Design vs. Advertising

jono · 04-12-2008, 13:35

There was another very interesting article at Smashing Magazine on Online Advertising And Its Impact On Web Design. It talks about the different way web sites show online ads and highlights some recent trends.

I'm seeing more and more of the flash ads that pop over the content, especially the TV commercials that slide out from the right hand side. Generally they have a close button but it can be hard to find.

The Smashing Magazine article states the best practices for designers are:
1. Design to meet the needs of the client
2. Lay out the website so that ads are a part of the design
3. Consider future needs
4. Consider the impact on visitors

At what point do you consider ads? Is it an after thought or do you build it in to your design? Or in the case of using a template, do you select a template where you can place ads or do you just pick one that looks good and hack it to have ads?

OfficeTech · 04-12-2008, 16:26

When it comes to client sites, Generally the most they will have is a top banner section for adverts. As in external ads. Not internal.

For the fun sites i have done, I will use 88x31 banners in a set area of the page. So yea the adds are always part of the original design and "NEVER" something that pops up over the content... That just unfair and dirty...

Any time one of those ads have appear over content, I close it and get back to what i was reading. I will never click or pay attention to them. But once i am finished on a page i will have a quick look at the static located adverts and then move on if none interest me.

I am still not a fan of flash, I can see the use for flash... But not in advertising. If you need to result to the effects and features of flash like page interaction to gain your customers attention. Is your product or service really what they need?

I guess this leads to another question, What size banners do you use in general or what advertising methods?

AxelFoley1 · 09-12-2008, 20:48

Im not a fan of pop up ads either. I think a website can be filled with ads and still be great, like a newspaper