What makes a good direct response ad?

If you’re designing display ads and have direct response goals…

Your ads need to catch the user’s eye, convey key information, and encourage them to click and explore your website.

To get you started, here are 10 proven tips based on broad industry experience. These tips will help drive effective direct response marketing campaigns.

1. Call-to-Action

A call-to-action phrase or button encourages users to click on your ad and clearly lets them know what is coming next. While direct call-to-actions such as “Buy Now!“ may be common, they can also be too insistent.

Using indirect call-to-actions like “Explore Now“ or short phrases such as “Travel Your Dream“ help encourage action without demanding a strong commitment.

REMEMBER! Asking for a commitment too early can be daunting to users – especially for complex products and services. Test several different calls-to-action to learn which perform best for you.

2. Call-to-Action in Every Frame

Include a call-to-action and key message in every frame of your ad – especially the final frame. This ensures that these key points are seen, regardless of when the user’s attention is drawn. When your animation stops, your ad continues to prompt action.

REMEMBER! Keep your auto-play animation to 15 seconds or less.

3. Company or Brand Logo

Keep your brand or product logo visible in all frames. This reinforces brand awareness, builds credibility, and may improve click-through rates.

If that’s not possible, at least include the logo in the final frame to maintain brand presence.

REMEMBER! Logos aren’t just for branding – they can also improve direct response performance.

4. Pricing and Promotion

Provide clear pricing in your display ad. Promotional pricing or discount codes can capture attention.

If users don’t agree with the price or offer terms, they won’t click – so clear information helps qualify clicks and reduce wasted spend.

REMEMBER! Clearly stated prices and promotions create a better user experience. Users know what to expect when they arrive at your site.

5. Clear Value Proposition

Include a clear, compelling message about the benefit of your product or service. If using animation, present this value proposition in each frame.

Make users feel they’re missing out by not clicking.

REMEMBER! Avoid vague photos and generic text – they can confuse users and reduce conversions.

6. Sense of Urgency

Build urgency into your ad by referencing time-limited offers or limited availability. This encourages users to act sooner rather than later.

REMEMBER! Avoid misleading deadlines or countdowns, as users will quickly recognize them and may distrust your brand.

7. Coordinate Colors & Images

Match your ad’s color scheme to your imagery or logo, and use legible colors for backgrounds and text. Avoid overly bright color combinations that may be hard to read.

Use transparent PNG images to improve aesthetics.

REMEMBER! If transparency isn’t available, make your ad background match the image background (e.g., white-on-white).

8. Balance Text & Images

Take advantage of both text and images to convey your message. Text and images are processed by different parts of the brain, and working together they can make your message more impactful.

Strong imagery can also make your ad more memorable.

REMEMBER! One high-quality image that conveys your core message can be more effective than several low-quality or unrelated visuals.

9. Relevant Landing Page

Send users to the most relevant landing page where your product or service is clearly detailed. The messaging on the landing page should match your ad to build trust and ensure a seamless experience.

This can positively influence your conversion rate and overall performance.

REMEMBER! Align the look and feel of your ad with the landing page to confirm to users they’ve arrived in the right place.

10. Cast a Wide Net

Create your ad in all standard formats and sizes to maximize reach across various platforms. Some websites only accept certain formats, so using a complete set improves your chances of visibility.

REMEMBER! Include complementary text ads where possible for additional coverage.
Some placements accept only text ads.