Overlay ads have become quite popular in the online advertising industry, mainly because aside from providing a CTR that’s 5 – 10 times higher than traditional ads, they can grab users’ attention without being obtrusive. These types of ads can be displayed on top of images or videos on a webpage.
The success of overlay ads can be attributed to the very nature of images and videos. These are usually the things that users first look at when browsing websites, so attaching an ad to these media practically guarantees that users will look at your advertisements.
Running overlay ads is pretty easy, and your advertising company would usually work with you in optimizing your ads and making sure that they get the highest ROI as possible. Of course, not all advertising agencies are created equally, so if you’re planning to display overlay ads, be sure to ask the following questions first:
1. Are they targeted? –You don’t want to be barking up the wrong tree, so make sure to ask your advertising agency rep about their targeting systems and matching algorithms. Work with the advertising company to ensure that your ads aren’t stuck on images or videos that aren’t related to your products or services. After all, no matter how stunning your ad is, you won’t get any conversions out of it if it isn’t targeted to the right audience.
2. Does the ad network have a wide network of publishers? – Again, online advertising companies come in all shapes and sizes, so when deciding about which company should display your overlay ads, go with the ad agency that has publishers related to what you’re selling. It’s best to look into advertising companies with wide variety of publishers to make sure that your ads will find a suitable spot in their publisher network.
3. What kinds of ad formats are available? – You also have to consider the technical details of the ads itself. Do you want them to appear on top of photos or videos? Should they be positioned at the top or bottom? You also have to decide on the right ad formats for your products or services. Overlay ads can come in a “no frills” plain text format, which is best for users who want information that’s presented in a simple and straightforward way. Want to add a bit of color and variety to your overlays? You can also add an image to your advertisements. This ad formats are extremely effective in showing audiences what your products look like. It’s important to note that there isn’t a “one size fits all” answer to choosing the right ad format. The best way to figure out what type of ad to display is by running tests to see which is more effective. Get to know your target audience and figure out that types of things and offers that they would appreciate the most.
4. When and how will the ads appear? – Also be sure to ask your advertising agency about how the ads will appear. Some overlays show up automatically, while others are only displayed when users hover over an image or video. The behavior of the ad is sometimes decided by the publisher, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask your advertising company if you have some control of how the ad will be displayed.