Winning the click: Best practices for hoteliers to design irresistible display ads

Display advertising has been shown to have a major impact on consumer activity. Users are 155% more likely to engage in brand-related searches after being exposed to a display ad, according to recent studies. To stand out in a crowded digital landscape, hotels should focus on creative display ad campaigns that don’t just look appealing—they’re designed to convert. It’s not just about aesthetics, but about driving measurable results through smart, targeted design.

This article shares the creative display ads best practices to elevate your digital advertising game, from writing compelling messaging and choosing the right visuals to crafting animations and CTAs that inspire action. Whether you’re promoting your summer packages, a last-minute deal, or a luxurious getaway, the tips below will help you design display advertisements that get noticed and clicked.

Let’s break down what it takes to turn impressions into reservations.

What are display ads?

Display ads are a powerful digital marketing tool that allows hoteliers to reach potential guests as they browse websites and apps across the Google and Microsoft networks. These visual ads typically combine text, images, and a clickable link that drives users directly to your hotel’s website. They come in various formats, ranging from simple static banners to eye-catching animated HTML5 ads, and are especially effective for building brand awareness and driving direct bookings.

One of the key best practices is to have responsive display ads, as they automatically adjust size, format, and appearance to fit any available ad space, helping marketers expand their reach, improve performance, and streamline creative production.

There are three main types of display ads: personalized ads, which target users based on demographics and interests; retargeting ads, which re-engage visitors who’ve previously interacted with your website; and contextually targeted ads, which match your ad to relevant content online based on criteria like language, location, or browsing behavior.

Contextual targeting has become especially vital due to increasing privacy restrictions around cookies and tracking, allowing advertisers to reach relevant audiences based on the content they’re engaging with, without relying on personal data, by aligning ads with page context, keywords, and user intent in real-time.

Display ads for hotels offer a flexible and impactful way to stay top-of-mind throughout the traveler’s decision-making journey.

Winning the click: Best practices for hoteliers to design irresistible display ads

Creative best practices for display ads

To create a successful display ad, you need to break through the distractions to create an ad experience that is engaging and hits just the right tone.

Successful hotel display ad campaigns should prioritize precise targeting to increase the chances of capturing the attention of qualified potential guests and driving them to convert through the hotel’s preferred channel, ideally, your own website. But do you have the right tools in place to execute this effectively and consistently?

Regardless of size, all display ads should include 5 basic components:

• Design & layout (including logos)
• Text/Messaging
• Photography
• Animation
• Call to action (CTA)

Now, we’ll go through each component one by one and explain some basic Do’s and Don’ts.

Display ad design & layout tips

Creating effective hotel display ads means balancing brand recognition with viewer engagement. Since users often subconsciously overlook digital ads, known as “banner blindness”, your design needs to stand out clearly while staying true to your brand. Follow these best practices for your display ads:

• Responsive framing: Aim for concise display ads of 3-5 frames, optimized for clarity and retention. Ensure the design translates smoothly onto mobile screens.
• Logo visibility: Feature a high-quality logo consistently that’s legible in smaller formats (We recommend vector formats like .eps or .svg). Adhere to your hotel’s visual brand guidelines, like fonts and color schemes, for further recognition.
• Eye-catching design: Use clearly defined borders and strategic whitespace to differentiate your ad from surrounding webpage content.
• Visual hierarchy: Arrange text, images, and buttons clearly to guide the viewer’s attention naturally toward your call to action.

Crafting clear, concise messaging for hotel ads

The most important guideline when it comes to ad text is “be concise.” Your messaging should capture attention and communicate value to the website visitor immediately. Display ads typically cycle quickly (roughly 2 seconds), giving viewers only moments to absorb your message, so clarity is crucial.

Keep these best practices in mind:

• Use short, impactful messaging: Aim for clarity within 5-8 words per frame. Make sure your message is concise, specific, and sticks with your reader.
  • Example: “Book your beach getaway today!”
• Align with your brand voice: Match your ad messaging to your hotel’s unique personality.
  • Example (luxury): “Experience unmatched elegance and serenity.”
  • Example (family-friendly): “Family fun awaits — kids stay free!”
• Target specific audiences clearly: Choose one or two key selling points relevant to a distinct guest segment per ad.
  • Example (business travelers): “Fast Wi-Fi. Comfortable rooms. Seamless stays.”
  • Example (romantic getaway): “Reconnect with romantic oceanfront views.”

These techniques ensure your display ads resonate quickly, prompting viewers to take action. Do you need to understand your target audience? Here’s how to use data to increase marketing campaign performance.

