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Eight tips to make your adverts more effective.

1 Aug 2018

We’re incredibly grateful to the theatre companies that support Broadway Baby with their advertising. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to continue our arts coverage. But sometimes we see ads being placed that make a few classic mistakes – and we know their effectiveness will be less than it could be. So here are our top tips to help you get more bums on seats.

TL;DR – Or why you really need to read this...

Every year, we partner with theSpaceUK at the Edinburgh Fringe to offer their companies a homepage carousel ad on Broadway Baby. All ads launch at the same time and are shown the same number of times – which gives us a rare chance to compare performance when everything else is equal.

Looking at 2023, everyone paid the same price, so their CPM (Cost Per Thousand) was identical. But CPC (Cost Per Click) varied wildly. The only difference? The image. So getting your ad design right makes a huge difference in click-through – and ticket sales.

Your Brand

Consistency is key. Your brand – which usually means your poster image – needs to be instantly recognisable. Analysts say audiences need to see an image up to seven times before they take action, so make sure your branding is consistent across your flyer, ad, listing and social media.

The Value Proposition

Why should someone care? That’s your value proposition – the reason to buy. If your show isn’t a household name, make sure something else grabs attention. A powerful quote, a striking image, or even a familiar actor can be more effective than just the title. Make that your headline.

The Call To Action

Tell them what to do. Your ad needs a clear call to action – phrases like “Book Now” or “Watch a Trailer” are simple and effective. Give the audience a reason to click and an idea of what to expect.

Keep It Simple

Less is more. Don’t overcrowd your ad. You have limited space, and users will only glance at your banner for a second. Avoid tiny text, decorative fonts, and all-uppercase copy. Stick to four elements: brand image, value proposition, title and call to action.

Frame It

Guide the eye. Effective ads use a defined frame – even a subtle 1-pixel border can help the content pop. Tricks like extending design elements slightly beyond the frame can also draw attention.

Use Animation

Movement catches the eye. Animated banners almost always outperform static ones – but animation should enhance, not clutter. Don’t just add more text in new frames. Instead, add subtle, memorable motion. One of our favourite examples? A performer exhaling animated smoke – hard not to look at.

Keep Your File Sizes Small

Speed matters. Many users browse on mobile, often with poor connections. If your ad is slow to load, they may scroll past before it appears. Keep your file size below 150K. Smaller is better.

Don’t Abandon Your Clicks

Where you send them matters. A good banner is only half the job. If your click-through leads to a generic listing on EdFringe.com, you may lose the sale. Instead, create a landing page that builds on your ad’s promise – tell the viewer why they should come, and only then link to EdFringe’s deep booking page.

Advertise with Us

Advertising on Broadway Baby costs just £12 per day. Upload your banner and start reaching Fringe audiences in minutes. Visit our advertising page to learn more.

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