Create a banner image in the correct size according to the banner location (sidebox or centre column) and position on your store pages using Banner Manager.  Link the banner to a categories listing page, product info page or a EZ Page with more information and the promotion terms and conditions.

The Zen Cart Banner Manager tracks each time a visitor clicks on the banner and the store owner can use these statistics to help analyse the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.

Once you have your store’s template configured to use one or more banners, it is quick and easy to update your store to market special offers, introduce new stock or highlight seasonal promotions.

For example, the Urban Kerrin template is shown below:

with a Christmas themed banner…

a special offer banner…

introducing a new range…

and a Valentine’s Day themed banner…

More Zen Cart:

1. Day 12 – Using Zen Cart Banners for your Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign Landing Pages
2. Banner Groups in Zen Cart
3. Free Christmas Zen Cart Banners
4. 2010 How to run a Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign
5. Zen Cart Banner Locations

Today we will be exploring the use of banners in Zen Cart to easily turn any page into a landing page for your Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign.

Jump to today’s task – Using Zen Cart Banners for your Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign Landing Pages

When you first think of banners you probably think of the advertising banners that we have quickly become immune (banner-blindness) to when viewing web sites.  However, the Banner Manager in Zen Cart can give you a powerful and easy way to quickly change your store pages for store sales, seasonal promotions and to highlight new products.  Banners allow you to keep your store pages fresh with new content through the Banner Manager.

Create a banner image and position on your store pages using Banner Manager.  Then link the banner image to either a category listing page, an EZ page with the terms of the promotion or to a product on special.  The Zen Cart Banner Manager tracks each time a visitor clicks on a banner and then the store owner can use these statistics to check the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.

Once you have your store’s template configured to use one or more banners, it is quick and easy to update your store to market your current promotion.

Urban Kerrin Zen Cart Template – Christmas Banner

Urban Kerrin Zen Cart Template – Valentine’s Day Banner

Urban Kerrin Zen Cart Template – New Eco Range Banner

If you haven’t used banners in Zen Cart before, you may like to check out:

• Zen Cart Banner Locations
• Banner Groups in Zen Cart

Free Valentine’s Day themed banners and header images:

• Free Valentine’s Day Banner Images for Zen Cart store owners
• Free Valentine’s Day Email Header Images for Zen Cart Store Owners
• Free Valentine’s Day Banners for Zen Cart Stores – Set 1
• Free Valentine’s Day Banners for Zen Cart Stores – Set 2

Today’s Task

Explore the use of banners in your Zen Cart store. Use different images to market your Valentine’s Day promotions to cater for a range of visitor groups.

Next up, we will be promoting our Valentine’s Day options for those last-minute gift buyers.

Good luck!  Any questions, please use the comments section below.

More Zen Cart:

1. Easily Update Store Promotions with Zen Cart Banners
2. Day 3 – Creating the Landing Pages for your Campaign
3. Day 9 – Tips for improving your Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign Email and Landing Pages
4. Day 10 – Sending the second Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign Email
5. Day 20 – Remove Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign Images and Copy

Each banner used in your Zen Cart Store should belong to a Banner Group.  By default, there are three types of banner groups:

• Sidebox-Banners

  As the name suggests, the banners in this group are generally for display in a sidebox.  The banner images should be designed to suit the width of your sideboxes.

  This Banner Group is set up to randomly display a banner within the Sidebox-Banners Group on each page load or refresh.  Only one banner is displayed at a time.

  The banner_box, banner_box_2 and the banner_box_all sideboxes can be used to best display banners from this group.

• Wide-Banners

  The banners in this group are generally designed to suit the page width or the centre column width.

  This Banner Group is set to randomly display a banner within the Wide-Banners Group on each page load or refresh.  Only one banner is displayed at a time.

  The Header Position 1, Header Position 2, Header Position 3, Footer Position 1, Footer Position 2 and Footer Position 3 banner locations can be used to best display banners from this group.

• BannersAll

  This Banner Group is different in that it displays all the banners within the group at the same time.  The order in which the banners are displayed can be set via the Sort Order.

  This group can be used where you need to always display a number of banners on your store page.

