Types of advertising: contextual, display, native, push notifications
- Contextual Advertising (Source Examples: Google Search, Bing Search)
Contextual advertising is a type of advertising where ads are shown to users based on their search queries. The main principle of contextual advertising is that the ads should match the user's interests. It’s called contextual because it considers the context: the words the user chooses to formulate their query, what they are interested in, where they are located, and so on.
Search contextual ads appear on search engine results pages, such as Google or Bing, so the traffic sources will be Google Search and Bing Search.
For contextual advertising, we use text-based ad creatives. These consist of a headline, description, and a call to action. They are typically displayed in search results or on web pages as text blocks.
- Display (Banner) Advertising (Source Examples: Google Display, Facebook)
Display advertising (also known as banner advertising) is a visual form of advertising that includes images, videos, and interactive elements. It is displayed on web pages and is typically used to increase brand awareness and capture the attention of users.
Banners are graphic ads that are placed in various locations on web pages (at the top of the page, on the sides, or at the bottom). Simply put, a banner is a block consisting of an image and text. There is also video advertising — video ads that can play automatically or upon user interaction.
To place banner ads, we can use Google Display. Suppose we need to launch an ad campaign for sea cruises. Google will analyze users' interests and select optimal places to display the banners — for example, travel blogs, news websites, and apps. Alternatively, we can place banners through Facebook Ads, where users will see these ads in their news feed, in stories, or in the Marketplace section, as well as in their Instagram feed.
- Native Advertising (Source Examples: Outbrain, Taboola)
Native advertising is a form of advertising that seamlessly integrates into the content of a web page and looks like part of it. The main goal of native advertising is to avoid disrupting the user experience while providing useful information within the context of the content being consumed. Simply put, it's a way to subtly promote a product or service without a direct call to action by using material that is perceived as part of the editorial content.
For native advertising, native ads are used — these can be articles and blog posts on thematic websites, i.e., promotional materials that appear as editorial content. On social media, such ads are presented as posts or stories integrated into the regular content, for example, sponsored content by influencers.
To place native ads, we use sources like Taboola or Outbrain.
https://blog.taboola.com/effective-native-advertising-examples/
- Push Notifications (Source Examples: PropellerAds, RollerAds)
Push notifications are messages sent to users' devices through web browsers or mobile apps. They allow you to quickly convey information to the user and encourage them to take action.
Web push notifications are alerts sent via browsers to computers and mobile devices. These can be notifications about new articles, promotions, or updates from websites.
Mobile push notifications are alerts sent through mobile apps. These are notifications from apps about discounts, news, or reminders.
https://richads.com/blog/push-notification-advertising/
Important: Traffic from push notifications is permitted by a very limited number of partners, so this must be double-checked.
Why Creating Effective Ads is Important
1) Increasing Click-Through Rate (CTR): When an ad aligns with the interests and needs of users, they are more likely to click on it. This leads to a higher click-through rate (CTR), which is a key indicator of ad effectiveness. A high CTR improves the ad's position on platforms and reduces the cost per click (CPC).
2) Improving Traffic Quality: Relevant ads attract a target audience that is most likely to perform the desired action. This increases conversion rates (CR) and the return on investment (ROI) of the advertising campaign.
3) Cost Reduction: Advertising platforms evaluate the relevance of ads through a Quality Score. A high Quality Score allows for lower bid prices, reducing overall advertising costs. Relevant ads require smaller budgets to achieve the same results as irrelevant ones.
What Ads Consists Of. What Creatives Are
An ad is an element displayed on various platforms, designed to attract the attention of users and prompt them to take a desired action. Ads can take various forms, depending on the goals of the campaign and the source.
Components of an Ad:
- Creative: Visual and textual elements designed to grab attention.
- Targeting: Settings that determine who and where the ad will be shown (e.g., geolocation, interests).
- Platform: The advertising network or platform where the ad is placed (e.g., Google Ads, Facebook Ads).
- Bid and Budget: A bid is the amount an advertiser is willing to pay per click or impression. The budget is the amount you plan to spend on the ad campaign. We will discuss bids and budgets in more detail in Module 3.
- Ad Format: Specific requirements and parameters for displaying on the platform (e.g., banner size, character limit in the text).
Creative is the content part of an ad that includes visual and textual elements. Creatives are supposed to capture attention and leave a positive impression on the target audience. A creative includes a headline, description, call to action (CTA), and images or videos.
Textual Components of a Creative
Headline is the textual part of the creative, that is typically located at the top of the ad, and is immediately noticeable. A good headline should be striking and memorable, quickly capturing the attention of the target audience. It should convey the main idea or benefit offered by the ad and be relevant to the audience's needs to increase engagement chances.
Description (Main Body) is the text that elaborates on the topic, tells a story, or demonstrates the benefits of the product or service. It’s a more detailed part of the text that supports and expands on the headline. The description should highlight the advantages and features that will interest the target audience.
Call to Action, or CTA is the creative element that directly tells the user what to do next. For example, a call to action could be in the form of a button that says "Buy Now," "Sign Up," "Subscribe to Newsletter," etc. An effective CTA significantly increases the likelihood that the user will perform the desired action.
Visual Components of a Creative (Images or Videos)
Visual elements, such as images or videos, are a crucial part of a creative since they attract attention and help convey the message to the user. High-quality and vivid images catch the user's eye, evoke emotions, and encourage the desired action. Visual elements should be relevant to the ad's text and enhance the conveyed message.
The quality of the creative is of immense importance in traffic arbitrage, as it directly impacts the CTR (Click-through Rate — the ratio of clicks to views) and CR (Conversion Rate — the ratio of conversions to clicks) of the ad campaign. Ineffective creatives can lead to low CTRs and, consequently, higher costs for customer acquisition. Therefore, it is essential to constantly test different versions of the creative and optimize them for better performance.
Types of Creatives Depending on the Source
Depending on the traffic source and ad format, the structure of a creative may vary. Let’s look at how this works with the types of ads we’re already familiar with:
- Contextual Search Ads (Examples of sources: Google Search, Bing Search): There are no images in the ad, with the main focus being on the headline, description, and link. You can include keywords for higher clickability, and there is an option to use macros (we’ll explain what macros are later in the course).
- Banner Ads (Examples of sources: Google Display, Facebook): Here, the most important element of the creative is a high-quality image supported by well-written text.
- Native Ads (Examples of sources: Taboola, Outbrain): The creative needs to match the style of the content it will blend in with. For example, if you know the ads will appear in the form of articles, you should aim to merge seamlessly with the surrounding content. The headline and description should not look like an advertisement; they should resemble an article in tone, and the images should visually support the content.
- Push Notifications (Examples of sources: PropellerAds, RollerAds): This is the most aggressive type of ad, where the text is undoubtedly crucial. However, it shouldn’t look like clickbait, but it should be bold enough to stand out and capture the user's interest.