What is going on in your brain when looking at a website?

We know branding and design are very important aspects when it comes to building your business, even if it’s not mainly online / digital marketing . Nowadays, people pay more attention than ever to the way a business presents itself - is their logo unique and interesting? are their social media accounts up to date, with quality posts? Is their website easy to navigate? Those are all questions you need to take into consideration when building your brand’s image, and basic psychology can help us understand those aspects better (for example, keep in mind that about 65% are visual learners, so it’s great to showcase your brand through visual content).

How do we interpret logos?

When you’re thinking of some of the biggest brand names, chances are something is going to pop up in your mind very quickly - their logo. To put it simply, a solid and efficient logo is the way your audience and clients will remember and recognise your company. It’s as if the name, brand, and services are all condensed in one small visual representation, which becomes a vital part of said company. Now, you might be asking yourself - what are the most important things to take into consideration when creating a logo?

One of them is simplicity. The simpler the logo, the easier it is for your clients to memorise and recognise it later on. If you use intricate designs and fonts, while they may be unique, your audience will struggle to remember all of the details. Another important aspect is taking advantage of shapes - different shapes suggest different types of companies, so choose the ones that reflect your work. For example, circles seem softer and friendlier, and usually suggest community and connection. If your brand values human connection and socialising, then adopting softer, circular shapes and fonts into your logo would be a great choice. Squares, for example, are seen as a standard - they are usually preferred by business in the technical field, or that wish to convey a more “serious” image. However, keep in mind that they can look basic - so adding a pop of colour or a unique detail can’t harm.

How do we interpret website/social media graphics?

Moving on, I’d like now to talk about how the human mind interprets graphics, be them on your official website or your social media accounts. Lots of companies and brands are turning to social media in order to promote their products and services - so how should we use those visual platforms to our advantage? Just as I’ve mentioned in the previous section, there are a few aspects that you should take into consideration when designing those graphics.

Simplicity and minimalism are important here as well - you don’t want the graphics to be too crowded, otherwise the important information will get lost and your audience will struggle to understand what your main objective is. Keep the most important aspects - your logo/main message/product in a very visible place (usually at the center or top of the page/graphic). Also, mind the colors - they can be used to invoke different emotions (for example, red is bold and is associated with passion, power and action; green is associated with feelings of growth, development and safety; blue often invokes feelings of calm, security and trustworthiness). Think of what types of emotions do you want people to associate your company with, and go with the colors that convey those feelings and emotions.

How should we structure texts?

Texts are also an important part of visual contents, so let’s discuss some writing tips that are going to capture your audience and help build your brand in an effective way.

First off, the title - it needs to be effective in capturing your audience’s attention. Make it to the point, making sure it conveys the main message of the text (but you can add a twist by using a figure of speech or a brilliant sentence from the article). If you’re making a list or are discussing various aspects of a certain topic, using numbers in the title would also be useful (for example “5 tips on how to study better), as this helps your readers/audience in figuring out what to expect from the text.

Another important aspect is the introduction section (be it in an article, or your website/blog), as this is the part that will either make the reader more engaged and interested, or lose their attention completely. So, for a good introduction, make sure you are properly introducing the main point of the text, while also keeping the audience a bit curious (for example, “Today I would like to talk to you about the importance colors have when it comes to graphic design, while also using some fun facts from psychology. I will discuss this in detail in the next sections”.

That being said in digital marketing world, I think we can all agree that visual content and design are quite important when building a brand, as they are a core part of it’s identity and what customers think of when they hear your company’s name - even before they think about your products/services! So keep those in mind when crafting your brand’s image.