Have you ever wondered how some display ads seem to stand out more than others, despite the fact that they’re mostly the same size and color? How some brands use certain images over and over again in their ads, but with different names each time? And why some ads seem to pop out of the background while others blend in? These questions may have crossed your mind at one point or another—and if you’re interested in creating better display ads yourself, knowing how these things are done can be extremely beneficial. Here are five design principles to master for better display ads.

1) Keep it Simple

No one likes a cluttered, complicated design. Keep your ad design as simple and easy-to-read as possible. One way to do this is by incorporating a clean layout with limited colors, fonts, and graphics. It's also important to highlight your call-to-action (CTA) text so it stands out from the rest of the message and draws attention.

2) Use Contrast

Contrast is the easiest way to make a display ad stand out. It's one of the most important design principles, and it's also one of the simplest. Without contrast, your ad just looks like text in a sea of other text (or worse, a picture floating in an empty space).

Contrast can be created through color, size or shape.

3) Use Whitespace

Whitespace is one of the most underutilized design principles. This is a shame because it can be one of the easiest ways to add impact and clarity. Utilizing whitespace, or empty space, can make your ads look more organized, less cluttered and more professional.

4) Use Icons

Make it easy for the user to understand what they're looking at This is very important as you'll want them to click on your ad, not just scroll past it. Remember that most people are going to be using a mobile device when they're scrolling around on social media, so make sure your design is responsive and caters to the different screen sizes of tablets and phones.

5) Test, Test, Test

It's easy to get stuck in a design rut, but it doesn't have to be that way. When you're designing for display ads, test out different layouts and color schemes. Don't be afraid to try new things and let the data show you what works best.