PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

10 Ways to Tell Your Brand’s Story Using Creative Design

Branding in Graphic Design

The Digital Age has vastly changed the way companies do business, but that doesn’t mean the dynamic of the first impression on future customer relations isn’t still in effect. First impressions are still an extremely important aspect of customer acquisition, but these first impressions are often gleaned in the digital environment, and that means that websites need to be attractive, functional, and on point.

Not only do web pages have to capture a visitor’s attention, but prospective customers should be able to tell at a glance what your product or service is. You can achieve a grand first impression through a variety of strategies designed to promote optimal brand awareness. Visual elements can provide an authentic emotional connection as well as creatively tell your company’s story.

The most compelling text won’t make up for the lack of visuals no matter how good your product or service is, so don’t neglect design elements when giving your page an upgrade. Following are ten design elements that can help convey your brand’s story at a glance.

Applied Color Theory

Color theory refers to the practice of using color to evoke specific responses — and different colors have different effects on viewers. For instance, warm colors tend to elicit energy, while their cold counterparts are generally experienced as calming. Neutral tones are used to bring a sense of balance to the picture. A good designer will have a firm grasp of these concepts and apply them to their designs for each project.

Basic Design Fundamentals

Design fundamentals are the foundation of any visual representation meant to communicate something to others, and an uneven composition causes visitors to click away. Even the smallest details contribute or detract from the basic design of a site — ensure that your design contributes to a positive impression.

Composition and Layout

Composition and layout provide websites with stability, structure, and ease-of-navigation. Important composition and layout concepts include adequate white space, contrast, alignment, and the grouping of similar objects close to one another.

Imagery

The right images create a connection with the viewer and are instrumental in promoting that valuable good first impression. Make sure your images reflect your products or services and aren’t distracting or irrelevant. Viewers are more likely to respond to quality, high-definition imagery rather than blurry or otherwise substandard counterparts.

Logo

Effective logos are the ultimate branding tool because they provide immediate recognition. This is one of the most important components of creating a visual brand for your business. Good logo designers understand the importance of making an important connection that viewers will remember and associate with your business in a positive way.

Motion Graphics

Motion graphic design is used in video elements on websites. Motion designers use a variety of strategies, including color theory and typography, to craft effective and compelling videos that accurately portray company brands in a positive fashion.

Typography

Many business owners make the mistake of choosing a font that appeals to them on hard-copy documents, but that often doesn’t translate to digital environments. Viewers find that sans serif fonts appear cleaner and easier to read than fonts containing serifs. Nonetheless, the font should fit in seamlessly with the overall design of the page.

Visual Communication

Visual communication describes a combination of design elements that work together to communicate with the viewer. Examples include animations, typography, and imagery — talented designers know how to pull it all together so that elements work seamlessly.

Website Navigation

Potential customers often click away from websites that lack a clear navigation system. Navigation systems should be highly visible and make sense to the viewer. This speeds search efforts and avoids the type of frustration that often results in viewers looking elsewhere — the most important thing is that viewers don’t have to search for buttons or other ways to navigate to other parts of your site. All navigation buttons should be kept next to one another in a visible location on the page.

Wording and Phraseology

This last element is the only one that is not primarily visual, but it nonetheless must work with the visual elements of your website to create a cohesive whole. Misspellings and awkward phrasing can completely ruin the visual design elements of your site — consumers are not likely to feel confident in a business when the text conveys a limited understanding of language. Even if they can’t quite pinpoint the errors in your text, they’re likely to get a general sense.

Keep in mind that the above elements need to work together to tell a brand’s story in the best possible way.