF, be sure to keep in mind what you want your GIF to do in your campaign. It’s important to remember that, besides creating easy-to-share content, GIF ads are there to sell a product or service. If you don’t keep this in mind, you’ll end up with an animated carousel of GIFs that don’t sell anything.
Tips for creating successful animated banners
- Know your creative goal - Animated banners are similar to static banners in that they both fit into a creative goal. However, they’re also more complicated thanks to the addition of animation. It’s important to keep the creativity in mind while you’re working on your creative goal, but you should do the same for your creative goal as you would in a static ad. - Test, test, test - The same rule applies to animated banners as it does to static banners. You have to test, test, and test again to make sure you’re on the right track. - Go beyond your initial creative goal - Just like in static banners, your initial creative goal should expand on the idea behind your creative goal. You should try to make your creative goal as broad as possible to make sure it works well for your campaign. - Consider your audience’s needs - Animated banners are more complicated than static banners, with the addition of animation. However, the benefits of using animated banners are the same benefits of using them in static ads, like creating easy-to-share content and creating intuitive content.
Conclusion
Animated banners are perfect for creating long-form content, like explainer videos and infographics. They’re also great for creating easy-to-share content, like GIFs. However, you’ll have to plan out your content more carefully than with static banner ads. That means they’re a great option for campaigns that want to promote their content as quickly as possible. And, like static banners, they’re a great option for creatives thanks to their ability to create GIFs with a higher production value.
