Banner blindness: On the web, simple is good

Several studies have shown that when people visit a web site in search of specific information, they look only in those places on the page where they assume that information will be. Typically, this means they look for specific keywords in the body text (this is why it's a good idea to highlight key words or phrases), and for specific links.

Banner ads are usually blocked out. As is everything else the brain deems less likely to hold relevant information. There's even a term for this pattern of visual information gathering on the web: "Banner blindness."

For this reason, we encourage you to think carefully before adding banners – or any other visual distractions – to your site. They are unlikely to be read, and may just make it harder for visitors to find what they're looking for.

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