First, select a template by clicking on the arrows next to “Template”. This will create your banner’s background. There are 150 templates to choose from.

Second, you want to add text and/or clipart images to your banner. Browse the cliparts by clicking on the arrows next to “Clipart”. Once you stumble on a clipart you are interested in, click on “Create Clipart”. Now, to incorporate the clipart you just created in your banner, drag and drop it with your mouse wherever you want in your banner.

To add text, follow the same instructions. Type in text in the text box (you may select a font, size and colour), once you are satisfied with your text click on “Generate Text”, drag and drop the same way you did with cliparts.

You may erase everything by clicking on “Start Over”.

If you are satisfied with your banner click on “Create Banner”. The banner will be saved on your computer.

You are done!

Tip #1 Keep it simple. Do not crowd you banner with too much text and too many images. You banner has to stand out with a simple catchy phrase and image. For example, if your website is selling flowers, your banner could write “Big Sale on Flowers!”.

Tip#2 Very important! Your banner must have a “call for action”. A call for action could be a “Buy Now” button or “Click here”. If you banner does not contain a call for action, people are very less likely to click on your banner. This is a proven marketing strategy!

Tip #3 Ask for opinions. Show your banner to your friends and family and ask for their opinion. If you can’t ask your friends or family for an opinion, there are various webmasters forums which you can do just that. Such forums include forums.digitalpoint.com or sitepoint.com. Take people’s opinions very seriously. If nobody likes your banner, then no one will click on it. Of course you can’t please everyone, but you should be able to please the majority.

Tip #4 Create a text ad like banner. If you are having a lot of trouble creating a nice looking banner or the art is just not in you, then you can create a text ad like banner. That type of ad is also very effective, that’s what made Google Adwords such a success. Text ad is a very simple form of advertisement, yet one of the most effective. A text ad usually contains 3 lines of text. The first line is the title (in bold, blue, underlined, just like a hyperlink), this would be the equivalent of the catchy phrase I talked about in tip #1 “Big Sale on Flowers!”. Then you have two more lines of description. You can use these lines to describe further what your sale is exactly about “Valentine’s Day week-end only – $24.99 for a dozen of roses!

I hope these tips will be helpful to you. Good luck with your banner!