When it comes to online advertising, the size of the banner ads makes all the difference. To make sure you’re getting the best bang for the buck, before spending your entire cash flow on ads, you’ll have to understand the banner ad sizes available and know which ones perform the best.
If you’re keen on learning more, below is a guide on the essential aspects of banner ad sizes.
What Are Banner Ads?
For those who are not familiar with banner ads, they are online graphical advertisements that websites display to visitors. These banners generally get publishers (website owners) to advertisers (businesses).
Banner ads help businesses to promote their product or services to a broad audience. Since millions of people are using the Internet every day, you can potentially increase your business's Return on Investment (ROI) by getting as much reach as possible.
Types of Common Banner Ad Sizes
Despite having a wide range of banner ad sizes, you’ll only need to know the ones advertisers regularly use. Besides, no one wants to pay for an ad that gets little visibility or doesn’t provide much impact.
However, different platforms offer varying banner ad sizes. Even then, the ad sizes can have varying impacts due to the nature of the platform. Here are some common examples you can consider.
Google Banner Ad Sizes
Square (250×250)
The square banner ad size appears on mobile devices and computers/laptops. It’s responsive and small, so it is suitable for most website placements. There is also a small square that measures 200×200, which can fit in more limited spaces.
Banner (468×60)
The banner is often compared to a leaderboard since both occupy prominent locations. They are thin and long but can quickly grab visitors' attention – if designed for maximum impact. Due to its prominence, the banner is well suited for remarketing purposes.
Leaderboard (728×90)
A leaderboard is the most well-performing Google banner ad size, usually placed above the navigation menu. Over the years, many advertisers have preferred to opt for a leaderboard as it gets viewed more often.
There is also the option of a large leaderboard (970×90). That’s an extension of the regular-sized leaderboard. Similarly, they are usually placed at the top of web pages too.
Medium Rectangle (300×250)
Another best-performing Google banner ad size would be the medium rectangle. Ideally, it’s also commonly used for retargeting due to the placements. You can display banner ads anywhere, but it excels during in-article placements.
You can opt for a large rectangle (336×280) for more space. These are also known to perform well and are especially significant during hot Pay-Per-Click (PPC campaigns).
Skyscraper (120×600)
Skyscraper banner ads are found on the side of web pages. They are tall and slim, so the downside is that you’ll have limited space for wording. Despite the limitations, it doesn’t cost much compared to other ads and is still effective in grabbing a visitor’s attention as they scroll down a webpage.
A wide skyscraper will be a great option if you want to make a lasting impact. Due to its size, visitors can remember your ad or brand.
Half-Page (300×600)
Though this banner ad size doesn’t exactly get displayed as half of an actual webpage, they still offer more ad space than the smaller ones. With the half-page ad, visitors are more likely to view it and thus increase your clicks or conversions.
Instagram Ad Sizes
Instagram Single Image Ads (400×500)
Single-image ads are the mainstay of advertising on Instagram. They consist of one image, which can be either portrait or landscape mode. A more dynamic option of the same dimensions also supports video formats.
Instagram Carousel Ads (1080×1080)
As for carousel ads on stories, advertisers can choose up to ten images or videos. You can even include a link to each carousel. If you own an e-commerce store, this ad would be beneficial to you. There is also an expandable version that stretches to 1080 x 1920 and are placeable on stories.
Instagram Slideshow Ads (600×600. Max. 1080×1080)
Instagram Slideshow ads are a way to create a selection of up to 10 images or videos while a musical soundtrack will play in the background. One thing to note is that you’ll need to have legal rights before using a particular song for the ad. The ways to do it would be to either own the song's legal rights or purchase a license for the song.
Instagram Stories Image Ads (1080×1920)
This ad is placed on the Instagram story of a user in a full-screen vertical format. You’ll have about 5 seconds to grab a user’s attention or until they swipe your ad away or close it. Like the standard image ad, you also have a video option that runs for up to 15 seconds with a maximum file size of 4GB.
Facebook Ad Sizes
Facebook Collection Ads (600×600)
The Facebook Collection Ads is where a visitor can browse your product catalog using a mobile device. Facebook embeds the catalog on its platform through a feature called Instant Experience.
Facebook Instant Articles Ads (1200×628)
If you have an article to share, Facebook Instant Article Ads allow you to immediately distribute them to the respective targeted audience through mobile devices or messenger. It can be in the form of images or videos.
Facebook Stories Ads (1080×1920)
For Facebook Stories Ads, advertisers get an option to display short videos for up to 15 seconds or a set of images that will be shown for as long as five seconds or until the user leaves the ad.
Facebook Carousel Ads (1080×1080)
The Facebook Carousel Ads allow you to choose between multiple images or videos in one ad post. Users can swipe left and right while looking through the carousel. A corresponding option for Facebook Marketplace Ads (1200×628) is similar to those on Amazon or eBay to support online product sales.
Facebook Feed Image Ads (1200×628)
This ad, in the form of a single image, will be displayed on a user’s feed as they scroll through their timeline. There is also an option for video (600×315 or 600×600).
Banner Ad Sizing & Design Tips For Maximum Results
1. Choose your banner ad sizes wisely
Despite the wide variety of banner ad sizes available, only a few are worth investing in, which give better ROI. Below are some of the banner ad sizes which are known to produce the most results on the popular ad platform, Google Display Network:
Leaderboards
Leaderboard ads usually appear at the top of a page, meaning they’ll be the first thing a visitor sees upon entering a page. Hence, it’s the most popular ad placing choice among advertisers and the most effective in producing results.
Similarly, the mobile leaderboard aims for the same result, albeit on a different device format.
Among the available mobile banner ad sizes, the mobile leaderboard is the most effective at achieving a more significant ROI.
Besides, no matter how mobile phone screens are, it’s impossible to ignore an ad of this size. Certain mobile leaderboard ads, such as those from Google Adsense, will stick to the bottom of a mobile screen while a user scrolls the page.
Medium Rectangles
This ad size is one of the easiest to fit anywhere while getting a good number of impressions. Most rectangles work, but the medium to large sizes perform well.
The Half page or Large Skyscraper
It’s a given – this gives plenty of space for an advertiser to get maximum results. Since the ad will take up half of the page, visitors have no choice but to see it. Higher visibility = more clicks or conversions.
2. Make sure your text is readable at first glance
A visitor’s attention space is less than 10 seconds, so you’ll have to be sure they can see your design within the first few seconds. Try to make it a maximum amount of 15 words or so. Ideally, aim for a more significant visual impact and avoid wordy content.
Besides that, you should also choose the right font which draws attention while ensuring it gives off a clear message.
3. Keep things simple
It’s nearly impossible to include all the information on your banner ad. The idea is to have only the critical content relevant to what you’re trying to advertise. You're good if the banner ad's design doesn’t overwhelm visitors.
4. Use appropriate colors
The right colors will grab a visitor’s attention and portray some sort of emotion. After all, one of the best ways to know whether your banner ads are effective is when someone associates your brand with a particular color.
5. Make use of CTA buttons
The Call to Action (CTA) is what advertising is all about. While a banner ad may seem to make the CTA obvious, readers can sometimes miss that fact. Because of this, a visual button can help drive visitors to take action upon viewing your banner ad.
In Conclusion
Hopefully, you’ve gotten a better idea of how these banner ad sizes work. However, truth be told, no matter how much information you consume and learn about banner ad sizes, you won’t be able to know which works the best until you’ve gone through several trials and errors.
So, try to experiment and see the ones that give you the best results!
