Your business is only as good as your marketing, and a big part of effective marketing is creating eye-catching and relevant visuals. Custom banners are an excellent way to do this, but with so many businesses using them, how can you make sure yours stand out?
Here are 13 tips for creating custom banners that attract attention:
1. Keep it simple
The most effective banners are often the simplest ones. A busy or cluttered banner will be quickly ignored, but a clean and straightforward one will grab attention and communicate its message effectively. When in doubt, less is more.
2. Use strong colors
Using strong, contrasting colors is a great way to make your banner stand out. Avoid muted or pastel colors, as they can be difficult to see from a distance. And if you’re using multiple colors, make sure they work well together – you don’t want your banner to look like a rainbow threw up on it.
3. Use typography effectively
The text on your banner is just as important as the visuals. Make sure it’s large enough to be seen from a distance, and that the font is easy to read. Serif fonts (like Times New Roman) are generally not ideal for banners, as they can be harder to read at small sizes.
4. Avoid stock imagery
Using generic stock photos will make your banner look unoriginal and boring. If you must use photos, make sure they’re high-quality and relevant to your business. And if you have the budget, commissioning custom photography is always a good idea.
5. Make it relevant
Your banner should be relevant to your business and your target audience. It should communicate what you do and why someone should care. If it’s not immediately clear what your banner is trying to say, people will just keep scrolling.
6. Use negative space
Negative space is the empty space on your banner – and using it effectively can be a great way to make your design more eye-catching. Try to create a balanced design, with enough negative space to give your elements some breathing room.
7. Get creative with shapes
You don’t have to stick to the traditional rectangular banner. Get creative with your shapes, and you’ll instantly make your design more interesting. Just make sure your chosen shape still serves its purpose – a weirdly-shaped banner that’s difficult to read is not going to do you any favors.
8. Think outside the box
When it comes to banners, thinking outside the box can really pay off. If you can find a way to make your banner unique, you’ll grab attention and stand out from the crowd. But be careful – if your design is too out there, people may just be confused.
9. Use motion graphics
Adding simple animations to your banner can make it more eye-catching and engaging. Just make sure the animations are subtle and don’t distract from the rest of your design.
10. Stick to a single message
Your banner should have one clear message, and everything else should support that. Trying to communicate too much will just confuse people, so stick to one thing and make it crystal clear.
11. Make it easy to read
Remember, people will only have a few seconds to glance at your banner, so you need to make sure the important stuff is easy to read. Use short sentences or bullet points, and highlight the most important information with colors or graphics.
12. Use calls to action
A call to action (or CTA) is a short phrase that tells people what you want them to do, like “Sign up now” or “Learn more.” Including a CTA on your banner can be a great way to increase conversions, so don’t forget to include one.
13. Test, test, test
Once you’ve designed your banner, it’s important to test it out to see how it performs. Show it to people in your target audience and see what they think. If they don’t understand it, make changes until you get it right.
Conclusion:
Creating an effective banner is all about standing out from the crowd and communicating your message clearly. By following these tips, you can create custom banners that grab attention and get results.
