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Display Advertising Statistics: Trends, Designs, and Key Data from 2024

Display Ad Design Statistics in 2024
9 minutes read

The way brands connect with customers keeps changing, and display advertising leads this transformation. Companies want better ways to reach people, and display advertising statistics show exactly how well this works. In 2024, display ad trends grew stronger, as more businesses needed to quickly create multiple ad sizes and variations. This move toward faster ad creation shows how they are getting smarter, using both data and efficient production methods to improve their campaigns.

The digital advertising world also got much bigger this year. According to Statista, companies spent no less than $207.4 billion globally on ads, which could reach $266.6 billion by 2026. At the same time, modern advertising tools started to implement automation. eMarketer’s research shows automated systems now run 91.3% of all US digital display ad spending, reaching $156.82 billion. This 15.2% increase is a clear sign of the industry’s evolution, though there’s always room for improvement.

More than anything, display advertising statistics and trends act as signposts, pointing to where the industry is heading. We’ve taken a deep look at successful creatives from 2024 to understand what works and why. This matters since:

  • Trends are mostly based on past behaviors, and understanding how people behave when it comes to display advertising designs helps create a solid foundation for what we can expect in the next year.
  • Knowing how the market is evolving can help you get one step ahead of the competition and increase ad conversion by making better decisions about where to invest your resources.

Analyzing display ad insights for 2025 campaigns

Market size and growth metrics

Display advertising showed strong results throughout 2024. According to Meetanshi, Google stayed the biggest display ads network, reaching no less than 90% of internet users worldwide through more than 35 million websites and apps. This broad reach, plus Google’s own sites, gave advertisers more chances than ever to connect with customers.

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To be more specific, with Google’s dominant market share, it’s clear why its display network matters so much to businesses. While other search engines like Bing and Yandex serve specific markets well, most people use Google, which means advertisers can reach most of their audience through just one platform.

Keywords Everywhere’s data also reveals that the Google Display Network (GDN) sends out over 2 trillion ad impressions to 2.5 billion users each month. In simple terms, your ads could reach one in three people worldwide. This gives businesses of any size a chance to find and reach their ideal customers.

This big network works even better because of Google’s smart targeting tools. Businesses can show their ads to specific groups based on what people like, do, and who they are, so companies of all sizes can find the right customers without wasting money on ads shown to the wrong people.

Cost and performance analysis

Ad costs changed notably in 2024. Keywords Everywhere reports that Google’s display network costs about $0.63 per click, much less than the search network’s $2.69. This made display advertising attractive for companies wanting to reach many people without spending too much.

The PPC Land report also shows display advertising costs went up 47% in Q2 2024 compared to last year, an increase which meant advertising spending returned to normal levels, unlike the careful spending seen in 2023. This change showed that advertisers felt more confident about their spending as the economy improved.

Social media platforms had different cost patterns. The same research shows TikTok kept its costs steady and lower than in 2023, while Pinterest’s costs went up 30% in Q2 2024. As costs became more similar across Meta, TikTok, and Pinterest, advertisers started spreading their budgets more evenly across these platforms.

Also read: How Can You Optimize Your Business’ Resources?

Industry-specific performance data

FirstPageSage’s detailed study of Google ad results between June 2023 and November 2024 found interesting patterns across different industries:

  • Addiction Treatment services got 5.9% of people to click their ads, showing how well-targeted display advertising works for health services. This success came from showing ads to the right people at the right time with the right message.
  • Entertainment businesses achieved 4.2% click rates by showing ads when people were most likely to engage. They worked best during evenings and weekends when people had free time.
  • Hotels and Resorts maintained 3.4% click rates by adjusting their campaigns for different seasons and using targeted promotions. They succeeded by understanding their audiences and using strong visuals.
  • The Construction industry struggled with just 1.1% click-through rates, mainly due to broad targeting and generic ad designs. This performance gap highlights why specific industry messaging and precise audience targeting matter.
IndustryCTR for #1 Search Ad
Addiction Treatment5.9%
Entertainment4.2%
Hotels & Resorts3.4%
HVAC Services3.2%
Higher Education & College3.1%
CBD3.1%
Home Services2.9%
Home Builders2.7%
eCommerce2.7%
Solar Energy2.7%
Real Estate2.6%
Legal Services2.5%
Medical Practices2.3%
Financial Services2.1%
SaaS2.1%
Automotive1.8%
Aviation1.4%
Medical Device1.2%
Construction1.1%

