When you see the professional looking banners on the internet, your first thought might be that these individuals spent hundreds of dollars on a professional designer to get the cool graphics, the animation, the flashing pricing, the beautiful fonts. And sometimes yes, the companies have in-house design teams that produce their graphic art. Even so, you can make your own banners, in a few very easy steps, that are just as cool and effective. Here’s how:
Before you begin, you need two software programs: A word processor that is graphics proficient (MS Word is my preference, but Open Office will also work.) And a good quality graphics program. GIMP can be really good, although it is difficult to use for newbies. I prefer Photoscape, which is free and very powerful.
Okay, now that you have the programs you need, let’s get started.
Step 1: Determine the size of the banner you want and draw a box in Word for it’s size. Set the line size and color by double clicking the box and formatting it. Also set it to either no fill, or the type of background you want.
Step 2. Draw a text box and insert the text that you want. A good rule of thumb here is to appeal to the desires or solve the pain a prospect is having. Choose the font and size that you want, ensuring that they leave you room for graphics. The text box should be formatted with no line, and no fill, so that it adopts your preferred background.
Step 3. Find the graphics you want to add from royalty free image sites. A quick Google search will help you find these. You may also have the ones you want already on your computer.
Step 4. Use the paint option in Photoscape to color the area surrounding the image so it matches the background you have chosen for the banner. Save the image, then insert it into the Word document.
Step 5. Once the images and text are where you want them, and the banner looks finished, group everything together so that when you drag it everything stays in place. Copy it and paste it into Photoscape. You most likely will have to resize it to the exact banner size you want.
Step 6. Save it as a gif. Your banner is finished. Upload it to your promotion websites, add the hyperlink, and you are all set.
Step 7. To animate, simply change text colors, change the image direction, or alter a key spot in some way, copy into Photoscape and save the image as a new gif. Using the Animation key in Photoscape add both images and they will alternate according to the time you set.
This is a simple procedure that becomes really easy once it has been done once or twice. Because there is no cost involved, and because you don’t need to wait for a web designer, it is an efficient way to get advertising up in a few moments, rather than a few days. Give it a try. You’ll love it!
