Display advertising
Display advertising is visual advertising, such as banners, rich media and native units, shown on websites, apps and other digital properties. Ads combine images, text and sometimes animation, and are bought directly or programmatically, usually priced per thousand impressions served.
What is display advertising?
Display advertising is the broad category of graphical ads served on digital properties, from standard banner sizes defined in industry guidelines to rich media and expandable units. Native formats, which match the look of surrounding content, are often grouped with display. Most display is now bought through Programmatic advertising, using real-time bidding, private deals or programmatic guaranteed arrangements, and priced on a CPM basis. Quality factors such as viewability, ad density and brand suitability strongly influence its effectiveness and value.
How display advertising works
Publishers define display placements in standard or custom sizes and offer them through ad servers, SSPs and direct deals. Buyers target placements or audiences through DSPs or direct campaigns and supply creatives. When a page or app screen loads, an auction or ad server decision selects which creative appears.
- The publisher defines display placements and sizes within its pages or app screens.
- Placements are made available through ad servers, SSPs, header bidding and direct deals.
- Buyers set targeting, bids and creatives in a DSP or direct booking.
- At load time, an auction or ad server decision chooses the winning ad.
- Impressions, viewability, clicks and conversions are measured and reported.
Why it matters
Display is one of the most widely available digital formats and reaches audiences at scale across the open web and apps. It supports goals from awareness to retargeting.
For advertisers
Display offers broad reach and flexible targeting, but creative quality and viewability largely determine impact.
For publishers
Display is often a core revenue source, best protected by sensible ad density and fast-loading layouts.
Practical example
A local car dealership runs display banners on regional news sites and weather apps to promote a weekend sales event.
Key considerations
- Banner blindness means creative design and placement matter more than volume.
- Viewability varies widely by placement, affecting both price and outcomes.
- Heavy creatives can slow pages, so file-size limits and lazy loading are common.
More Programmatic Advertising terms
Frequently asked questions
Is native advertising a type of display?
It is often grouped with display, though native units are designed to match the surrounding content rather than appear as standard banners.
How is display advertising usually priced?
Most often on a CPM basis, though some campaigns use CPC or CPA pricing.
What are common display ad sizes?
Common sizes include 300x250, 728x90, 320x50 and 300x600, based on industry standard ad unit guidelines.