What is Display Advertising

Introduction to Display Advertising

Display advertising is one of the most familiar forms of online marketing, even if most people do not realise it. Every time you see a banner, image, or video advert while browsing a website or app, you are seeing display advertising in action. It is a visual form of online promotion that uses creative design to attract attention, build awareness, and drive users to take action. For UK businesses, display advertising plays a key role in reaching audiences across the web, reminding potential customers of a brand, and supporting wider digital marketing campaigns such as search and social media.

Defining Display Advertising

Display advertising refers to adverts that appear in the form of images, animations, or videos across websites, mobile apps, and online platforms. Unlike search advertising, which appears when users actively look for something, display adverts are designed to capture attention during browsing. They can appear as banners at the top of a page, sidebars, interstitials between pages, or even within video content. The main goal of display advertising is to build brand awareness and encourage engagement rather than rely solely on immediate conversions.

These adverts are usually served through networks such as Google Display Network, which connects millions of websites where adverts can be shown to specific target audiences. When used effectively, display campaigns can increase visibility, drive traffic, and support long-term brand recognition.

How Display Advertising Works

Display advertising works through a process of targeting, bidding, and placement. Businesses create visual adverts and choose who they want to see them, such as by age, location, interests, or browsing behaviour. When a user visits a website within the network, an automated auction takes place behind the scenes, determining which advert is shown in that moment. The winning advert appears on the page, and the advertiser pays when the ad is viewed or clicked, depending on the chosen pricing model.

The most common payment options are cost per click, where advertisers pay each time someone interacts with the ad, and cost per thousand impressions, which charges for every thousand times the advert is displayed. These flexible options make display advertising accessible to all business sizes, from small local companies to large brands running nationwide campaigns.

Types of Display Advertising

There are several types of display adverts, each with its own advantages. Banner adverts are the most common, appearing at the top or sides of web pages. Video adverts are becoming increasingly popular, often running before, during, or after video content on streaming sites. Rich media adverts use interactive features such as animations, forms, or expanding visuals to capture attention. Responsive display adverts automatically adjust their size, appearance, and format to fit different devices and placements. Native display adverts are designed to blend naturally into the surrounding content, making them feel less intrusive and more relevant to users.

The Benefits of Display Advertising

One of the main benefits of display advertising is visibility. It allows brands to reach large audiences across the internet, even if those users are not actively searching for a product or service. This makes it a powerful tool for increasing awareness and recognition. The visual nature of display adverts means they can communicate a message quickly and memorably through colours, images, and video.

Display advertising also allows precise audience targeting. You can reach people based on their demographics, interests, location, and even their previous online behaviour. Remarketing campaigns, for example, show adverts to people who have already visited your website but did not convert, reminding them to return and complete their purchase. The data-driven nature of display advertising ensures that every impression has the potential to reach a relevant audience.

How Display Advertising Differs from Search Advertising

Although both are part of digital marketing, display and search advertising serve different purposes. Search advertising focuses on intent by targeting users who are actively looking for something specific, such as “best tattoo studio in London” or “buy running shoes online.” Display advertising, on the other hand, focuses on awareness. It introduces your brand to new audiences and keeps your name visible, even when users are not searching.

Search advertising is excellent for driving immediate sales, while display advertising works better for nurturing long-term brand recognition and retargeting past visitors. The two approaches often work best when used together. A user might first see your brand through a display advert and later click a search advert when they are ready to make a decision.

Targeting Options in Display Advertising

The effectiveness of display advertising lies in its targeting capabilities. Advertisers can target users based on contextual relevance, meaning their adverts appear on websites with related content. For example, a fitness brand might display adverts on health and wellness blogs. Demographic targeting allows selection based on age, gender, or location. Interest-based targeting uses behavioural data to show adverts to users whose online activity aligns with certain categories.

Another valuable approach is remarketing, which targets users who have previously interacted with your brand. These campaigns are particularly powerful because they re-engage people already familiar with your business. By staying visible through repeated exposure, remarketing increases the likelihood of conversions over time.

Creative Design and Messaging

In display advertising, visuals are everything. A strong advert design should catch attention within seconds while remaining on-brand. Effective display adverts usually feature clear headlines, concise messages, and eye-catching imagery. The inclusion of a compelling call to action, such as “Shop Now” or “Find Out More,” helps encourage interaction. Consistency between the advert design and the landing page is essential for maintaining trust and improving conversions.

Animation and video can also make display adverts more engaging, but balance is important. Overly flashy or disruptive adverts can frustrate users and lead to lower engagement. A well-designed advert should attract interest naturally rather than interrupt the browsing experience.

Measuring Display Advertising Performance

To ensure that your campaign is delivering value, it is important to track performance. Common metrics include impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and conversions. Analysing these figures helps you understand how effectively your adverts are reaching and engaging audiences. Over time, testing different versions of your creatives, headlines, and targeting settings can reveal what resonates best.

Modern advertising platforms provide detailed insights, allowing you to see which placements, devices, and audiences are driving the strongest results. This information can then be used to optimise future campaigns, ensuring that your budget is spent as efficiently as possible.

The Role of Remarketing in Display Advertising

Remarketing is one of the most powerful aspects of display advertising. It enables businesses to stay connected with users who have previously visited their website but did not take action. These adverts gently remind potential customers of what they viewed, keeping the brand top of mind. Remarketing is particularly effective for industries with longer decision-making processes, as it helps maintain awareness until the user is ready to convert.

In many cases, remarketing campaigns deliver higher click-through and conversion rates compared to standard display campaigns because they target warm audiences rather than cold prospects. When implemented well, remarketing provides an excellent return on investment.

The Cost of Display Advertising

One of the reasons display advertising remains popular is its affordability. Costs are typically lower than search advertising because impressions and clicks are less competitive. In the UK, the average cost per click for display campaigns ranges between twenty pence and one pound, depending on the industry and targeting options. Campaigns can be run on daily or monthly budgets, making it easy to scale spending according to performance.

Advertisers can choose between paying per click or per thousand impressions. Cost per click is best for campaigns focused on direct response, while cost per thousand impressions suits those aiming for brand awareness. Both models allow businesses of any size to participate, with no minimum spend required.

The Future of Display Advertising

The future of display advertising is increasingly focused on personalisation and automation. Artificial intelligence now helps advertisers target audiences more accurately and predict which adverts are likely to perform best. Programmatic advertising technology automates the buying and placement process in real time, ensuring that adverts appear to the most relevant users.

As privacy regulations evolve, advertisers are shifting towards more ethical and transparent data practices. Creativity will continue to be at the heart of successful display campaigns, but technology will make it easier to deliver personalised experiences that feel relevant rather than intrusive.

Conclusion

Display advertising remains one of the most versatile and effective tools in digital marketing. It allows businesses to reach large audiences, build awareness, and drive engagement through creative visual storytelling. By combining striking design with smart targeting, advertisers can create memorable experiences that influence customer behaviour long before a purchase decision is made. With affordable costs, measurable results, and continual innovation, display advertising continues to be an essential part of every successful marketing strategy in the UK.