Banners are very important when it comes to the success of your affiliate campaign, they play a huge part in providing results and are an excellent promotional tool.

However, during the 10 years that we have been working in the travel sector, we have noticed that there are a few mistakes that are made over and over again when comes to the actual banner design. We think that these errors can easily be rectified by the following list below of 5 essential tips which will help you create that all-important visual impact for your users, a banner so appealing they can’t resist clicking on it.

1. Creating a distinctive design.

The worst-case scenario during your campaign is that your banner gets passed over because it fails to attract any attention. So the one thing to keep in mind when designing your banner is that your product is king and it deserves a banner that stands out on the webpage, a one that not only draws the user’s attention but also suits your product.
Our advice: make a direct, minimalist design with a very short text.

2. The all-important Image.

That we see the image first not the text is no mystery so, what you need is to find that perfect image that will sell your product. It seems a no-brainer, however, time and time again we have seen big travel companies who have all the means of persuasion to hand but still fail to design banners with images that show the true potential of the product they want to sell.
Our advice: create a list of your top 3 images and then study them carefully to see which of them best show off the benefits of your product. Don´t dismiss images that evoke emotions or experiences. A simple image of the hotel is not always the best image to use to convert.

3. Fonts and clear texts.

The text should be quick, easy and contain all the key information necessary using a maximum of 2 to 3 sentences. Fonts used should be clear, legible and exude your brand values.
Our advice: avoid italics and very fine fonts as they make the banner harder to read and never combine more than 2 different types of fonts.

4. The perfect size.

The sizes that work best based on our experience with affiliate campaigns are as follows:

300x250px. The “medium rectangle” ideal for web pages with well-balanced dimensions.
120x120px. Also known as a “skyscraper”, this format can fit into narrower spaces that don’t accommodate the 160 x 600 wide skyscraper.
160x160px. Known as the ” wide skyscraper” used on the sidebars of web pages.
250x250px. Known as the “square” because that is what it is, ideal for smaller spaces.
728x90px. Also known as “leaderboard” since they sit at the top of the web page.
468x60px. “The banner” this format is interesting because can adapt to small spaces, those where the “leaderboard” can’t fit.
Our advice: make sure they are well optimized so there no loss of quality or sharpness.

*For more information about what are the best sizes for affiliate networks, please do not hesitate to contact our Operations Department, who deal with Affiliates Sets of Banners on a daily basis.

5. And lastly: action!

The call to action is a button that is inserted into the banner, designed to grab the attention of potential customers enticing them to click and converting them to leads or customers.

Thus, the banner can´t be classed as perfect unless it has a call to action button that is attractive, powerful and persuasive. You must communicate clearly to the user what is their next step.
Our advice: insert a button with a striking color with a persuasive word that draws the attention of the user, enticing them to perform the action.

By following these 5 essential tips your banner will capture the attention of users and guide them to your web site, which means not only more traffic, but a greater conversion rate.