by Sherrie Wilkolaski
I can’t say enough good things about banner ads. If you don’t have much of a techie background, the easiest way to describe a banner ad is as a form of advertising on the World Wide Web delivered by an ad server; you’ll often see them on the sidebar of websites that you frequent. This form of online advertising entails embedding an advertisement into a web page. It is intended to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser.
In terms of book marketing, banner ads are a great way to get the word out about your book. There are many ways that you can use them, you simply have to decide which way is best for you and your needs. Here are some of our ideas:
- Announce a book giveaway, including the dates and a link to entering
- Create a book buzz regarding an upcoming or new release
- Spread the word about a limited time discount on your title
- Promote a book signing or reading at a local bookstore
- Advertise a new blog post or section of your website
Personally, my favorite site to create banner ads is www.bannersnack.com. It has an extremely streamlined and easy to use interface; you can create a simple ad or branch out to the more intricate and detailed. You can view banner examples here. Linking the banner you create directly to your Buy Books On The Web page is a great way to guarantee more sales. Each banner comes out looking extremely professional and will be the perfect addition to your author website. After all, if you can self-publish a book with Infinity, who's to say you can't self-publish your own banner ad?
How will you use banner ads on your website? Share your ideas in the comments below.
Image courtesy of www.uhm.org.mt