What attracts you to an ad? What makes you click? Is it the graphics? The copy? The creative design?
If you’re creating a digital campaign in today’s world, getting results is the ultimate goal. And that requires paying attention to every aspect of design, from the colors you use to the message it conveys.
What Creative Design Matters
From the moment you start a business, creative design drives every move you make. Imagine typing up a few words on a sheet of paper and handing it out to prospects. While that once may have been acceptable, it is no more.
Colors. Images. Graphics. Words. Numbers. Videos. We combine a variety of visuals to convey a specific message. Whether serious or humorous, detailed or minimalist, everything you include is a visual representation of who you are as a brand.
Studies show that 94 percent of first impressions are design related. Is it pretty? Is it sophisticated? Or does it look like it was built in 1984?
The human brain is capable of many wondrous things. According to the University of Minnesota, the human brain processes visual images up to 60,000 times faster than text. Companies know this and invest heavily in the images they convey. Think Apple. Or Nike. Instantly, an idea pops into your head.
Your branding is that important.
According to a study by the Missouri University of Science and Technology, visitors to your website will spend 6.48 seconds staring at the logo on your website, followed by just 5.95 seconds of scanning the rest of the content.
Where a Good Digital Campaign Begins
Where does a good digital campaign begin? Does it start with a photo? A word? A product or service? That’s where many business owners start. They have a product and put it front and center of an ad, and then wonder why their digital campaign fails.
The initial creation of a digital campaign may start with one concept in mind—selling a widget. But before you ever get to featuring that widget in an ad, it’s important to start with data first.
- Who are you selling to?
- What are their interests?
- What are they truly buying?
- How old are they?
- Where do they live?
- What are their goals and desires?
There are many different approaches to a digital campaign. If you only showcase your widget and talk about features, you’re missing nine-tenths of the market.
What works for a 20-year-old male won’t work for a 40-year-old female. That’s why research is imperative before you ever start developing ads for your digital campaign. Creative design allows you to reach the heart of your audience. It helps you dive deep and reach out in the most beneficial way possible.
Dig Deeper
Start Planning For 2022 With These Digital Marketing Trends
Does Your Digital Marketing Agency Have A Creative On Staff?
How Graphic Design Plays Into Creativity
Graphic design often evokes thoughts of pictures and images, but it goes further than that.
Graphic design has the responsibility of critical problem-solving. It takes all the elements of branding and selling and develops a graphic to convey that in a single message. A graphic designer uses as much skill in psychology as they do in aesthetics and typography.
Today’s digital campaigns involve every aspect of selling online. Banner ads, landing pages, product descriptions, and social media posts. It’s essential for every message you use to convey who you are as a company. And to ensure the same message carries through from platform to platform yet speaks to each audience in a way they expect.
In some cases, a text ad may work. Copy works well when people expect to read. Yet in other cases, a picture is worth a thousand words. And it’s vital that you get that picture right.
Every line, shape, color, image, and pattern you produce contributes to the message you create. It evokes feelings and emotions in your target audience and gets them to respond in certain ways.
Use Creative Design to Strengthen Your Brand
Creative design matters online. While people may not praise a site that’s visually appealing, they will take action if it’s anything but. One study found that 38 percent of visitors will stop engaging with a site if they find it unattractive. Another found 39 percent will leave if the graphics take too long to load. Increasing a page’s load time from one to three seconds increases the probability of a bounce by 32 percent.
The right creative design communicates your brand through everything it presents. It’s an essential role in conversions, and moving people through the selling process. This goes across platforms, and assures every message you create says it in a specific way. It communicates your brand story in a very specific way.
Look at your brand through the eyes of a prospect or customer. Do they understand who you are with everything you’ve created? If not, it may be time to upgrade your creative design. It’s the best way to ensure all future digital campaigns speak your truth.
Better Visual Engagement
Rather than placing content at the whim of the day, the best companies understand that focusing on visual engagement from the outset attracts a more specific audience. It gives you a design advantage over your competition.
Today’s online platforms are a plethora of visual engagement. With visuals and imagery in constant motion, if you haven’t updated it in years … it shows. If you’re not willing to invest in creative design from time to time, it’ll show up in your presentation. Customers will notice it as they dive deeper to try and get to know you. If you want better ROI, move beyond a message and focus on the entire creative design process. Your message is more than your words. It’s an entire package.
So take a look at your online presence. Take a look at your latest campaign. Does it speak to who you are as a brand and a company? Does it engage? Is it visually appealing? If your creative design is anything but stellar, maybe it’s time for an update.
How can we help you be your best in the online world?
