Pretty much anyone with basic computer literacy can figure out how to make a simple banner ad. It is not rocket science. You just need to combine an HTML link tag with an HTML image tag. If you have ever used Paint Shop Pro or any other basic graphics tool, you already have the skills to slap together a static image. You can knock out a few of these in an afternoon.
But let’s be clear. Static banners are dead simple. Animated GIFs are only slightly harder. The real gap appears when you look at rich media ads. Those require extensive programming. We are talking about elaborate animations and user interactivity. Amateur efforts might work fine for a hobby site. But for a major website competing for viewer attention, you often need professional ad designers.
The Cost of Professional Banner Ad Design
Good advertising agencies bring more than just code to the table. They bring creativity and years of marketing experience. Their job is to match a campaign with the advertiser’s product. They create innovative, attention-grabbing content. There are countless agencies and freelance designers out there. The range in their ability is wide. So is the price tag.
You can pick up a professional banner ad for around $50. You can also spend upwards of $1,000. The difference lies in the strategy behind the pixels.
Free Banner Ad Creation Resources
There are also websites that offer free banner ad creation. They either give you the components to build your own ad—like backgrounds and fonts—or they do it for you. Why would they do this for free?
Some make money from ads on their own sites. Others require you to post their client banners on your site in exchange for the design. A few designers just do it as a hobby. If you are looking for these resources, some popular free banner design sites include:
- Make Your Banner.com
- ABC Banners
- Atomic Arts
The Quality Gap in Digital Advertising
Just like any form of advertising, banner ads vary wildly in quality. This is because the creators vary wildly in ability. The range is even greater here than in other advertising forms. Why? Because it is so easy and inexpensive to create and post them.
Anyone with a mouse can publish something. Most of it will be ignored. The ones that get clicks usually have a bit more thought behind them. Or a bigger budget.
So, how do you decide who makes banner ads for you? It depends on what you want. Do you just want a picture with a link? Or do you want a campaign that converts? The answer changes the price. And the outcome.
The internet is full of noise. Cutting through it takes skill. Or money. Usually both.
