Many iconic companies are driven by innovation through art and design. One of my favorite examples – and personal sources of inspiration – is Walt Disney Animation Studios. They don’t just create films; they craft emotional journeys that etch themselves into your soul and exemplify how and why storytelling through design reigns supreme. 

While we don’t have the capabilities to sprinkle pixie dust to generate leads or drive sales, we’re fairly certain that a little imagination and creativity (and maybe a little faith and trust) can improve your marketing efforts and successfully win the hearts and minds of your target audience.

If you’ve ever wondered how graphic design and creative services can transform your business’s marketing efforts, we’re here to help! 

Grab your notebook as we prepare to explore the dynamic world of graphic design and how it can creatively impact your marketing campaigns. 

Why Settle for the Ordinary?

Picture this: you’re strolling down a crowded city street, and amidst a sea of bland, cookie-cutter displays, one stands out like a beacon of hope. 

It could be an advertisement on the side of a bus, a poster plastered to the storefront window, or maybe even a website you navigated to while adding that new pin to your digital inspiration board, but this is not just any design, it’s a work of art. 

With this, the graphic designer has successfully done their job. 

Their creation effectively grabs your attention, tugs at your emotions, and leaves an indelible mark in your memory. This is the power of graphic design. 

Why settle for dull and uninspiring when you can have eye-catching and unforgettable? Your business deserves to stand out, and graphic design is your secret weapon. Don’t settle for the ordinary and risk being left in the dust. 

First Impressions: The Make-or-Break Moment

Attention spans are shorter than ever. So short, that by the time you finish reading this sentence, you’ll have already decided whether to keep reading or move on to the next shiny thing that catches your eye. That’s the reality of the digital age we’re in.

This means that your business has nearly a fraction of a second to make a lasting impression. And where does this impression start? You guessed it: your visuals. 

Your logo, your website, and your marketing materials all play a pivotal role in that make-or-break moment.

Graphic design isn’t just about making things look pretty (though it certainly does that too). It’s about bringing your brand to life, resonating with your target audience, and communicating your unique value proposition through creative works of art. 

When potential customers land on your website, their first thought should be, “Wow, this looks amazing!” It may be subtle, but this subconscious thinking can, and will, directly impact click-through rates, engagement, lead generation, and even sales.

Storytelling with Design

Okay, so you’ve captured your audience’s attention. Now what? 

This is where the real magic of graphic design happens, as it tells your brand’s story. Think of it as a visual journey that your customers embark on when they interact with your marketing materials.

From the colors you choose to the fonts you use, every element in your design purposefully communicates something about your brand’s personality. 

Are you bold and adventurous? Choose vibrant colors and edgy fonts. Are you reliable and trustworthy? Opt for clean lines and classic typography. 

But make sure that everything on the design side is easily digestible. Your creative choices can just as easily be detrimental to your brand as they can be effective. When purposeful creative decisions are made and effectively communicate your messaging, the sky is the limit for your next creative piece. 

This is the “why” of graphic design that is so often overlooked and underappreciated. You can’t simply throw something together because it looks good. Shift your focus to the deeper-rooted elements that build on the storytelling aspects of your brand. 

But it’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about emotion. Graphic design has the power to evoke emotions, and emotions drive action. A well-crafted design can make your audience feel excited, inspired, or even nostalgic. 

When people feel that connection, they’re more likely to take the next step, whether by making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or sharing your content with their friends.

Standing Out in a Crowded World

Let’s face it, competition is fierce. No matter what industry you’re in, countless other businesses are vying for your customers’ attention. 

How do you stand out in this crowded world? The answer lies in the hands of your graphic designer.

Think about iconic brands like Apple, Nike, or Coca-Cola. What sets them apart? It’s not just their products; it’s their branding. It’s the unforgettable logos, the consistent color schemes, and the compelling visual stories they tell. When you see their designs, you instantly know who they are and what they stand for.

While your business may never have the same name recognition as these iconic brands, the possibility of achieving a similar level of differentiation through effective graphic design is in your realm of capabilities. 

Balancing Aesthetic with Functionality

Now, you might be thinking, “I get it, graphic design is important, but can’t I just slap together some visuals on my own?” 

Sure, you can. But remember, there’s more to graphic design than meets the eye, and your audience can just as easily decipher when and why something does or does not look good.

A skilled graphic designer isn’t just a pixel pusher; they’re a visual strategist. They know how to create designs that not only look good but also work effectively to achieve your marketing goals.

Graphic designers are like the architects of your brand’s visual identity. They plan, they design, and they execute with precision. They know how to balance aesthetics with functionality, ensuring that your design not only catches the eye but also delivers a seamless user experience.

Adapting to Change

In the fast-paced world of business, change is the only constant. 

Trends evolve, technology advances and consumer preferences shift. So, how do you keep your brand relevant and in tune with the times? 

You guessed it: graphic design.

Graphic designers are the trendsetters, the innovators, and the adaptors. They stay on the cutting edge of design trends and are always ready to pivot when necessary. Whether it’s incorporating the latest design techniques, optimizing for mobile devices, or crafting a killer social media graphic, they’ve got you covered.

Building Trust and Credibility

Trust and credibility are the cornerstones of any successful business. When consumers trust a brand, they’re more likely to choose it over competitors. So, how does graphic design fit into this equation? It’s all about creating a professional and consistent image.

