rectangular advertisement displayed on a Web page, often appearing at the top. Normally it contains a hyperlink to the advertiser's Web site.
an advertisement placed on a web page by a third party, who provides free services or payment in return. Many useful web sites, such as www.weather.com, are supported by banner ads. Some sites provide free web space to individuals in return for being allowed to place banner ads on the web pages.
It is unwise to allow a third party to place on your web page ads that you cannot control. Generally, the ad resides on the advertiser's site, and the advertiser can change its content at any time.Web users have been embarrassed to find that formerly innocuous banner ads have changed into obnoxious material or even ads for their direct competitors.
Internet advertising that invites the viewer to click through to the advertiser's web site by clicking on the banner. Banner ads may contain animation and sound. In addition to accessing another web site, banner ads may also collect information from consumers, make sales, or offer activities such as games. Banner ads are usually placed in a thin, rectangular box (468 x 60 millimeters is standard) at the top or side of the host site home page. Response to banner ads is generally measured by click-through rates. Currently banner ads are the Internet equivalent of a direct-mail envelope, enticing the reader to seek more information about the contents of the envelope or web site. Click-through on banner ads is declining and is now estimated at less than 1%. Many advertisers are considering ways to make banner ads operate more like a television commercial, offering a complete message without a click-through. In 1998, the average cost of a banner ad was $36 per thousand impressions but it can range from $10 for a search engine site to over $200 for a computer supply site. Results have shown banner ads to be better suited to direct selling than brand building.
