What are Types of Display Ads?
Digital display advertising includes a wide range of ad formats that appear across websites, mobile apps, and other digital environments. These ads are designed to capture attention visually, support brand awareness, and drive actions like clicks, form fills, or purchases. Because display advertising can be delivered in many placements and sizes, marketers use different formats depending on the campaign goal, audience, and platform.
In simple terms, display advertising formats are the different ways an ad can show up on a screen. Some are static images, some use motion, some are interactive, and others are designed to blend into the surrounding content.
Below are the most common types of display ads used in modern campaigns:
Banner Ads
Banner ads are one of the most recognizable forms of display ad marketing. These are typically static image ads placed in standard positions on a webpage or within an app. They are often used for awareness campaigns, promotions, or retargeting because they’re easy to produce and widely supported across ad networks. Banner ads are best when the creative is simple, the message is clear, and the call-to-action is direct.
Native Ads
Native ads are designed to match the look and feel of the platform they appear on. Instead of standing out like a traditional banner, native ads blend into the content feed or layout, making them feel more natural to the user. This format can perform well when the goal is engagement, especially in content-heavy environments like news sites and mobile apps.
GIF Ads
GIF ads use short, looping animation to add movement without requiring full video. They’re often used to highlight a product feature, show a quick before-and-after, or draw attention to a limited-time offer. GIF ads can be a good middle ground when you want motion but need faster load times and smaller file sizes than video.
Interactive Ads
Interactive ads allow the user to engage directly with the ad unit. This can include swiping, tapping, flipping through a carousel, answering a poll, or interacting with a mini-experience. Interactive display advertising formats are especially useful when the campaign goal is deeper engagement or when you want the user to spend more time with a product message.
Video Ads
Video ads are display ads delivered in video form, either within a webpage placement, inside an app, or as part of a video player environment. Video display ad marketing is often used for storytelling, product demos, or brand campaigns because it can communicate more information quickly than static creative. Video ads can also be effective for retargeting when paired with strong audience targeting.
Expandable Ads
Expandable ads begin as a standard banner size but expand when a user clicks or hovers over the ad (depending on the placement). This gives advertisers more room for messaging, product visuals, or interactive elements without taking up extra space by default. Expandable formats can work well for campaigns that need more detail while still fitting within common ad inventory.
Interstitial Ads
Interstitial ads are full-screen ads that appear between content, such as between app screens or during natural transition points. Because they take over the screen, they tend to generate strong visibility and high impression impact. However, they should be used carefully, since overly frequent interstitial ads can feel disruptive and lead to negative user experiences.
Shoppable Ads
Shoppable ads are designed to shorten the path between discovery and purchase. Instead of requiring the user to click through multiple pages, shoppable display ads can allow users to browse products, view pricing, or add an item directly to a cart. This format is most commonly used in ecommerce campaigns, especially when paired with retargeting or product feed integrations.
If you’re looking for a deeper breakdown of how these formats fit into a full-funnel strategy, check out GroundTruth’s Complete Guide to Display Advertising, which covers how display campaigns work, how targeting is applied, and how to measure performance across placements.