Why Does Ad Placement Matter?

Ad placement may not seem like a big deal at first glance, but the reality is it's absolutely essential for any well-designed campaign. You will see better results from your marketing initiatives if you master the ins and outs of effective ad placement. 

How Does Ad Placement Affect Campaign Success? 

Experienced marketers know that ad placement is as important as the ad itself. In fact, it may even be more important. Why? Because no matter how good an ad is, it won't have the desired effect unless it's presented to the right audience. 

Both research and experience show that ad placement can make the difference between a successful campaign and a disappointing outcome. Consider the matter of ad position as an example. Studies indicate that premium search engine ads (that is, ads at or near the top of search results) can reach up to 90% of searchers, compared to only 28% for non-premium ads. Moreover, users spend more time reading those premium ads compared to their non-premium counterparts (0.9 seconds vs. 0.16 seconds). 

If those are the numbers for ads that are placed on a single page, imagine what the comparison would be for ads placed on different websites! Put simply; the best ad placements are on sites popular with your target audience, credible, and cost-effective.  

Ad Placement That Works 

How can you place your ads in the most effective manner possible? The first and most important step is to know your audience well. Where are they? Which platforms and sites do they use? What are their interests and research patterns?  

As one example of a pivotal question, consider whether your target consumers would be more likely to come across your ad on a desktop or a mobile device. Mobile web traffic continues to trend upward in terms of total web traffic share (over 57%), and well over 50% of digital ad spend now takes place on mobile platforms. Many advertisers place their ads on search results pages, social media platforms, and mobile games to capture the highest possible volume of mobile traffic. 

Of course, once you decide where to post your ads, you may need to adapt them to each platform in your mix. For instance, if you're posting to a social media network like Facebook or Instagram, you'll need to decide what format the ad should be in (post, story, etc.). The ultimate objective is to make your ads as appealing to your target audience as they can be. 

Using Programmatic Advertising 

Regarding ad placement, programmatic advertising is a powerful tool to get your messaging where it needs to be. You can quickly and conveniently set the parameters of your ad placement and bids. You could think of it as "putting your marketing plane on autopilot" to save time and resources (without forfeiting the ability to make tweaks as needed). 

Programmatic Display Advertising Best Practices 

How can you optimize your programmatic advertising strategy for the best results? Here are a few best practices to keep in mind: 

• Decide on your goals. Focus your programmatic ad spend on the sites and platforms that promise to yield the highest ROI. 
• Don't forget the human touch. True, programmatic advertising relies on algorithms and automation to get the job done — but that doesn't mean occasional human intervention is unnecessary! For example, the algorithm may indicate that you should bid on one site in particular, but you know that the site isn't popular among your target audience. 
• Monitor and update. Programmatic advertising shouldn't be a "set it and forget it" tactic. Instead, ensure that your ads are placed appropriately on high-quality, reliable sites. 

Let McClatchy Help You Optimize Your Ad Placement 

When a marketing partnership comes together, values and principles must align with yours. For an ideal professional relationship and outstanding results, also understand your goals and what the future looks like for your business. McClatchy strives to leave your business in a better position than where you started with a certain element of care that our expert team embodies.  

Ad placement is an essential element for any successful digital marketing campaign. If you know your audience well, place your ads to fit their behaviors and interests and make proper use of programmatic advertising, then you're sure to see exceptional results from your efforts. 

At McClatchy, we have years of experience helping clients optimize their marketing campaigns and achieve key business goals.