Ways to Make your Banners More Click-able

The main purpose for creating online banners is to increase the viewership of your website. Based on researches, I think there are some points that we can consider when making our banners so they will look more "click-able". Do share with us if you have other interesting and useful ideas as well! Let us update the list together.
 

Use Contrasting Colors

Do not use colors or a design style that blend into background of the website that you are putting your banner at. It will make your banner look much less visible than others who use total different color themes.
 

left: less contrast colors VS right: more contrast colors

 

Keep the File Size Small

People will not wait for a large banner to load finish before scrolling down to read further on the content. Make sure your banner is small in file size and be one of the first few images to complete loading when visiting the website.
 

left: slow loading image VS right: fast loading image

 

Include a Call to Action

A short phrase like "Find out more" or "Sign up now" will better capture people’s attention. It also allow them to roughly get an idea of your banner nature, whether are you selling a product, sharing an article or signing up for an application.
 

left: without call to action VS right: with call to action

 

Subtle Animation is Useful

Animated objects or short movie clip make great banners. Some designers also integrate a small flash game which is enticing people to play and click on them. But of course, make sure your file size is kept small, or do your preloading progressively.
 

left: without animation VS right: with animation

 

Straight to the Point Heading

Keep your message short and straight to the point. Make sure people can understand the purpose of your banner and the benefits that they will get if they were to click on it.
 

left: general heading VS right: specific heading

 

Create an Obvious Button

Include a good button design within your banner so it will look clickable instead of a plain picture on display. Try to make it obvious that people can click on your banner.
 

left: without button image VS right: with button image

 

Track the Statistics for Banner Clicks

This is very useful in understanding your own performance after every banner design. You will be able to identify which are the more effective approaches towards your audience and apply them throughout your future works.