How to Write a Banner Ad That Gets Clicks

1. One offer, said in the first four words

“Weekend tyre sale: 20% off” beats “Perera Motors, your trusted partner”. Put the thing the customer gets before the name of the business.

2. Make the headline big

Most views are on phones, where a 300 x 250 ad is about the size of a playing card. If you cannot read the headline at arm’s length, make it bigger and shorter.

3. Use a clear button

Tell people what happens when they click: “See prices”, “Get a quote”, “Book a test drive”. Avoid “Click here”.

4. Show your logo, small

People trust a business they recognise. Keep the logo small so it does not take over the offer.

5. Use real pictures, simply

A clear photo of the actual product beats a stock image. Avoid pictures with lots of small text; they turn to mush at this size.

6. Do not pretend

Fake countdowns, fake system messages and claims you cannot prove get ads rejected and lose trust. Read the advertising policy before you design.

7. Send the click to a matching page

If the ad says “20% off tyres”, the landing page should open on the tyre offer, load fast on a phone, and have one obvious next step: a call button, a WhatsApp link or a short form.

Three starting points

• Driving school: “Get your licence in 6 weeks. Book a free first lesson.” Button: “Book now”.
• Tuition class: “A/L Combined Maths, new batch starts 5 Nov.” Button: “Reserve a seat”. (Check the student advertising rules.)
• Used car dealer: “Certified used cars, from Rs 3.5 million.” Button: “See cars”.

Questions