Those in SEO and marketing know what works and what doesn’t. With so many small businesses creating their web presence themselves, knowing how to increase conversion rates can be difficult. When advertising on a website is involved there are formulas for success and mistakes that can be made. Knowing how to properly place the ads is one of the most important aspects of increasing conversion rates. Here are a few things to consider when planning to place your ads and affiliate links.

Size Matters:
I have seen some sites with giant ads that take away from page content. Though these ads are noticeable, they are usually in the way of the real reason I went to the site in the first place. Choosing the proper ad size can be as important as the ad itself. You don’t want large banners littered all over the site that makes it hard to find any information posted on the page. Choosing more moderately sized ads that blend well with other images on the page would keep the customer on the site enjoying the content that brought them there.

There are standard ad sizes that the marketing industry uses and has proven to be successful. Most of the sizes have been standardized by the Interactive Advertising Board. Below is a chart of industry standard sizes for each type of banner and ad.

Colors:

Though it seems beneficial to have ads that stick out and pop from the page, marketing professionals have found that ad colors that match a sites color scheme closer, usually have more success. If your site has a look and a feel, you will want your ads to match that feel.

There are three basic types of ad colorization schemes. Blend, compliment, or contrast. If you have a lighter background behind the ads, blending or complementing is suggested to keep a professional and nonintrusive feel. A site with a darker background should complement or contrast their ad colors. Having many ads of varying colors may cause your site to be too busy or confusing.

Placement:

This may be the most important aspect of any advertising plan. The placement of your ads should be based on the layout of your page. There are five basic and successful placements for ads. The image below shows the proper placement. Some affiliate marketing or Google Adwords will only allow 3 ads to be placed on a single page, so don’t worry if you can’t utilize them all. Simply find the ones that work for the layout of your page.

Whether you have a business degree, a background in marketing or are just a blogger trying your hand at monetizing your site, proper advertising is essential. Utilizing the standards of ad color and placement can yield the results you are after. Try different combinations and see what works for your site and your customer base.

Amy Southerland is a career advisor and writes for The Best Degrees, a website providing essential information, rankings and reviews of many programs, including accredited online business degrees.