This is a question often asked by beginning Internet marketers and for the most part, there is no cut and dried answer. That is because text ads perform better in some situations while banner ads perform better in others. That's why it's so important to constantly test your marketing campaigns so you'll know what works best for you. For example, you could have one site that is entirely comprised of text ads, another site that uses only banner ads, and still another site that is made up of both text and banner ads. This is often referred to as "split testing" and is an invaluable tool for the Internet marketer.

One thing is certain. Ads that annoy consumers, such as floating or flashing banner ads should be avoided. There is nothing more annoying to someone trying to play a game or look up information than a banner ad that is hard to get rid of. Even if the ad is somehow clicked on during this process, you can bet that the annoyed visitor won't be hanging around long enough to make a purchase. Banner ads do have a place, though. You just have to be diligent enough to discover where they work best.