WHICH ONLINE ADS WORK BEST?
Have you ever wondered, when scrolling through your favourite website, if there is a particular reason ads are a certain shape, or placed in certain positions, or if one ad is more effective than another?
The team at Mediative - a Canadian based digital marketing consultancy – have released a study that provides insight in to the movements of our eyes as we look at a webpage, determining what spot we look at most and for the longest.
This kind of information is very handy to determine the best positions to advertise online and what size ad is likely to engage better than the other.
The Mediative team produced heat maps (see image 1) that show the amount of time spent looking at the display ad as a percentage of the entire time that was spent looking at the whole page. The red areas are those that had the most views, followed by yellow and green. They also created gaze maps (image 2), which show where the participants’ eyes looked first until they made a click. The larger the circle, the longer the gaze was held.
Here is a summary of their findings:
“Survey respondents said they were 36% more likely to pay attention to ads across the top of a web page than ads to the side of the web page. However, what people believe they pay attention to the most when it comes to online display ads is not necessarily what they actually pay attention to the most.”
LEADERBOARDS (IMAGE 3):
this ad was viewed the fastest and by the most participants.
SKYSCRAPERS (IMAGE 4):
viewed for 82% longer than leaderboards.
BIG BOX ADS (IMAGE 5):
viewed for 52% longer than leaderboard ads and received the most clicks.
So it makes sense that ads at the top of the webpage were seen quickly, BUT users didn’t spend a lot of time looking at these leaderboard ads. In 2014 Google carried out a study that aligned with Mediative’s findings:
- The most viewable position for an ad is right above the fold, not at the top of the page.
- The most viewable ad sizes are vertical units (e.g., Skyscrapers), as they stay on screen longer as uses move around the page.
- Content that holds user’s attention has the highest viewability.
So what do all these interesting stats mean to those considering online advertising? Well, it shows there is complete merit in being tactical about which ad you select, it’s shape and positioning, as well as, of course, that the actual content is engaging and effective. Luckily all of these things are areas in which dms CREATiVE can help ;)
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When Dr Claire Schmidt from Allora Medical came to us, she was ready for change. Under her leadership, the practice had evolved — embracing a more personal, community-driven approach to healthcare. But the existing brand and online presence wasn’t telling that story. The website and socials felt dated and didn’t reflect the warmth, professionalism and genuine care that the team delivers every day. It was time for their digital presence to catch up with who they truly are. The Challenge Allora Medical needed a brand and website to reflect their real point of difference — the human connection at the heart of their practice. This isn’t a place for “six-minute medicine.” It’s a place where people matter, where care takes time, and where patients felt known. Yet visually and strategically, that message wasn’t coming through. The practice faced an additional challenge: attracting and retaining health professionals in a rural location. The brand needed to communicate trust and expertise to patients, as well as genuine opportunity for potential team members. Our Approach At dms CREATiVE, we began by realigning the brand to better reflect the spirit of Allora Medical. We refreshed the logo and visual identity to convey warmth, care, and community pride - an elegant evolution to retain recognition while elevating the overall presentation. From there, we developed a website balancing compliance with genuine connection — a modern, mobile-responsive platform that’s easy to navigate and effortless for the team to update. Authentic photography of the team and surrounding Allora landscapes played a vital role in grounding the brand in its local context. The result is a website that doesn’t just inform — it feels like Allora. To support long-term goals, the site works hand-in-hand with their social media strategy, helping to humanise the practice and position Allora as an attractive destination for health professionals seeking a rural lifestyle with city convenience. The Outcome The new Allora Medical website now mirrors the experience patients receive the moment they walk through the door — personal, professional, and proudly local. It gives patients confidence in their care and helps prospective staff see Allora as a place where careers and community thrive together.
A bold, purpose-built new website that positions Joe Wagner Group for its next phase of growth — and confirms dms CREATiVE as the go-to partner for strategic, conversion-focused brand and website development.
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