Visual identity: How graphic design affects consumer views of your company

How graphic design affects consumer views of your company

With severe competition and even niche markets saturated, SMEs must rely on branding to differentiate themselves from competitors and create relationships with customers. We have preferences for people we want to hang out with in real life, and the same is true for brands. Many physical and emotional elements play a role, and these may or may not be related to a firm or its services, which may appear cold and aloof.

However, we trust the businesses that engage us the most, whether they meet our requirements or connect with us. We examine how brands behave, we assess whether they make us laugh or ponder and whether they make us feel understood.

They believe it just takes a few seconds for the human brain to build a notion (or at least a projection) of who is in front of us when we meet someone for the first time. When it comes to brands, visual identity is crucial because the initial impression can make a significant difference in the short and long term.

What is a brand and what does it signify for your company?

Everything from a company's social media accounts to the packaging used to ship its products contributes to a brand's identity. But what exactly does this term imply? People frequently confuse a company's brand with its logo or website colors.

A brand, on the other hand, is the public's image of your company. Of course, when a customer sees one of your items for the first time, they'll notice the logo right away, but they'll also consider a variety of other factors, such as how the packaging makes them feel, how they interact with your website, and how they'll perceive themselves if they buy it again. Every tiny element counts, and the right blend can assist position the brand in people's eyes.

Take a step back and consider the fundamentals of branding before looking for a graphic designer to revamp your company's image. What do you want the messaging of your firm to be? If you want to be chosen over your competition, you must focus on what makes your company distinct. Always begin by defining the goal, vision, and values that will guide your work. This initial phase will assist you in determining who you want to be and how to communicate with others.

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Why visual design is important for a small business

When it comes to digital media, this reaction time is even shorter. Researchers at Carleton University in Canada discovered that forming an initial impression of a webpage and deciding whether or not to continue browsing takes only 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds).

These studies demonstrate how important the first image we view of a website or product is. Visual appearance, in particular, has been shown to have a higher influence than user experience. So we'll show you a slew of advantages that your organization can enjoy if it begins to really consider a visual design strategy:

• Conversions: appealing and engaging designs are highly persuasive; they create a positive impression of a company and help to establish trust. And when a company is seen as trustworthy, prospects (possible consumers) are more likely to become actual customers.
• Credibility: A brand's visual identity is important for positioning it in the consumer's mind. Visuals may help items and brands stand out. Once established, this perception will be easier to distinguish from the competition and will build consumer connections.
• Longevity: distinctive and memorable graphic design fosters customer relationships by allowing a brand's personality to shine through, which is a critical factor in making customers fall in love with your items.
• Communication: A strong visual identity will help you communicate more effectively. You can ensure that your brand's personality wins people over at every touchpoint by thoroughly customizing your offering graphically (the places where customers encounter the brand). A fantastic opportunity to raise brand recognition.

You must invest in order to get the most out of your visual identity. This entails hiring pros rather than attempting to handle everything yourself. Otherwise, you risk undervaluing the company's graphic effect, paying too little in the beginning, and then spending much more later to catch up with the competition.

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Key aspects to focus on

After you've completed reading this article, ask yourself this question: does my brand identity represent me, and is it distinctive? To answer this question, consider how your branding and communication conveys (or does not) your company's principles and personality. Alternatively, you might investigate the factors that have the most impact on your visual presence:

1. Logo: The logo is a company's ultimate manifestation, giving its values and value proposition a visible shape. That is why, even if it does not inform you what the company produces, a logo should be memorable and distinctive. Consider the crocodile emblem of the sportswear brand Lacoste. When buyers are deciding between your goods and the competition's, spending time and money on a logo will assure brand recognition and a clear position.
2. Colour palette: Around 90% of consumers are influenced by color in their purchasing decisions, according to Stephen Brown's book "Brands and Branding." As a result, carefully selecting your color palette based on the message you want to portray and your brand's identity is critical. Colour has an impact on people's emotions, and it may help your company stand out.
3. Typography: font selection should not be taken lightly. Because different fonts are connected with different values, typefaces can play a vital part in expressing your brand's identity. A serifed typeface, for example, implies prestige, but a thick sans serif font expresses firmness and resoluteness.
4. Photographs and images: It's critical to present yourself with images that truly represent your company and its personality, not only because Google now penalizes websites that use stock images, but also because visitors to your website or social media pages should feel engaged with your communication. Indeed, well-selected photographs that are consistent with your brand identity will increase user involvement, social media shares, and brand exposure.

Three small businesses with distinct visual identities

Here are three instances that will help you better understand how visual identity can help your company grow:

• Elo Soap: Elo's soap bars are unlike anything else on the market. But this has less to do with the product (which is fine) and more to do with the brand's attention-getting aesthetics, which have helped it gain a dedicated following. How did it manage to do so? The notion of ancient gods is a tired cliché in Greece. Elo gave it a new spin with fresh, sleek packaging that pays homage to tradition while remaining contemporary.
• Unincorporated Coffee: is a tiny coffee roastery in Los Angeles that recently underwent a substantial rebranding. The company wanted to keep its own personality while upgrading its visual brand. It established an aggressive, irreverent, and transgressive image for the roastery that is in keeping with its unmistakable coffee through a logo that also serves as a mascot.
• Jungle Culture: sells coconut shell bowls, bamboo cutlery, and other plastic-free items, as well as sustainable homeware that benefits Vietnamese artisans and farmers. Its visual communication impacts every element of the business through a corporate identity that refers to historic icons of Vietnamese culture. The brand's personality is steeped in nature, as evidenced by its Instagram account, which has nearly 11,000 followers.

Don't forget to read: 5 ways your e-commerce site is ruining your brand’s image