One of the first banner ads was introduced in October of 1994 by HotWired and was eventually purchased by AT&T. However, according to many reports, this was not the first time a banner actually appeared on a web page. Many credit the founder of Global Network Navigator, Dale Dougherty, which to many was the first commercial website. Regardless of who created the first banner ad, it has only been in use for roughly 15 years.
While banner ads have fallen in popularity in recent years, it is still important to use a quality banner ad in many instances. Most of the time, the banner ad is the first thing a potential client may come across in regards to your website. A quality banner ad design will often increase your income and provide potential clients with an idea of how your work will look. Most often, it is important that your banner ad be stylish and professional looking. In many cases, you should employ the use of professional design software or contract the work out to a firm that specializes in graphical design.
The main problem with banner ads is the fact that nearly all web users hate intrusive marketing methods. While banner ads are not as intrusive as pop-ups, they are still in many cases unwanted by many users. Banner ads take up space, are distracting (even more so if they are animated), hog bandwidth, and can come off as unfriendly to many users. It is important to weigh the benefits of banner ads with that of the negatives so a balance can be achieved.
