Posts Tagged stock photos and graphics

The Importance of Visual Content

Free facebook cover photos - inspiring importance of visual contentTop 5 ways to present your brand professionally

Yes the cover does sell the book and yes a picture says a 1000 words – boom. The importance of visual content on your website, social media graphics, print and brand marketing can’t be measured completely. I looked – I found stats on conversion rates but that is a whole other blog post. This blog offers tips on creating or discovering where you can find quality visual content for your custom brand marketing.

1. Build a Professional Website

So your cousin/niece/son just took a web design class at Lansing Community College? A professional does not one website design class make. Did they add any images that truly don’t represent your brand or aren’t in the brand style? Hand drawn illustrations can work with brands with a young audience but may look juvenile with a corporate communication.

The next questions is do you own it? Google images, graphics, photos or images taken from the internet hold copyrights and sometimes trademarks. Legal action can be taken if they are used without the owners permission.

One of our customers was forced to pay a stock photo company $1200 for use of two photos on their blog. An intern grabbed the photos from Google Images and uploaded them. The large stock photography company found that the small healthcare business in Lansing, Michigan had not purchased the images. The stock photo site insisted on payment from our client or they risked being taken to court. Removing the photos from the blog, claiming ignorance, blaming an intern is not a valid defense. Where did the photos on your website or your social media graphics at photos or graphics do you need to remove or replace?

2. Stock Photos and Graphics

Small businesses seldom have the budget to develop original photography or graphics for each project. What items are your working on? Are there images that can be found for purchase online? Stock image websites abound on the net, just look into the user agreement and understand the terms of use for photos or graphics you purchase and download. Options usually include low, medium and high quality resolution depending on your use (low is typically for website/blog use only, the others can be used in print; medium images can be used for many print design projects. Large stock images will reproduce in print larger and are often chosen when a quality cover photo, poster, trade show display or exhibit booth is needed.

Remember, you do not own stock photos and graphics, you only have permission to use them. The terms of use outline the marketing and advertising media they can be legally be used in.

Stock sites can find their images on your website – if you have not purchased them, they can legally charge you. (see #1 above)

Often times trained graphic designers can customize stock photos and graphics to a point where most people would never know they started as a stock image. This additional design work may add more time and cost to your project but the customized look achieved can be used time and time again. (This doesn’t eliminate the need to pay for use.) It does provide a custom image nobody else can lay claim to. Where can you find images for legal use online? (some stock photo and stock images websites are listed in the Resources section).

free social media graphics for sharing3. Web Graphics – The Importance of Visual Content

Use your brand visual elements to create graphics for your website, social media profile pictures, avatars, visual media for blog posts, etc. If a graphic design firm has created your logo, be sure to get digital files in a variety of formats. Creating original social media graphics and web graphics using your brand imagery can help boost your brand exposure and connect with you audience. How can you add more brand images to your website or social media posts?

inspiring quote for sharing on social media4. Design Social Media Graphics

Statistics show graphics or memes are shared and shown in the Facebook news feed algorithm more than text only page posts. People come to the web to be entertained — not to read. Whether graphics or videos have industry tips, trending topics, popular quotes, etc. people respond to them and share them. What web graphics can you share or create of interest to your audience?

5. Original Digital Graphic Files

When you purchase or hire a graphic designer to create a project, determine where you will be using it; online, print, tv, etc. All of these media require different formats. It’s best to let your graphic designer know the media channels your art will be used in ahead of time. Creating art for print and web is different. Save time and money by considering all uses ahead of time.

A custom web graphic created for your home page will require the graphic designer to rebuild it, and will cost additional fees if you decide you also want to use it for your corporate brochure or other print promotions.

We recognize the importance of visual content,  we love graphic design and our most fun is creating social media graphics usually with inspiring quotes. leadership quotes for business, holiday greeting social media graphics and more. We post new ones to our social media outposts -so be sure and  follow us to get the next trending design. You can also visit our downloads page for free social media graphics and share them to  your hearts content!

The Importance of Design in Marketing

The Importance of Design in Marketing Connection Group Blog August

Creating Brand Visuals that Communicate

Everything is so much prettier these days. Design is in mainstream consciousness and visual standards are  steep. Apple and Target have demonstrated that even utilitarian items can become art when both aesthetics and function are balanced. The importance of design in marketing has a higher level than a mere five years ago. Graphic design marries visuals with a message to facilitate marketing goals. How does your brand or company stand out from the torrents of information and stylish brands out there?

1. Templates – Themes

Pre-made theme designs for websites, stationary, brochure and business card templates, and even pre-made logos are prevalent on the internet. The challenge is that other small businesses- maybe even your competition – may be using the same template as you!

When you understand the importance of design in marketing and decide customized graphics and design is the way to go  you encounter another challenge. Making custom changes to existing graphic design templates may be difficult. How can you make it your own style without having design software?

Do small business marketing research before purchasing or ordering graphic design or brand design visuals for your company. Make a list of elements to include in your project and choose your theme with those in mind. For instance determine what the main areas of your website will be, this helps determine your navigation. Research design themes or templates and make sure you can customize those cookie cutter templates to amplify your brand.

2. Color

Is your company high tech, energetic or tranquil? The colors you use will communicate, often sub-consciously, how the viewer  is suppose to feel. What colors are associated with the feeling you would like to depict in your brand? Visit our color personality list in our design tips section for ideas.

3. Fonts

Like color, font selection can quickly depict the mood of a brand. When choosing a font for your brand remember not all fonts display on the web. Web fonts are increasing but if you use a font in your logo that is not supported it will need to be converted to a graphic. Try a few combinations and limit your selection to only one or two fonts that flow well together.

4. Consistency

The only way to build lasting brand recognition is to be consistent with all of the above elements in all media channels. Your logo and other brand visuals need to be formatted to work for both print and web use. Consider all the media outposts your visual designs and digital images will be used/ (online, print, tv, video, etc.)

5. Qu2 sisters misguided manual to motherhoodality

Are you using cheesy clip art, blurry or low resolution photo or graphics? Once again we address the importance of design in marketing. When prospects see poor quality or disjointed marketing pieces in the market place it raises questions. Are they disorganized, don’t care about details?

Can you improve your dated logo, images or get new photos taken? Can graphics be redrawn or recreated for digital use? Can you purchase professional stock designs?

6. Graphic Style

Photos and graphics are also strong messages. What graphic style fits best with your brand message? Black and white photography, hand drawn illustrations, etc. Graphic styles may be photos or graphics in styles such as grunge, hipster, retro, elegant, contemporary, realistic, classic, natural, cartoonish. What visual design style suits your business marketing?

Thanks for reading the importance of design in marketing. The following post will follow along this topic and focus on the importance of visual content.