Looking at all industries tells us something important: you need to know your market to succeed. From CBD getting 3.1% to Aviation’s 1.4%, each type of business faces unique challenges. The data shows that sectors offering immediate solutions to pressing needs (like Addiction Treatment) or entertainment tend to perform better than those with longer decision cycles (like Construction or Medical Devices).

Google Display Network performance

Keywords Everywhere reveals that GDN reaches 64% of US internet users and no less than 89% of smartphone users daily, helping brands stay visible to many different groups of people.

Showing ads across different devices became crucial in 2024. Meetanshi’s research found that online shopping ads work equally well on all types of devices, showing why consistent messaging matters. As for the average click rate of 0.46% across industries, it helps companies measure how well their campaigns perform.

TechJury’s data reveals that combining targeted audiences with reminder ads can increase conversion rates by 40% or more. For advertisers, this means creating specific audience groups based on behavior, interests, and demographics, then crafting messages that resonate with each group’s unique needs.

Also read: My Target Audience is Everyone: Debunking the Myth for Social Media Ads

Mobile display advertising success factors

Mobile display advertising revealed clear patterns in 2024. Meetanshi’s research indicates that 50% of mobile display ad clicks happen by accident, highlighting the need for better placement and targeting.

Colorlib reports that display ads achieve a 0.60% click rate while search ads reach 4.10%. These results emphasize why companies need to set clear goals and look at more than just click rates to measure success.

How people use multiple devices affected mobile advertising strategies in 2024. TechJury’s research indicates that people who see display ads are 155% more likely to search for that brand later, proving that mobile display ads help build brand awareness and encourage people to take action.

Ad design and format optimization

Making effective display ads means balancing technical needs with creative ideas. As David Ogilvy, the Father of Advertising, said:

I don’t know the rules of grammar. If you’re trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language.

This idea proved especially important in 2024’s competitive ad world. Successful campaigns kept their brand message consistent while adapting to users’ expectations and different platform requirements.

Creatopy’s design platform helps with this challenge by offering tools to create engaging display ads that look good and work well across all platforms. The platform’s various templates and easy-to-use interface help solve common design problems, making sure ads look professional and work effectively.

FirstPageSage’s research shows that local search ads get clicked 5.1% of the time, while display ads get fewer clicks (.089%). At first glance, display ad numbers might raise questions, but there’s more to the story. Many marketers initially focus on click-through rates alone, missing the bigger picture. Display ads are the ones that quietly build your brand over time, making people remember you when they’re ready to buy.

Choosing between display and search ads isn’t about picking the better one—they do different jobs. Display ads help people know about you, while search ads catch those already looking to buy. Here’s how they’re different:

Display AdvertisingSearch Advertising
• Creates demand by pushing your brand in front of potential customers• Captures existing demand from active searchers
• Builds long-term brand awareness and recognition• Delivers immediate, short-term results
• Uses rich visual content (images, animations, videos)• Relies primarily on text-based ads
• Reaches customers before they know they need you• Reaches customers actively seeking solutions
• Ideal for new brands entering the market• Works best for established services/products
• Offers broader audience targeting options• Targets specific search intent
• More cost-effective for brand building• Higher cost per acquisition
• Supports multi-channel marketing strategies• Limited to search platforms
• Better for storytelling and emotional connection• Focused on immediate problem-solving

Most popular display ad sizes

Display ad sizes can feel like an impossible maze to navigate, but we wanted to see if there’s a pattern in the ad sizes that people prefer. Looking at the most popular ad formats in 2024, we found clear winners that help advertisers get better results.

As Growth Minded Marketing revealed, the 300 x 250 ad size remains the most versatile choice, working well on phones and computers alike. So, it’s no surprise that it has become one of the most common display ad sizes businesses use today. Display ad size choices directly impact campaign visibility and performance. Publisher websites offer specific ad slot spaces, and choosing the right sizes ensures your ads appear in prime locations.

