Paid Ads: Display / Banner

Guides display advertising: ad networks, banner ads, and programmatic buying. Use when placing ads on publisher sites (websites, apps) for brand awareness or retargeting.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

What Is Display / Banner

Ad networks: Aggregate inventory from many publishers; buy placements programmatically or via direct deals
Banner ads: IAB standard sizes (300×250, 728×90, 160×600, 320×50 mobile); static or animated
Programmatic: Automated buying via DSPs; real-time bidding (RTB); audience targeting

Formats

| Format | Use | |--------|-----| | Display banner | IAB sizes; CPM or CPC; brand, retargeting | | Native | Blends with page content; higher engagement | | Video pre-roll | Pre-roll on publisher video; see ctv-ads for streaming | | Rich media | HTML5; expandable, interactive | | Mobile interstitial | Full-screen between content |

Buying Options

| Option | Use | |-------|-----| | Google Display | Part of Google Ads; automated placements; retargeting | | Programmatic DSP | The Trade Desk, Magnite, etc.; audience-based; scale | | Direct publisher | Deal with specific site; guaranteed placement | | Ad network | Network aggregates inventory; simpler than full programmatic |

Metrics

| Metric | Use | |--------|-----| | CPM | Cost per thousand impressions | | CPC | Cost per click | | CTR | Click-through rate; typically low for banners (0.1–0.5%) | | Viewability | % of impressions actually seen | | Completion rate | For video; % who watch full ad |

Creative

IAB sizes: 300×250 (medium rectangle), 728×90 (leaderboard), 160×600 (skyscraper), 320×50 (mobile)
File types: Static image, animated GIF, HTML5
Message: Clear CTA; minimal text; brand visible in 3 seconds

UTM

Use utm_medium=display or cpc with utm_source (publisher or network name) for attribution. See traffic-analysis for GA4 alignment.

Pre-Launch Checklist

[ ] Creative in required sizes
[ ] Landing page aligned with ad message
[ ] UTM parameters set
[ ] Retargeting audience defined (if applicable)
[ ] Viewability target set

Related Skills

paid-ads-strategy: Ad formats by medium; when to use display
google-ads: Google Display Network; retargeting campaigns
traffic-analysis: UTM for display; attribution
analytics-tracking: Conversion tracking; viewability