Banner Ads: Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Eye-Tracking Research

Based on eyetracking studies, researchers have determined that the heyday of the banner ad is long gone.  Since 1997, internet users have consistently been paying less and less attention to banner style advertising on content sites.  The ability to avoid banner ads has developed into a full blown phenomenon known as “banner blindness”.

Plain text, human faces and private body parts like cleavage are the three site design elements that remain the most consistent attention magnets.  While the general attention level for those three elements has held constant among internet users, the ability to visually filter advertising material has improved.  This phenomenon has pressured advertisers to use unethical tactics to regain interaction with their message.

Based on recent research, banner ads that mimic a site’s design are one of the most effective ways to attract a viewer’s attention.  This unethical practice blends the line between editorial content and advertising.  In some cases, the advertising material will mimic site forms and actually trick users into clicking through to the advertiser’s page.  This unsettling trend appears to be a clear sign that the banner advertising sector is struggling.  While unethical advertising may show effectiveness in eyetracking studies, it is important to note that ethical business practices will ultimately produce the best long-term results.

Based on the article: Banner Blindness: Old and New Findings