How to Veteran Owned Business Can Increase Conversions with Display Advertising Optimization

Before we jump into how to increase conversions by optimizing your display advertising campaign, let's first explain what a display advertising campaign is all about. A display advertising campaign is a type of digital advertising campaign that uses visual ads, such as images or videos, to promote a product, service, or brand. These ads are typically displayed on third-party websites, social media platforms, and mobile apps.

Display advertising campaigns can be created using a variety of ad formats, including banner ads, native ads, and video ads. These ads are designed to capture the target audience's attention and encourage them to take a specific action, such as visiting a website, purchasing, or subscribing to a newsletter.

Display advertising campaigns can target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and location. This allows advertisers to reach their ideal customers with relevant messaging and offers. Display advertising campaigns are typically run on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) basis, which means that advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad or when their ad is displayed to a user.

Display advertising campaigns are a powerful tool for increasing brand awareness, generating leads and driving conversions. With the right targeting, ad format, and messaging, display advertising campaigns can help veteran-owned businesses achieve their marketing goals and cost-effectively reach their target audience.

Optimizing a display advertising campaign involves several steps to ensure the campaign performs well and meets its goals. Here are some steps to follow:

1. Set clear goals: The first step in optimizing a display advertising campaign is to define your goals. This could be increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, or increasing sales. Setting clear goals will help you track progress and determine whether the campaign is successful.

2. Define your target audience: Your display advertising campaign should target a specific audience. Define your target audience based on demographics, interests, behavior, and location. This will ensure that your ads are reaching the right people.

3. Choose the right ad format: There are several ad formats available for display advertising, including banners, videos, native ads, and more. Choose the format that best fits your goals and target audience.

4. Create compelling ad creatives: Your ad creatives should be visually appealing and communicate your message effectively. Use clear, concise language, strong visuals, and a clear call to action to encourage users to click on your ads.

5. Monitor and analyze performance: Regularly monitor and analyze the performance of your display advertising campaign. Look at metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per acquisition. Use this data to optimize your campaign by adjusting targeting, ad creatives, and bidding strategies.

6. A/B testing: A/B testing involves testing two versions of your ad creatives, targeting, or bidding strategies to determine which performs better. This can help you optimize your display advertising campaign by identifying the most effective elements.

7. Use retargeting: Retargeting involves showing ads to users who have previously visited your website or engaged with your brand. This can be an effective way to re-engage users and drive conversions.

By following these steps, you can optimize your display advertising campaign to ensure it performs well and meets your goals.

There are several ad formats available for display advertising. Here are some of the most common ones:

1. Banner ads: A banner ad is a type of digital advertisement that typically appears at the top, bottom, or sides of a webpage. Banner ads are typically rectangular in shape and include text, images, or animations designed to capture the viewer's attention and encourage them to click on the ad. Banner ads are one of the most common types of display advertising and are used by businesses of all sizes to promote their products, services, or brands. They can be displayed on various websites, including news sites, blogs, and social media platforms.

   Banner ads can be created in various sizes and formats, including static images, animated GIFs, HTML5, and video. They can also target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and location. Banner ads are typically charged on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) basis, meaning that advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad or when it is displayed to a user. While banner ads have been around for decades, they remain a popular and effective form of digital advertising. With the right targeting, messaging, and creative elements, banner ads can help businesses reach their target audience and achieve their marketing goals.

   

2. Video ads: Video ads are becoming increasingly popular and can be placed on websites or social media platforms. They can be pre-, mid-, or post-roll ads that play before, during, or after the main video content.

3. Native ads: Native ads are designed to look and feel like the content around them. They blend in with the website's design and are often placed within editorial content.

4. Rich media ads: A rich media ad is a type of digital advertising that includes interactive features and engaging creative elements, such as video, audio, animation, and other dynamic content. Unlike static banner ads, rich media ads are designed to capture the viewer's attention and encourage interaction. Rich media ads typically use HTML5 technology, which allows for a more immersive and engaging ad experience. They can be designed to expand, float, or overlay the webpage, and may include interactive elements such as games, quizzes, polls, or product galleries.

    

   

   One of the main benefits of rich media ads is their ability to provide viewers with more detailed and immersive content. They can also capture the viewer's attention and increase engagement more effectively than static banner ads. However, because of their more complex design and functionality, rich media ads may require more production resources and may not be supported by all ad networks or platforms. They may also be subject to ad-blocking software, limiting their reach.

