Design is everywhere, physically and virtually, and when it comes to showcasing your brand, the public needs to understand your message and associate it with your business within a matter of seconds. Design achieves this.
Design plays a huge part in getting your message across quickly and effectively with images, fonts, colours, and graphics. So how does design help your marketing efforts and is it worth the investment? Whether it’s digital marketing, traditional marketing or brand marketing, this blog will cover everything you need to know.
What is brand identity?
Simply put, brand identity is how you communicate your company to your consumers’ minds. There are a few different terms that are used interchangeably but are important to differentiate.
Brand image is the perception people have about your company, for example, how you might associate Disney with magic, fun and family movies.
Branding is a verb that refers to the actions to create that brand perception such as ad campaigns, social media management, video creations, content creation, etc. Coming back to our Disney example, Disney branding could be the ad campaigns (trailers, graphics, interviews, etc.) that come out when a new movie is released.
Brand identity, on the other hand, refers to the set of tools used to create your brand image Typically, brand identity will include but is not limited to a brand name, slogan or tagline, brand colours, graphic styles, the tone for communication, and brand fonts.
How does design help with marketing?
There are a few ways that design can help improve your marketing, especially when it comes to running traditional or digital ad campaigns. A good design will adhere to your branding style while being able to engage the consumer somehow which in turn boosts your product or service.
Design tells a story
When used effectively, a great campaign that is designed well will be able to get a story across better than reading blocks of text. Humans are naturally drawn to colours and shapes; a good designer will be able to utilize this to capture the attention of the consumer. Through design, your brand will be able to tell a story through images, text, and colours in an easily digestible way.
Design provides accessibility to those with impairments
Similarly, to the above point, designs will enable a brand to get its message across without having to read blocks of text. This can help those with learning impairments such as dyslexia. It is important to note that more brands are trying to adjust their designs to be more accessible for those with disabilities by keeping in mind visual impairments, seizure-prone people, and those with auditory issues.
Design boosts interaction by commanding consumer attention
Your goal for marketing is likely to raise awareness for your brand, product, or service. In the age of social media, consumers are looking for good designs, images, and graphics and your brand will need to be able to stand out from the crowd with distinct branding. A good design accompanied with an engaging caption will be able to gather likes and shares or at the very least make a good first impression (which in turn makes you more credible).
Design adds credibility to your brand
Expanding on that last point, if your brand is consistent with engaging graphics, it will make your business look more credible and more qualified. An example of this would be well-planned feeds on Instagram, where it looks organized and visually pleasing.
How can you achieve an effective design?
Focus on your target audience
It is essential to know who you will be designing for. Different age groups, communities and possibly genders will affect what imagery, colours, and typography you will want to use while branding. An example of this would be ‘Real Beauty’ by Dove. The primary audience for Dove is be women of all ages. This comes across in their ad campaigns by trying to raise awareness for body positivity through videos, hashtags, and images.
Use striking style choices
We are constantly being exposed to brand imagery, which makes it all the more important to invest in design and branding for your business. The use of bold colours and bold typography can help guide the eye of your consumers to your message.
Make your design scannable by the eye
A designer can also use techniques such as the z-pattern layout. The z-pattern layout is a design that traces the path the human eye takes when they read. Most people will scan from the top left, down to the left side and down to the bottom right.
Notice trends
You should try to keep up to date with trends, so your brand does not look dated. You want to look like you understand your market and are up to date with the times to boost your credibility. You will also want to see what your competitors are doing, gather ideas from different sources and give them to your designer to boost the creative process.
Track leads
Notice what brings consumers is based on the amounts of leads you get through a campaign. If you have a billboard, track how much your traffic increases to a link. If you have a social media graphic, track and compare how many likes you get. Once you understand your audience better, you will be able to have precise marketing efforts that target who you want.
Hire a professional designer
Professional designers have tricks and market knowledge that can help you target the audience you want through compelling designs. They will also be up to date with the latest trends and understand how to utilize different marketing mediums (i.e. traditional billboards to Instagram graphics).
Let big colour help play a role in your marketing efforts
At Big Colour Signs and Vehicle Wraps, we provide graphic design services, car wrapping and signage to clients in the New South Wales area. We believe in creating engaging and effective designs and can help you bring your visions to life through our knowledgeable and creative team. We can happily accommodate your advertising budget with a highly experienced team of experts to get the perfect billboard for you.
To find out more, visit us at bigcolour.com.au. Alternatively, contact us today on (02) 4969 5700 or drop us an email by clicking here and we can help you improve your brand presence through excellent design.