HTML5 banner ads and GIF banner ads are two popular formats for creating digital advertisements. While both formats have their own strengths and drawbacks, there are some key differences that make HTML5 ad banners a more flexible and effective choice for many advertisers.

Have you ever wondered what's the difference between a GIF banner and an HTML5 banner? And how do you know which one to choose? If the answer is yes, we’re here to help! In this article, we’ll explain what are html5 banners as well as GIF banners and both their benefits. We’ll then compare the two of them and see which one is best!

What are html5 banner ads

To better understand this topic, we first need to define what HTML5 is. In short, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language) is a coding language mostly used by developers and animators. This coding language is perfect to create online ads or web pages and is supported by every type of browser which is very convenient! HTML5 banners are like mini web pages but in an ad format, and they can be static or animated to offer even more flexibility. In order to add them to any site, we use what is called an “iframe”.

RECOMMENDED READING: What are HTML5 ads?

Benefits of html5 banner ads

HTML5 banner ads are a popular choice among advertisers because they offer plenty of room for creativity. Among many other benefits:

  • Adaptability: They adapt perfectly on mobile and desktop devices. They will look proportional on any device (apart from the created size) thanks to their responsive elements. In the same way, they will also adapt to any platform.
  • Easy integration of animated elements: you can add buttons, maps, timers, images, animated objects, and much more!
  • High-quality images: HTML5 ad banners have a wide range of colors to choose from, which allows for high-quality and visually appealing ads. This is especially important for advertisers who want to create professional and polished ads that stand out.
  • They can be easily updated after publishing.

Apart from all the pros we listed above, html5 banner ads have a serious advantage: they drive more engagement. The animations and sounds have the power to catch the viewer’s attention super quickly and have a stop-scrolling effect. If used correctly, animations may drastically increase your CTR as your message is seen by a higher number of viewers.

Now that you are an expert, you can get inspired with our html5 banners ads examples.

What are GIF banner ad

GIF (which means Graphics Interchange Format) banner ads are basically looping animated images that carry the .gif extension. They can contain a lot of images also called frames and some text. If it contains only one frame, than it’s a static GIF!You may already know GIFs since they became very popular in the last decade. We all already sent these relatable and funny little animations to our friends but they were not intended to be used that way.

Benefits of GIF banner ads

Using GIF banner ads in your online advertising campaigns can be an advantage if you’re looking for a simple solution:

  • Compatibility: GIF banner ads are accepted by most ad networks and publishers: you only have to make sure that the file size is less than 150kb.
  • Simplicity: GIFs are easy to create and use, and they do not require any special software or technical skills. This makes them a good option for advertisers who want to create simple and straightforward ads.
  • Animations: GIFs can contain animations. However, they must be 30 seconds or shorter and slower then 5FPS (frames per second).
  • Compatibility with social media: GIFs are widely supported on social media platforms, making them a good choice for advertisers who want to reach users on these platforms.

Since they also are animated banners, they will attract the viewer’s attention like HTML5 banner ads.

So, which one should you choose?

In our opinion, HTML5 banner ads offer a lot more flexibility and creativity. And we’re gonna see why!

Creative freedom

GIFs have a limited range of colors to choose from (256) compared to HTML5 digital ads, which have a much larger range (16.7 million colors). Additionally, GIFs do not adjust to different size requirements like HTML5 banner ads do. HTML5 ads are created using separate files which allow them to be resized, while GIFs cannot change size. On modern high-resolution screens, the limited color range of GIFs can make them appear dull in comparison to HTML5 ads.

Interactive elements

One major difference between HTML5 ad banners and GIF ad banners is the level of interactivity and animation that they can support. HTML5 ad banners are built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which allows for more complex interactions and animations compared to animated GIFs. This means that HTML5 ad banners can be more engaging and effective at capturing the attention of viewers. GIFs lack interactive elements and have a limited color range, making them less flexible and creative compared to HTML5. Overall, HTML5 offers a much more versatile and dynamic solution for creating digital content compared to GIF ad banners.

File size

In terms of file size, HTML5 ad banners are generally smaller and more efficient than GIF ad banners. This is because GIFs and HTML5 ads are displayed differently in terms of how they handle motion and animation. When GIFs are played, each frame must be re-rendered, which can result in large file sizes, especially if there are multiple frames. On the other hand, HTML5 ads only change a specific part of the file during animation, such as a single layer or element, while the rest of the ad remains unchanged. This makes HTML5 ads much smaller in file size compared to animated GIFs. It is generally advisable to use HTML5 over GIFs for advertising, especially since most advertising networks and demand-side platforms have a file size limit of 150kb.

Overall, HTML5 ad banners offer a number of advantages over GIF ad banners, including better interactivity, color range, and image quality, as well as smaller file sizes. While GIF ad banners can still be useful in certain situations, HTML5 ad banners are generally a more versatile and effective choice for digital advertising.

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