   Overall, rich media ads can be a powerful tool for digital advertisers looking to create more engaging and interactive ad experiences. By providing viewers with a more immersive and engaging experience, rich media ads can increase brand awareness, drive engagement, and ultimately increase conversions and sales.

5. Pop-up ads: Pop-up ads are ads that appear in a separate window over the website content.

6. Interstitial ads: Interstitial ads are full-screen ads that appear between page loads or during natural breaks in the user's interaction with the website.

7. Sponsored content: Sponsored content is a form of native advertising where the advertiser creates content that is published on a third-party website. The content is usually relevant to the website's audience and provides value to the reader while promoting the advertiser's brand.

8. In-app ads: In-app ads are ads that appear within a mobile app. They can be banner ads, interstitial ads, or rewarded ads that reward users for engaging with the ad.

You can create effective display ads that drive engagement and conversions by choosing the right ad format for your campaign and target audience.

Creating compelling ad creatives is important to grab users' attention and encourage them to engage with your display ads. Here are some tips on how to create compelling ad creatives:

1. Keep it simple: Your ad should communicate your message quickly and clearly. Use simple language and imagery to make your ad easy to understand and digest.

2. Use strong visuals: Use eye-catching visuals that are relevant to your message and target audience. Images or videos should be high-quality and relevant to your brand.

3. Include a clear call-to-action: A call-to-action (CTA) tells users what action you want them to take. It should be clear, concise, and relevant to the ad's message. Examples of CTAs include "Learn More," "Shop Now," or "Sign Up."

4. Make it relevant: Your ad should be relevant to your target audience and the website it's being displayed on. Consider using dynamic creative optimization (DCO) to customize your ad based on the user's demographics, interests, and behavior.

5. Highlight your unique selling proposition: Your ad should communicate what sets your brand or product apart from competitors. Use messaging that highlights your unique selling proposition (USP) and what makes your brand or product stand out.

6. Consider the ad placement: The ad placement can influence how your ad is designed. For example, if your ad will be displayed on a mobile device, you may want to create a vertical ad that is optimized for mobile screens.

7. A/B test your ad creatives: A/B testing involves creating multiple ad versions and testing them to see which performs better. This can help you optimize your ad creatives and improve their performance over time.

Following these tips, you can create compelling ad creatives that effectively communicate your message and encourage users to engage with your display ads.

A/B testing is a method of comparing two different versions of an ad to determine which one performs better. Here's how you can A/B test a display advertising campaign:

1. Identify the element to test: Start by identifying the element of your ad that you want to test. This could be the ad copy, the visual elements, the call-to-action, or the landing page.

2. Create variations of the ad: Create two versions with the different elements you want to test. For example, if you want to test the ad copy, create two different versions of the copy.

3. Choose the testing criteria: Choose the criteria for testing the ads. This could be click-through rates, conversion rates, or cost per conversion.

4. Run the test: Run both versions of the ad at the same time and track their performance. Ensure you're running the ads for a long enough period to get a statistically significant sample.

5. Analyze the results: Once you have enough data, analyze the results to determine which ad version performed better. The winning ad has the highest click-through rates, conversion rates, or lowest cost per conversion.

6. Implement the winning ad: Implement the winning ad and continue to monitor its performance. If you notice that the performance starts to decline, you can run another A/B test to optimize the ad further.

Following these steps, you can A/B test your display advertising campaign and optimize your ads to improve their performance and achieve your campaign goals.

What Is A Retargeting Campaign?

A retargeting ad campaign is a type of display advertising campaign that targets users who have previously interacted with your brand or visited your website. Retargeting ads are designed to keep your brand top of mind and encourage users to return to your website to complete a desired action.

Retargeting uses browser cookies to track users who have visited your website. When a user visits your website and leaves, a retargeting pixel drops a cookie in their browser. This cookie allows you to serve ads to the users as they browse the internet or use social media platforms.

Retargeting ads can be highly effective because they target users who have already shown an interest in your brand or products. By serving ads to these users, you can remind them of your brand and encourage them to take action, such as completing a purchase or filling out a form.

There are several types of retargeting ads, including:

1. Site retargeting: This is the most common type of retargeting and involves targeting users who have visited your website.

2. Search retargeting: This type of retargeting targets users who have searched for specific keywords that are relevant to your brand or products.

3. Email retargeting: This type of retargeting targets users who have opened or clicked on your email campaigns.

4. Social media retargeting: This type of retargeting targets users who have engaged with your social media content.

By using retargeting ads, you can increase brand awareness, engagement, and conversions among users who have already shown an interest in your brand or products.