Banner Ads
The original display unit — image, text, link.
Overview
Banner ads are graphical advertisements placed in designated slots on web pages and apps. They come in standardised sizes defined by the IAB and are the most widely recognised form of digital advertising. Despite being one of the oldest formats, they remain a staple of programmatic buying due to their ubiquity and measurability.
How it works
An ad server selects a creative from inventory (via direct deal or RTB auction) and renders it in a pre-defined slot on the publisher's page. The creative is typically a static image, animated GIF, or lightweight HTML5 unit. When a user clicks, they are redirected to a landing page, and the click is tracked by the ad server.
IAB Standard Sizes
Billboard
970×250
Super Leaderboard / Pushdown
970×90
Leaderboard
728×90
Medium Rectangle
300×250
Half Page
300×600
Skyscraper
160×600
Portrait
300×1050
Smartphone Banner
300×50 / 320×50
Mobile Interstitial
640×1136 / 750×1334 / 1080×1920
Button
120×60
Feature Phone Small Banner
120×20
Feature Phone Medium Banner
168×28
Feature Phone Large Banner
216×36
Common uses
- →Brand awareness campaigns
- →Retargeting (following users who visited your site)
- →Direct response with a clear CTA
- →Programmatic display buys
Pros & cons
Pros
- ✓Extremely broad reach across the web
- ✓Easy to produce and A/B test
- ✓Well-supported by all DSPs and ad networks
- ✓Clear, standardised measurement
Cons
- ✗Banner blindness — users tune them out
- ✗Low average CTR
- ✗Often blocked by ad blockers
- ✗Limited creative canvas
Live examples
Simulated mockup — illustrative, not a real ad
Rendered Examples
728×90 Leaderboard
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300×600 Half Page
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160×600 Skyscraper
Sponsored
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300×250 Medium Rectangle
Sponsored
Acme Pro
The best tool you're not using yet.
320×50 Smartphone Banner
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120×60 Button
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Live ad slot — Google AdSense
This slot serves a real Google ad once the site is approved. What appears depends on the advertiser auction and your browser — it won't always match the format above.
Ad slot
Awaiting AdSense ad unit
Key metrics
Related terms
Advertisement
Ad slot
Awaiting AdSense ad unit