Google’s Display Network data shows that certain dimensions consistently outperform others in terms of viewability and engagement. Here are the top five sizes that get results:

  • Medium Rectangle (300×250) – Best for in-content placement
  • Half Page (300×600) – Stands out on the side of pages
  • Leaderboard (728×90) – Shows up at the top where everyone sees it
  • Large Mobile Banner (320×100) – Optimal for mobile devices
  • Billboard (970 x 250 ad size) – Maximum impact on computer screens

When it comes to the most popular photo sizes for phones, these three win:

  • Large Mobile (320×100)
  • Regular Mobile (320×50)
  • Compact Mobile (300×50)

For file types, you can use JPG, PNG, or GIF, keeping each ad under 150KB. HTML5 ads work too, giving you more options to make your ads stand out while looking sharp at any size.

Social media platform performance

Social media display advertising showed different patterns across platforms in the past few months. PPC Sage’s report reveals that TikTok’s costs stayed steady while Pinterest’s went up. As costs became more similar across major platforms, advertisers started spreading their money more evenly.

William Bernbach’s words capture the heart of advertising:

There are a lot of great technicians in advertising. And unfortunately, they talk the best game. They know all the rules… but there’s one little rub. They forget that advertising is persuasion, and persuasion is not a science, but an art.

Combining display advertising with social media worked well in 2024. Wordstream’s analysis shows that brands using both display ads and active social media got better brand recognition and engagement.

Economic impact on display advertising

The advertising world responded to big economic changes in 2024. PPC Land’s report notes that US inflation dropped below 3% in July, the lowest since March 2021. This lower inflation made people more confident about future interest rate cuts, affecting how companies planned their advertising.

Consumer confidence became more complex, with PPC Land reporting its lowest point in eight months during July 2024. The automotive sector reduced spending by 15%, while real estate cut budgets by 12%. However, essential goods and healthcare maintained steady investments, showing how different industries adapted to changing consumer behavior.

Strategic considerations for 2025

FirstPageSage’s research shows that natural search results get 5-20 times more clicks than paid search ads at the top of the page. The ninth natural search result gets about the same clicks as top-paid ads (around 2.4%), helping companies decide how to use their resources.

Meetanshi’s analysis also reveals that Google Ads get clicked 0.46% of the time on average across industries. While this number provides a starting point, understanding your market’s unique patterns leads to better results.

Test different ad formats and messages with small groups before expanding successful approaches and don’t forget to keep checking how your ads perform and adjusting who sees them as things change.

Also read: How to Reach the Highest Performance on Your Online Advertising Campaign

The type of ad you choose makes a big difference. While static banner ads remain the foundation of display advertising, more engaging formats like animated and interactive ads often offer stronger results. Using different types of ads together usually gets more people to notice and remember them.

Knowing which ad type to use helps you reach the right potential customers. For example, interstitial ads work well for mobile apps, while expandable ads can make a bigger impact on desktop users. As for video ads, especially 360-degree versions, they are becoming more popular as internet speeds improve and users expect richer content.

Instead of a conclusion

Things in display advertising shift constantly, yet some patterns stay surprisingly stable. From ad sizes to targeting methods, 2024 brought more evolution than revolution. Google’s continued dominance shows how some things rarely change, while the push toward automation proves we’re always moving forward.

This year’s steady growth in display advertising—reaching $207.4 billion globally—tells us something important: advertisers are finding their comfort zone with both tried-and-true methods and new technologies. The rise of automated systems handling 91.3% of US display spending shows we’re embracing efficiency without abandoning creativity.

Looking ahead, we might be in for some big changes. Which, knowing how things in the creative world work, means we should expect some pretty drastic changes over the course of 2025, as more advertisers experiment with AI-driven creative tools and immersive ad formats. The rise of Generation Alpha as a buying power is also likely to influence the display marketing trends we see over the next 12 months, so stick around to see how it all unfolds.

And if all else fails, remember: data still drives success. The steady 0.46% average click rate across industries proves that consistent, measured approaches work best.

But then again, that’s probably not news to anyone.

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