If you're in the fast-paced world of digital marketing, display ads play a vital role in capturing attention, driving traffic, and generating leads. But with so many brands competing for the same audience, simply putting up an ad isn’t enough – you need to stand out. That’s where ad creative best practices come into play.

Creating effective display ads isn’t just about slapping on a logo and a few words. It’s about designing an ad that instantly grabs attention, communicates value, and compels the user to act. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what makes a great ad campaign, how to optimize performance, and how to continuously improve your creative strategy.

What are Ad Creative Best Practices?

Ad Creative best practices are the strategies and guidelines that help ensure your display ads are high-quality, high-resolution, eye-catching, informative, and perform well. These practices are informed by data, user behavior, and industry trends and are meant to maximize engagement, clicks, and conversions.

Good creativity doesn’t happen accidentally – it results from thoughtful design, clear messaging, and a deep understanding of your audience. Whether running a campaign on the Google Display Network or somewhere else, following best practices can help you maximize your ad spend.

Key Elements of High-Performing Display Ads

So, what separates a mediocre ad from an ad that performs well? Let’s take a closer look at the essential elements and break them down further:

Attention-Grabbing Visuals

People process visual information much faster than text. That’s why the imagery and design of your display ads need to capture attention within seconds.

Examples include:

Remember: Simplicity often leads to better results. A clean, eye-catching design can be far more effective than a complex one.

Clear, Value-Driven Messaging

You don’t have a lot of time or space in a display ad, so your message needs to be short and impactful. It's best to think about what problem your product or service solves and lead with that. For example:

A Strong and Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Every ad should guide the viewer to take a specific action. That’s where your CTA comes in. A strong CTA turns a passive viewer into an active user.

Consistent Branding

Consistent branding ensures that your audience easily recognizes your brand across various platforms. Use the same color palette, fonts, and imagery to create a cohesive visual identity. This strengthens brand recall and fosters trust among consumers. 

Compelling Headlines and Overall Readability

Clear and compelling headlines are crucial for grabbing attention in Ad Creative. They should be clear, concise, and evoke curiosity, encouraging the audience to engage further, especially on a landing page.

Additionally, overall readability is essential; simple language, appropriate font sizes, and contrasting colors enhance comprehension. Prioritizing these elements ensures your ads resonate effectively with your target audience and highlight your unique selling points.

Responsive Design for Various Mobile Devices

Responsive display ads are essential for modern advertising. Testing across multiple platforms ensures consistency and effectiveness. By ensuring that visuals and text adapt seamlessly, brands can enhance user experience and engagement. Flexible layouts and scalable images allow ads to maintain impact regardless of screen size. Prioritizing loading speed further improves accessibility.

Tips to Optimize Your Display Ads for Better Performance

Now that you’ve got the basics down, here are a few ways to take your ads to the next level:

Keep File Sizes Light

Slow-loading ads can hurt your performance, especially on mobile. Make sure your ad creatives meet the file size requirements of your ad platform to ensure quick loading and better viewability.

Use Multiple Ad Sizes

Different websites and apps support different ad dimensions and specifications. Use a variety of ad sizes and layouts (such as 300x250, 728x90, 160x600, etc.) to increase your reach and placement options.

Align With Your Landing Page

Make sure your ad’s message and design align with the page it links to. This creates a seamless user experience and improves conversion rates.

A/B Testing for Continuous Improvement

Even the best-designed ad can benefit from testing. A/B testing (or split testing) involves running two or more versions of your ad to see which performs better.

Test different elements such as:

Use the data from these tests to inform future creatives. Over time, small improvements can lead to significantly better results.

Targeting the Right Audience

Your ad could be visually stunning and perfectly written, but if it’s shown to the wrong people, it won’t perform. Effective creative design works hand in hand with proper targeting.

Use display ad targeting strategies like:

The more relevant your ad is to your audience, the better your results will be.

Mobile-Friendly and Responsive Design

With mobile traffic making up a significant portion of web usage, your display ads must be optimized for smartphones and tablets for optimal ad performance. Tips include:

Mobile users tend to scroll quickly, so your ad needs to load fast, grab attention, and communicate clearly – within seconds.

Partner with Rumble to Maximize the Effectiveness of Your Display Ads

Rumble’s growing and highly engaged audience offers a unique opportunity for brands to stand out without the noise and ad fatigue common on other platforms. With advanced targeting tools, advertisers can align their display ads with relevant content and demographics, ensuring their message reaches the right viewers at the right time. Rumble also provides greater transparency and control over where ads appear, helping to protect brand integrity while improving click-through rates and conversions. Whether you're aiming to boost awareness, drive traffic, or increase sales, Rumble gives you the tools to make every ad impression count.

By Following Our Ad Creative Best Practices Guide, Your Brand or Product Will Remain Top-of-Mind

Effective display ads are more than just good-looking graphics – they’re strategic tools designed to engage, inform, and convert. By leveraging these ad creative best practices, you can ensure that your ads look great and deliver measurable results.

Keep your ads visually compelling, your message clear, and your CTA strong. Test often, optimize continuously, and always keep your target audience in mind to tailor to their unique wants and needs. With the right approach, your display ads can become one of your most powerful marketing assets.

About The Author:

Quincy L. Carter is the Marketing Manager at Rumble, where she leads end-to-end marketing efforts across branding, digital strategy, influencer campaigns, and public relations. With over 10 years of experience in highly regulated industries such as firearms, healthcare, and finance, she brings a sharp strategic mindset and a proven track record of driving growth, shaping brand narratives, and aligning marketing with business objectives.