Take a look at the two images above. If you had a choice, which would you click on: the one on the left (plain, black and white, boring) or the one on the right (colorful, bold, attention-grabbing)? You can already see how graphic design can have a huge impact on marketing based on this quick, simple example. There are many reasons why you need a good graphic designer at your side to help your marketing stand out and effectively communicate with potential and current customers.
Graphic Elements
Imagery & Graphics: Images are oftentimes the first things we notice when looking at an ad, a website, a social media post, or pretty much anything. They’re what grab our attention and what we base our interest levels upon. If we like what we see in a design or the appearance of an image, we are likely to click on the link or dive into the reading that is correlated with it.
Typography: The way type is laid out on a page can make a big difference in your marketing effectiveness. If you choose a tacky font as your business’s main font, then your business may come across to potential customers as tacky and cheap. On the other hand, if you choose a font that is distinctive, bold, and clear, you will come across as professional, experienced, and tasteful.
Color: Believe it or not, choosing the best color scheme for a particular piece is not always easy. It’s more than just picking out your favorite colors and running with them. Colors can give off certain meanings and set the mood for whatever you’re looking at. Yellow and orange often are considered happy, bright and fun colors, but if you take one of those colors and put it with a neutral color, such as gray, it can give off a more professional look. Different color combinations can create different personalities for different companies based on what you want your businesses to be seen as to viewers and what kinds of customers you would like to attract.
Using These Elements for Inbound Marketing Efforts
Facebook Ads: For Facebook ads to be effective, they must be clear, concise, and attention-grabbing. Facebook only allows a small portion of the ad image to be filled with text, so the imagery is what is initially speaking to viewers the most. This means what text is allowed must be to the point and definitive. You want the ad to attract its intended customer base and draw them towards the product or service you are offering.
Blog Posts: Blog posts are much more appealing to people when images are included. Without imagery, the post would be merely large chunks of boring looking text. Images clue viewers in to what they are about to be reading. When used properly, they should help describe what is about to be read and help the reader better digest the information.
The information in blog posts should also be laid out clearly, with small paragraphs that are easy to read, opposed to larger paragraphs that take a while to get through. People are usually more willing to read text if it is broken up into smaller sections. Lists and bullet points are also very quick, easy reads and effectively present information in blogs. Make sure topic and subtopic headings stand out and clearly define the different sections of information.
Call-to-Action Buttons: These should be placed throughout your website in easy-to-spot areas. They should stand out and be designed with colors and visual elements that support your business's personality. Once someone clicks on one, it should lead them directly to a landing page where they can enter information to connect with you.
Landing Pages should be short, clear, concise, and visually appealing. They should provide the viewer with a clear title of what they are looking at, a short written summary of why your company is the one to help, and what you can do for them. It should include an area where they can easily and quickly enter their contact information and what services they need help with so that you can reach out to them.
These are just a few of the ways that graphic design can help with inbound marketing. There are many more elements that are hugely affected by the way in which they are designed, including your logo, website, business cards, and any other types of materials you would present to customers. Without good graphic design, the marketing world would be a much more static and dull place. All marketing material should be visually appealing and tell a story. Blue Frog understands what people are looking for. We have extensive experience with all types of marketing pieces and would be glad to design any company related pieces for you and your business.