We've all seen banner adverts on websites. In fact banners have been around for almost as long as the websites themselves.

In the mid 1990's online advertising was just taking off and at that time nobody really expected the banner format to be such a powerful promotional tool.

The fact is that banner adverts do work for both the advertiser and publisher. However, it is up to media sellers to get the mix right if they are to generate a decent level of revenue from them.

Banner adverts come in two main types: dynamic and static. Dynamic ads are generally created in Flash or GIF formats and tend to use images, text and highly animated contrasts of colour to create a big impact. Their design

is more often used on consumer based websites, where the idea is to either get people to click quickly, or get them to view more detailed animations for branding purposes.

Static banner ads are the opposite. They tend to be just a single image or slogan and a subtle call to action or line of text. These are mainly used on business websites and often blend in well with the colour scheme or

surrounding environment of the site.

Both formats will usually link directly to a website or landing page from the advertiser and the main objective is to get people to click on them. However, as previously mentioned some animated designs are more about telling a story and building an identity.

When advertisers use sophisticated animations to tell a story or get a more detailed message across to the visitor, they tend to be aimed at people have a little more time to view this material. If you look at any consumer motor sport website, you'll see this technique used regularly.

The question is which ones to use on your website. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but overall it's better to use the style that will best suit your visitor profile.

Remember, dynamic or more animated ads tend to come across as just that – ads. Very few people are actually going to click on something they see as a blatant advert unless it really pushes all the right buttons for them.

There is a fair amount of research to suggest that too many bright colors or flashing animations on a business to business website can distract from the overall image and presentation, which can make people less likely to buy the product or accept the information shown as being of a credible nature. When you are working on the structure of your website you always want ads to fit in with the look and feel of your site. Imagine ads to be the rockery or borders in your garden rather than the weeds!

Some prefer static banner ads because they don't distract the visitors attention away from the material on the page. The reason for this is that the human eye is naturally drawn to motion and bright contrasts of color. It doesn't matter how informative the page content is, the reader's eye will probably stray to the top of the page to look at the ad whenever its animation loops over.

Overall, when deciding on whether to use static or dynamic banner ads on your website, keep in mind what you're trying to accomplish with your site and take a long hard look at the kind of visitors your site attracts.

If you are going to keep them hooked, your text and ad content should reflect the tone and main requirements of your audience. Your long-term business success may just depend on it.