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We’ve all seen display ads. You know, the ones that pop up while you’re reading a news article or online browsing, trying their best to grab your attention mid-scroll. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they’re easy to ignore. And sometimes you see an ad that looks like it time-traveled from 2006.

At 5BYFIVE Creative, we’ve made our fair share of display ads. Some that crushed it, some we’ve learned from. So we decided to spill the beans and give you our 6 tips on how to make your display ads even better, because when everyone’s ads are better, the internet is better. And when the internet is better, we’re all happier.

1. Stop the Scroll Visually

We’ll start with the obvious: your ad needs to stand out. But that doesn’t mean neon colors and 14 different fonts. It means intentional design that contrasts with the environment it’s in. Clean layouts. Bold but readable font. Strong visual hierarchy. A focal point that grabs the eye.

Pro tip: Faces, motion (even slight animation), and whitespace are way more effective than clutter.

2. One Message. One Goal.

Display ads aren’t billboards. They’re not the place for your full brand story or 8 bullet points about what makes your company different. You get one moment. Make it count.

Pick one message and one goal:

• “Download the guide”
• “Get 20% off your first order”
• “Meet your new marketing team”

Clarity wins over cleverness, every time.

3. Brand It Like You Mean It

Even if someone doesn’t click your ad (which happens a lot), impressions still matter. That means your brand should be instantly recognizable, with logo, colors, and tone. You want someone to see your ad and file it away mentally like, “Oh yeah, I’ve seen that brand around.” That kind of recall pays off later.

4. Make the CTA Stupid Simple

“Click here” is fine. “Learn more” is okay. But if you can, make your call-to-action (CTA) specific and rewarding. Think:

 ✅ “Try it free”
 ✅ “Book your consult”
 ✅ “See the difference”

And visually, the CTA button needs to look like… well, a button. Don’t bury it in the corner or make people squint to find it.

5. Know Your Audience (and Where They're Browsing)

A great display ad isn’t just what you say, it’s where and to whom you say it. Always ask:

• Where will this ad show up?
• What mindset is the user in?
• Are they already familiar with the brand?
• What stage of the funnel are they in?

If we’re building an awareness ad, we go broader and bolder. If it’s retargeting, we get more specific and direct.

6. Test Everything. Repeat. Repeat Again.

Different headlines. Different images. Button colors. Static vs. animated. Test it all.

“Sometimes the version we’re least excited about outperforms the one we thought was a slam dunk. That’s the beauty of digital, we don’t have to guess, we just have to be willing to keep learning.”

A Quick Note on AI (Use It, But Don’t Outsource Judgment)

Use AI to accelerate variations (resizing, versioning, and light remixes of headlines, images, and motion) while holding firm to brand standards for type, color, tone, accessibility. Then validate with disciplined A/B tests: change one variable at a time, control for spend and time, and let each variant clear the learning phase.

“AI can accelerate some of the work; but strategy sets the guardrails and decides what wins.”

The Wrap-Up

At the end of the day, effective display ads are a balance of good design, sharp messaging, and strategic targeting. When all three work together, you’re not just filling space on a website, you’re actually creating a moment worth noticing.

Here at 5BYFIVE Creative, we live for that moment.

So whether you're launching your first display campaign or trying to revive a flat one, remember: it's not about being flashy. It's about being clear, confident, and helpful in a sea of distraction.

Want us to take a look at your ads? We’d love to. We’ll even tell you if your button needs to be bigger (it probably does).

Tony Chen

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