Choosing impactful photography for hotel display ads

Photography can make or break your hotel’s display advertising campaign. Well-chosen pictures enhance emotional connection and brand credibility, inspiring guests by highlighting the experiences awaiting them. When choosing imagery, keep in mind that many users will see your ad on a mobile device. Mobile display ads have limited screen space, so aim for visuals that are concise and impactful.

Here are the key photography best practices:

• Prioritize professional, high-resolution images: Showcase your hotel’s amenities, guest rooms, restaurants, spas, and recreational facilities.
• Utilize authentic lifestyle imagery: Capture genuine guest interactions and emotional moments that illustrate experiences guests can anticipate.
  • Example: Families enjoying the pool, couples dining on a scenic terrace, or guests in a luxurious spa setting.
• Select images based on popular display ad sizes: Different ad formats require tailored visual strategies.
  • 300×250 (Medium rectangle): Ideal for detailed visuals and lifestyle images. Commonly used in desktop and mobile placements.
  • 728×90 (Leaderboard): Perfect for panoramic or landscape shots of hotel exteriors or expansive amenities like pools or gardens.
  • 160×600 (Wide skyscraper): Best for vertical compositions, like room interiors, lobby architecture, or images emphasizing height and space. Typically reserved for desktop displays.
  • 320×100 (Mobile banner ad): Optimal for simple visuals that convey your message clearly on smaller mobile screens. Focus on quick readability and focused imagery.

Best practices for display ad animation

Static ads are no longer enough to capture today’s travelers. Hotels that upgraded to dynamic HTML5 display ads saw a 13% increase in both search rates and click-through rates, along with an 8% boost in conversions. These engaging, animated formats allow you to showcase multiple visuals, highlight real-time offers, and tell a richer brand story—all within the same ad. By delivering visually dynamic content, you not only capture attention but also drive more qualified traffic and direct bookings.

To ensure your animations are impactful without distracting from your message, follow these best practices:

• Keep animations brief and focused: Limit the total HTML5 animation length to under 15 seconds, delivering concise yet engaging messages.
• Feature dynamic content: Integrate real-time updates like live pricing, availability, or countdown timers for special offers to create urgency and relevance.
• Match animation to your design: Ensure transitions enhance visual storytelling, guiding viewers logically from frame to frame without distraction.
• Subtle interactive elements: Use animations that draw attention smoothly rather than flashy or abrupt motions. Gentle fades or controlled movements generally outperform overly complicated animations.
• Highlight your CTA clearly: Focus animated elements around your call-to-action button, guiding user attention precisely where you want clicks.

Follow these animation best practices for hotel ads that capture attention, reduce banner blindness, and motivate travelers to act.

Creating a strong display ad call to action (CTA)

A well-crafted call-to-action (CTA) is one of the most important elements in a high-performing hotel display ad. It directs potential guests toward booking or exploring offers and can make the difference between a view and a conversion.

To improve both performance and visibility in search and generative engine results, your CTA should be clear, clickable, and value-driven.

Follow these best practices:

• Include a clear, action-oriented CTA in a prominent H2 format: Use your headline space (H2) to reinforce urgency and direction.
• Design an obvious, clickable button: Every ad should feature a visually distinct button that hyperlinks directly to your offer, landing page, or booking engine. The button should look unmistakably clickable and stand out on all devices.
• Use urgency-driven language: Keep it direct and compelling.
  • Examples: “Book Now,” “Limited Time Offer,” “Explore Deals”

• Highlight offer-specific value: If promoting a package or limited-time special, make the benefit obvious.
  • Example: “Save 20% When You Book 3 Nights”
• Choose high-impact colors: Warm hues like red, orange, and yellow create urgency and tend to yield higher click-through rates.
• Experiment with button size and shape: Unique button styles attract the eye and can subtly guide user interaction.
• Maximize final frame impact: Many viewers only see the last frame of an animated ad. Make sure your CTA appears prominently here, with bold text and a visible button.

By optimizing your CTA for clarity, design, and relevance, you increase the chances that potential guests will notice your ad and take action on it.

Key takeaways: Crafting display ads that drive bookings

In a competitive digital landscape, your hotel display ads need to do more than simply show up, they need to stand out and spark action. By combining strategic targeting with thoughtful creative elements, like clear messaging, high-impact visuals, smooth animation, and a bold call to action, you can capture attention and inspire travelers to book directly.

Every detail matters: from logo placement to the words you choose and the emotional tone your imagery conveys. When done right, display ads become a powerful extension of your brand and a direct driver of revenue. At Cendyn, our digital marketing services help hoteliers deliver display campaigns that convert lookers into loyal guests.