Dazzle Your Visitors With Linkless Banners

By Polly Hummingbird
Posted Thursday, October 14, 2004

Publishing:
Free publication. If you would like to publish this article in your ezine or newsletter, fill in the form at the bottom of this website: (http://www.humming.gq.nu/aa.html)

Summary:
Learn a new way of using banners that will help you promote your website.

Banners without links make great promotions!

Normally a banner has information about a website at another location. When you click on the banner it links you to this website and you must click 'Back' to return to the page you were originally on. Even though this is the most common use of banners, it is not the ONLY one.

You can also create an animated banner for promoting the very website it is placed on. This banner has no link. It is called a "promotional image".

A promotional banner can be used to: a) provide an exciting title b) announce an upcoming event c) feature a new product or service d) send out a public message e) welcome visitors f) give an explanation or definition g) announce a feature article

You can place a linkless banner anywhere on a webpage: at the top, in the middle, to the side, or at the bottom.

There are several websites on the Internet that allow you to create your own free animated banners. You can quickly create a banner and have it emailed to you as a "gif" file. Then you can upload the image to your webpage in exactly the same way that you would upload a photograph.

If you already know how to create your own animated banners, simply omit the link and the "click here" (or minimize it at best).

The following are step-by-step instructions on "how to create a linkless banner" using the excellent services of Ad Designer.

Step 1
Visit (http://www.addesigner.com). Go to the bottom of the page and sign up for a free account. Once you get your password by email return to the site. Click "DESIGN AN AD". Log in.

Step 2
The first step is to choose a sample ad. Since you will be doing a linkless banner, then you need to choose a sample that has an insignificant "click here". The following are a few good choices: 10, 11, 13, 17, 20, 28, 33, 36, 37, 51, 55, 70.

Step 3
After you have made your selection you are ready to create the banner. There are usually 3 lines of text. The first line is the main heading, which should be done in a larger font. The other two lines are great for explanations or details. Once you experiment you'll get good at it.

Step 4
When you have the banner done the way you like, click "Save This Ad". Then click "Email This Ad". Each time you design a new ad the file you receive by email will have a different number.

Step 5
Once you have received the banner by email you can upload it to your website. You will upload it in the same way you would a photograph or other image. Most web programs give specific instructions on how to "upload an image". Be sure to position the banner in the appropriate place on your webpage. Do NOT add a link to the image.

I created a special webpage of "Samples Of Linkless Banners" to demonstrate the many ways that promotional banners can be used. None of these examples represent any actual product. With a little imagination there are endless possibilities for creating a promotional banner.
(http://www.humming.gq.nu/solb.html)

Enjoy dazzling your visitors with linkless banners!

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About the Author
Polly Hummingbird is an online author and designer. (http://www.humming.gq.nu/he.html)

Read her latest article of ONLINE SECRETS. (http://www.humming.gq.nu/aotw.html)