Designing for Clickthrough
June 7, 1999
Yes, it sounds silly, but research has shown that people tend
to click more often when specifically invited to "Click Here,"
so most banners include the magic phrase somehow. So much for
variety.
When designing a banner, it's good to keep in mind the type
of person that you want to click on it. Let's say you're
selling a software package, and your target audience is IT
managers who might buy the software. Craft a message, and
an overall look, that might appeal to management types.
Which of the following loaded questions is more likely to
cause a suit to click?
How would you like a software package written in 100% 64-bit
Java, that runs on all flavors of UNIX?
How would you like a software package that will save you money,
and let you go home at 5 on Friday?
On the other hand, if you're targeting programmer/technical
types, the first line might be better. Media buyers should
create campaigns to suit individual target audiences, and order
banners to suit individual campaigns.
One of the best ways to maximize clickthrough is to have lots
of different banners, and to change them frequently throughout
the course of a campaign. Keep this in mind when designing
banners, and make plenty of different ones. Sometimes a
tiny difference in design can make a big difference in
click rates, so instead of striving for the perfect version
of a banner idea, keep several alternate versions and try
them all out.
Make people feel like they're going to get something if
they click. A free goodie, a useful tip, a laugh, a special
offer. Even if all you're offering is information, make it
sound as if clicking is going to make something happen,
not just display another Web page.
Click here to get a free personalized evaluation of your
mortgage needs.
...is better than...
Click here for information about our mortgage programs.
One time-honored way to encourage the old clickeroo is to
pose a question. Not just an abstract question like "How would
you like to solve all your problems?" but a real question
to which viewers might like to know the answer:
What was the best-selling Web software of 1998?
What do all of the top ten Web sites have in common?
Designing Winning Ad Banners
Creating Graphic Banners
|
