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Large Banner Ads

Advertisers usually insist on displaying their large, 468x60 pixel, banner advertisement on the best real estate on the home page, which is at, or near, the top of the page.

However, there are drawbacks to placing a large banner on the home page:

• Increase Web Page Download Time
  Top-of-page large banners are typically 468x60 pixels and take up on average 10-15 kilobytes. This would increase the file size and download time of a typical 50 kilobyte home page by 20-30%.
  
  
• Pushes Down the Start of the Page
  Almost always, a large banner is positioned at the very top of the home page. This effectively pushes down the start of the page, leaving less content above-the-fold of the page.
  
  
• Competes With Other On-Site Promotions
  The number one objective of a home page is to entice the visitor to explore the site further. But a banner promotes your sponsor's Web site, product or service. So it distracts the visitor from all the "come-in" promotions you have on the rest of the page.
  
  Advertising banners are prove to be somewhat of a double-edged sword. On the one hand you want your visitors to click on the banner, which means you lose the visitor, maybe forever. On the other hand, you want your visitors to explore your site further.
  
  So which result gives you the highest return on investment? The visitor clicking on a sponsor's ad banner, or exploring your site further?

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