The top issue for online advertisers - at least as they state their objectives to publishers - is that they want more eyeballs on their product.

So says Unicast, which offers the following tips to help publishers make the best use of the various formats and strategies that exist to do exactly that.

1. Develop at least three different creatives as part of one campaign. While repeating the messaging is a viable strategy, running the same ad over and over will wear on the user will annoy consumers.
2. Make sure to put advertisers near relevant content. The ad should always complement the web page even as it entertains the audience.

3. Powerful animation or messages should be executed instantly - not five seconds into the ad, especially when advertising on a homepage. People never stay on the homepage for a long period of time so it is necessary to capture the web audience's attention immediately.

4. Take chances and be innovative in the use of formats, such as 3D cubes or augmented reality.

5. Keep the copy to a minimum. The message needs to be clear and captured in a very short period of time.

6. Don't try too many things at once. Pick one strong objective and stick to it.

7. Determine whether the goal is to guide the user to the client website or cause the user to interact a great deal within the ad itself. An ad with a great deal of interaction doesn't always garner a high click-through rate and likewise an ad that garners a great click-through rate does not necessarily need a ton of interactive elements.

If a high number of video views is the primary goal:

• Use the most impactful video to grab the user's attention, but not longer than 15 seconds.
• All auto-initiated videos need to be short. Have multiple options for lengthier videos.
• If user initiated, the video length is a debatable point. If users click, they watch. Keep it consistent to video and limit the flash animation.
• Have HD full screen options.

If a high interaction rate is the primary goal:

• Use a strong call to action because users need to be told what to do.
• Have multiple options within the ad (video, gallery, synopsis, etc.).
• Include rollover events that pop up creative within the ad or other features to grab the user's attention. If a high click-through rate is the goal:
• Keep it simple but impactful because generally speaking fewer interactions lead to a higher number of click-throughs.
• Utilize clear messaging to entice the user.

If the amount of time spent is the primary goal:

• Incorporate games and quizzes. These should be kept fairly simple and always relevant to the brand.
• Build the games so if the user finishes it, they think they can beat the score or feel encouraged to keep coming back for more.

8. Make sure that the call to action stated in the ads is clear and consistent across all of the units. Whether it be a subtle rollover state or some sort of rollover animation, a call to action needs to draw the attention of the user.

9. Lean on your rich media vendor to make your RFP better than competitive publishers. Rich media vendors like Unicast can give recommendations regarding what works versus what does not work, relevant benchmarks, mocks, creative services, and much more.

10. Know your audience and utilize granular targeting capabilities. Targeted ads yield stronger metrics.

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