Before an entity kickstarts its journey in the digital marketplace, it is imperative to acknowledge a few basics. The clutter in the virtual landscape is increasing day by day. Each venture has to stay on its toes so they can catch the most eyeballs.
Research by Microsoft proves that the human attention span has shrunk down to eight seconds!
A user might end up leaving your portal if it fails to impress them within eight seconds.
Of all other digital strategies for captivating an audience, graphic design stands out as one of the most viable options. Organizations can communicate their personality to potential customers by utilizing the visual language. It aims to evoke the emotions of onlookers and make you convey a special message. When done for long enough, it directs customers to take action and spurs them to establish contact with your company.
What is Graphic Design?
Graphic design is the art of combining text and images to communicate a message and optimize the user experience.
As Matt Beale put it, graphic design is about making things good (and then better) and right (and fantastic) for the people who use and encounter them.
So, if you think graphic design revolves around pictures and drawings only, you’re mistaken. It involves visuals that are adept at critical problem-solving through the use of imagery. It is widely agreed upon by most digital prodigies as one of the essential elements in the digital marketing sphere because it assists marketers to develop brand awareness and influence the decision-making process of their customers.
On the whole, it represents symbols, typography, colors, and images that contribute to the overall aesthetic of the message being conveyed. It follows certain principles, trends, and concepts derived from studying a target audience’s psychology.
For instance, when a company is working on its landing pages, they must infuse catchy graphics. The landing page’s must contain compelling visuals combined with a call-to-action (CTA), urging the audience to take instant action. Studies prove that the human brain processes images 60 000 times faster than text. Additionally, 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visual.
Importance of Graphic Design in Digital Marketing Strategy
The importance of graphic design in marketing cannot be underestimated as it helps brands visually communicate their message to their target audience. Graphic design goes beyond words and language to connect with viewers, imprinting on their minds the brand’s message through recall.
A graphic design speaks volumes. Every detail comes together to embody the brand’s passion and values. At the same time, it’s powerful enough to boost conversion and sales. With that said, businesses would tremendously benefit from the right graphic design team.
Those following the right balance of graphics and text can do wonders. A 2017 Content Marketing Institute study discovered that 65% of B2B marketers use infographics (a combination of text with imagery).
Every line, pattern, shape, color, or layout contributes to forming particular feelings or emotions within the audience. You can consult the services of a branding agency or get a social media marketing company on board. These experts will allow you to gain some perspective on how your agency can put out an enticing combo of visuals and text. We suggest you allow your creative genies to run their brains and get as crafty as they can be.
Here are a few more compelling reasons why graphic design is vital for digital marketing:
Communicates Your Brand Perspective
Graphic designs play an essential role in conveying the underlying message of your product or service. An effective designer can communicate your offerings in the shape of charts, illustrations, and reports. Remember that your concern is not merely profit-making. Instead, your target is to establish a reputable position for your brand in the market. Your motive is to highlight the passion, history, and drive behind the idea of your brand.
There is a solid reason why websites have an “About Us” page. It is a section that helps them communicate their brand story. Companies tend to evoke emotions through compelling graphics and creative content. People, by nature, are driven by feelings. When a brand’s principles and values make sense with their own, they are more likely to convert.
2019 research from QuickSprout concluded that users would stop interacting with a website if they come across a bad experience in visuals. And instead, they seek out other, more visually appealing content.
Improve Sales
An excellent graphic design can put money in your pocket by focusing on visual appeal. For instance, if you find your website crashing despite constant upgrades, a graphic designer can come along as your knight in shining armor.
A study by the Design Council discovered that every £100 a business spends on design spikes their turnover by £225.
Graphic designers work to create a slick design with mobile compatibility to enhance your sales. Through quality designs, people are more convinced that your company will deliver high-quality products or services. Such impressions happen when visitors see a well-thought-out company profile with a unique logo design and business card.
It is imperative to reach out to the design agencies that are aware of your market trends. Your best shot is to get a local design agency on board if you are a local venture. For example, a logo design company could probably develop more relevant visuals and taglines than an international design agency with limited information about local dynamics.
Surpasses Language
No matter their primary language, everyone who comes across a website can quickly grasp the visuals. As the Internet breaks down geographical barriers, it is crucial to acknowledge the visual linguistics. It is the first element on your page that gets attention. Together with the words, it puts out a powerful message for the audience.
Take the example of the Apple logo. It does not have any tagline. Yet, the design speaks efficiency and innovation to the onlookers. Today, you can also access stock photos to adorn your site. However, there is concrete evidence showing that original graphics work way better than the stock images.
The outright winner is original graphics such as infographics and illustrations at 40%. Videos and presentations follow at 24%.
Instills Brand Recall
Brand consistency is crucial in the digital marketing domain. When creating a design strategy, the choice of colors, icons, and typography can make oodles of difference in your brand perception. When you are deploying your corporate branding guideline, you are instilling a particular image upon your audience.
Consider some of the memorable marketing images you have seen so far. There is Home Depot that always uses an orange color in its logos and signs. Also, there is an example of CVS using a big, red font that makes an onlooker think about medical buildings.
When your design reaches your audience, they automatically think about your brand story upon seeing the visuals.
Conclusion
Having a graphic design agency up your sleeve may seem unnecessary and irrelevant. Nonetheless, the perks defined above may just be enough to change your perspective in this regard.
Even though the cost of graphic design is a concern for many small entities, we cannot ignore the importance it carries for a business. As per evidence from 99designs, more than 50% of small businesses source design work in-house or do it themselves. Meanwhile, 21% use freelancers, and 18% run crowdsourced design contests through particular channels. Only 7% work with design agencies.
Bear in mind, when done right, the potential of graphic design is endless. It can turn you into the talk of the town overnight. Make sure it relays optimism and a crispy outlook!
To improve your digital marketing strategy, partner up with Spiralytics. We have a talented team who recognizes the importance of graphic design in online marketing and is equipped to take your brand to the next level.
Spiralytics also offers tailored marketing services that suit your business needs — from search engine optimization, content marketing, social media marketing to email and marketing automation. Contact us today to get started with digital marketing!