More Zen Cart:

1. Zen Cart Banner Locations
2. Anatomy of the Zen Cart Footer
3. New Customer Discount Coupon Banner Design for Zen Cart
4. Zen Cart Banner for New Customer Discount Coupon
5. Configure the Zen Cart Reviews Sidebox to randomly select product reviews for display

After a different Valentine’s Day message?  Let me know and I’ll add your suggestion to the collection.

More Zen Cart:

1. Free Valentine’s Day Banners for Zen Cart Stores – Set 1
2. Free Christmas Zen Cart Banners
3. Easily Update Store Promotions with Zen Cart Banners
4. Day 12 – Using Zen Cart Banners for your Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign Landing Pages
5. New Customer Discount Coupon Banner Design for Zen Cart

After a different Valentine’s Day message?  Let me know and I’ll add your suggestion to the collection.

More Zen Cart:

1. Free Valentine’s Day Banners for Zen Cart Stores – Set 2
2. Free Christmas Zen Cart Banners
3. Easily Update Store Promotions with Zen Cart Banners
4. Day 12 – Using Zen Cart Banners for your Valentine’s Day Promotion Campaign Landing Pages
5. New Customer Discount Coupon Banner Design for Zen Cart

• 20% off
• $10 off
• free shipping

Pop one into Header Position 3 and don’t forget to set up the corresponding Discount Coupon in your Zen Cart Admin under Gift Certificate / Coupons > Coupon Admin.  Link the banner to an EZ Page with the terms and conditions of your offer.

Each banner is 4000px wide in 300dpi (print quality) for you to resize as required.

Download .zip file with all three banners

After a different welcome discount message?  Let me know in the comments and I’ll add your suggestion to the collection.

More Zen Cart:

1. Zen Cart Banner for New Customer Discount Coupon
2. Banner Groups in Zen Cart
3. Zen Cart Discount Coupons – a great way to encourage new customers
4. Zen Cart Banner Locations
5. Coupon – Zen Cart Email Template

• 20% off
• $10 off
• free shipping

Pop one into Header Position 3 and don’t forget to set up the corresponding Discount Coupon in your Zen Cart Admin under Gift Certificate / Coupons > Coupon Admin.  Link the banner to an EZ Page with the terms and conditions of your offer.

Each banner is 4000px wide in 300dpi (print quality) for you to resize as required.

Download .zip file with all three banners

More Zen Cart:

1. New Customer Discount Coupon Banner Design for Zen Cart
2. Zen Cart Discount Coupons – a great way to encourage new customers
3. Banner Groups in Zen Cart
4. Zen Cart Banner Locations
5. Easily Update Store Promotions with Zen Cart Banners

Design 1

Download .zip file

Design 2

Download .zip file

Design 3

Download .zip file

Design 4

Download .zip file

After a different Christmas message?  Let me know and we’ll add your suggestion to the collection.

This collection of banners feature backgrounds from dryicons.com.

More Zen Cart:

1. Getting Ready for Christmas – Part Three: Setting the Scene, Do they know its Christmas time?
2. Free Valentine’s Day Banners for Zen Cart Stores – Set 2
3. Free Valentine’s Day Banners for Zen Cart Stores – Set 1
4. Getting Ready for Christmas – Part Four: Encouraging a Christmas Shopping Spree at your Store
5. Getting Ready for Christmas – Part Seven: Essential Follow-up After the Christmas Rush

Zen Cart Banner Locations

Zen Cart Banners can be displayed in the following locations:

1. Header Position 1
2. Header Position 2
3. Header Position 3
4. Sidebox Banner_box
5. Sidebox Banner_box2
6. Sidebox Banner_box_all
7. Footer Position 1
8. Footer Position 2
9. Footer Position 3

Create Banners

Admin > Tools > Banner Manager

Select Locations

Admin > Configuration > Layout Settings

Display Sidebox Banners

Admin > Tools > Layout Boxes Controllers

More Zen Cart:

1. Banner Groups in Zen Cart
2. Anatomy of the Zen Cart Footer
3. New Customer Discount Coupon Banner Design for Zen Cart
4. Zen Cart Banner for New Customer Discount Coupon
5. Easily Update Store Promotions with Zen Cart Banners