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8 tips for creating effective display ads

Stay up-to-date with our display ads best practices to engage and convert more travellers.

Expedia Group Advertising

16 December 2024

Display advertising plays a pivotal role in capturing travellers’ attention and creating lasting brand awareness to ensure your brand resonates at every stage of their purchasing journey.

 

The ways people engage with travel content online are always evolving and we’re here to help you to stay informed about travellers’ behaviour and motivations.

Display advertising best practices

Being strategic in your campaigns requires that you tap into data, insights, travel trends and creative best practices. Here are eight tips to improve your display ad performance and engage with motivated travellers who are planning, comparing and booking their next trip.

1. Stay true to your brand

Don’t diminish the impact of your brand with inconsistent campaigns. Strong brand guidelines and guiding principles can keep your ads consistent and build traveller trust. With our display ad solutions, you can include your images and custom copy that speaks to the uniqueness of your destination or property.

 

In the example that follows for the Westin Hapuna Beach luxury resort in Hawaii, the brand uses language that suggests being pampered, whilst the imagery captures an exclusive oceanfront view. 

2. Leverage the precision of targeted marketing

Every traveller is different, so it can be challenging to effectively reach them. As the leading travel media network, we have the data and expertise needed for effective targeting.

 

You can connect with travellers based on how they’ve searched, their trip details, travel geography like origin or destination and more, thanks to our first-party traveller intent and booking data. Our team of digital media experts can work with you to build unique customer profiles, whether you’re targeting luxury travellers, families with young children or anyone else. 

Examples of display advertising best practices including precision targeting, unique storytelling and inclusive representation.

3. Feature inspiring imagery

Your photos should work with your copy to tell an irresistible story. Our research shows that stunning photos work—52% of travellers find beautiful imagery in ads persuasive. You can also highlight interesting experiences, which 41% of travellers find influential.¹ This example from Travel Nevada shows off interesting outdoor experiences to help travellers picture themselves enjoying a trip.

 

You can capture increased demand if you stay tuned in to what travellers want and reflect that in your ad images. According to our Unpack ’25 report, all-inclusive getaways and the ability to relax are growing in popularity, so you could try leveraging those experiences.² Your photos could show off the luxe spa services at your hotel or highlight all-inclusive stays at your destination.

4. Prioritise inclusivity

After examining the travel experiences of Black, Latino, LGBTQIA+ and travellers with disabilities, we’ve identified challenges and pain points. By addressing them in every facet of your businesses, including your advertising, you can make travel more accessible for everyone.

 

Embracing inclusion in travel is the right thing to do, but inclusivity in travel can also be good for your business. According to our Journeys for All: Inclusion in Travel Study, 76% of underserved travellers said it’s important for travel ads to represent people like them. That number can be as high as 82% for Black travellers and 81% for Latino travellers.³ By creating ads that authentically represent a diverse range of travellers, you can help more travellers feel welcome to visit your destination or stay at your property. 

5. Keep copy concise

We all experience information overload. Your audience does too, so your message must fight for their attention without being too intrusive. When it comes to text in your ad, less can be more. Writing succinctly forces you to get to the point faster, which means your audience can too.

 

If you’re trying to get your message across in a few words, avoid generic messaging and choose language that has an impact by evoking your audience’s imagination, highlighting your unique offerings and speaking to their needs. In the included example from Visit Phoenix, ‘room to wander’ is short and to the point, using just three words to convey that Phoenix offers wide open landscapes for travellers to explore. 

6. Incorporate deals and incentives

When it comes to booking a trip, 5 in 10 travellers said getting the best price is an important factor when deciding where to shop and book their trip.⁴ When developing your display advertising strategy, consider ad copy that features a promotional discount or offering supported by content that spotlights the uniqueness of your location or interesting activities to appeal to travellers on multiple fronts.

Compelling copy and imagery tailored to your unique destination, audience and format.

7. Combine ad solutions

You could boost your ad performance and visibility by taking advantage of our full-funnel suite of solutions. You can run native ads to build awareness early in travellers’ booking journeys, like VisitScotland, who combined native ads and standard IAB display to draw more travellers in by appearing in a non-disruptive way throughout their booking journey.

 

Whether you want travellers to consider your destination and start planning their trip, like the Banff & Lake Louise Tourism ads above, or you want them to book now, it’s important to ensure your ads reach travellers throughout their purchasing journey for the most impact.   

8. Show up wherever travellers book

Our research shows that travellers book across a variety of devices, so you need to be able to reach them where they purchase. Of travellers surveyed, 59% book on desktop, 32% on mobile and 23% on a mobile app.⁵

Our display advertising solutions are available in various mobile ad types and formats—from standard display and native ads to off-site display opportunities like YouTube—so you can surface your content and effectively reach travellers wherever they are looking. 

Display ad solutions flex across ad type, format and device to reach more travellers.

Let’s make your display ads more effective

Want personalised assistance in selecting what type of display ads and formats best suit your goals? Our team of digital media experts can help with media planning, assist with your creative strategy, monitor your ads’ performance, optimise your ads and help you apply learnings to other campaigns.

 

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