Think of your design elements as your brand’s attire. Would you trust a lawyer in a Hawaiian shirt or a surgeon in ripped jeans? Probably not. Just like these professionals, your brand needs to dress the part. Consistent and professional design elements across all your marketing materials signal trustworthiness and competence.

A World of Possibilities

Now that we’ve established the importance of graphic design, let’s dive into the endless possibilities it offers for your marketing efforts. Let’s explore some exciting ways to take your brand to new heights.

Website Design

Is your website stuck in the past, with clunky navigation and outdated visuals? Responsive design, intuitive navigation, and visually compelling layouts ensure that users stay engaged and navigate through the site effortlessly. Web design that aligns with your brand helps establish credibility, encouraging top-of-funnel visitors to become paying customers.

Digital Ads

Paid ads for Google and social media campaigns (Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.) can effectively raise awareness and act as a first impression for your brand through keywords to specially targeted audiences, helping to drive more leads and sales.

Social Media Graphics

In the age of scrolling feeds and fleeting attention spans, your social media graphics need to stand out more than ever. Engaging visuals can help to successfully increase your click-through rates, boost engagement, and drive more traffic to your website.

Branding

If your brand identity feels stale or doesn’t align with your current business goals, it might be time for a rebrand. A comprehensive brand refresh (or overhaul) can breathe new life into your business. 

Infographics

Infographics are a powerful tool for aesthetically explaining processes, presenting data, or telling a story. Incorporating infographics into presentation decks, websites, and social media posts are just a few ways design can effectively transform data in a visually appealing way. 

Email Marketing

Creative email designs can grab your subscribers’ attention and encourage them to click through to your website.

Print Collateral

Although print design has become almost obsolete in the digital age, business cards, brochures, and flyers are still valuable marketing tools for your business, and the design can make a lasting impression on your audience.

Video & Motion Graphics

Video marketing is booming, and your video and motion graphics should be top-notch. From advertisements and social videos to intros and other brand animations, graphic design enhances the visual appeal of your video content.

Event Graphics

Attending a trade show or hosting an online event (webinars, conferences, etc.)? Eye-catching banners, signage, ads, landing pages, and promotional materials can draw attendees to your booth or drive more registrations.

The ROI of Graphic Design

All of this probably sounds fantastic, but is graphic design worth the investment? Absolutely! 

Consider this: a well-designed website can increase conversion rates, a compelling social media graphic can drive engagement, and a memorable logo can boost brand recognition. 

All of these factors contribute to your bottom line. So, yes, graphic design is not just a creative endeavor; it’s a strategic one that directly impacts your profitability.

The Collaborative Creative Process

Now that you’re convinced of the power of graphic design, you’re ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level. 

But how do you go about it? It all starts with a collaborative creative process.

• Discovery: The journey begins with a deep dive into your business. What are your goals, values, and target audience? A graphic designer needs to understand your brand inside and out before creating any deliverables.
• Ideation: This is where the creative juices start flowing. Brainstorming, sketching, and experimenting with different design concepts are all part of the process that leads to the design you’ll be presented.
• Design: Here’s where the magic happens. The chosen concept transforms into a visual masterpiece. The designer blends colors, fonts, imagery, and layout in an aesthetically appealing conceptual creation.
• Feedback and Revisions: Collaboration is key, and your input is invaluable. Provide feedback on the initial design, and the designer will make revisions until it’s perfect.
• Finalization: Once the design is polished to perfection, it’s time to put it to work. Whether it’s for your website, social media, or print materials, the final design is prepared for deployment.
• Measurement and Optimization: The journey doesn’t end with deployment. Regularly measure the performance of your designs and make adjustments as needed to optimize results, continuing to test new concepts and ideas.

The Future of Graphic Design

It’s abundantly clear that the world of graphic design will continue to evolve. Technology will always play an increasingly significant role, with new advancements presenting exciting opportunities that may not have been possible in the past. 

Additionally, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has already begun to transform the design processes and the digital marketing field. 

With this, ethical design practices will gain prominence as well. Consumers are increasingly conscious of the environmental and social impact of the brands they support, and designers will need to adapt by prioritizing ethical design choices.

Graphic design is more than just aesthetics; it’s the secret sauce that makes your brand unforgettable, your messaging irresistible, and your business thrive. 

So, get ready to embrace the power of graphic design, and watch your business take flight in the competitive skies of the digital world.

Get a free one-on-one creative consultation to learn more about how web design and development can help your business grow.

Let’s Build Something Great Together

Read more about how our website design and development services can help your business make impressions that matter.

• https://www.directom.com/10-website-examples-to-spark-inspiration-for-your-next-web-design-project/ 

• https://www.directom.com/how-are-digital-graphics-used-to-advertise/ 
• https://www.directom.com/how-ai-imagery-shaped-the-look-of-our-latest-webinar/ 
• https://www.directom.com/rebranding-guide/ 
• https://www.directom.com/ai-creative/ 

The post How Graphic Design Can Elevate Your Digital Marketing Efforts appeared first on Direct Online Marketing.

There are so many different kinds of websites in the world today and so many ways to mess them up that it makes some of us downright wistful for the days of Geocities and Tripod, when everything made sense, everybody had a website about everything, and we were all equally bad at making them. 

Table of Contents

• Mistake 1: Lack of Clarity
• Mistake 2: Not Enough Content (or Too Much)
• Mistake 3: No Call To Action
• Mistake 4: Non-Responsive Design
• Mistake 5: Sloooooow Loading Speed
• Mistake 6: Inconsistent Design
• Mistake 7: Bad Site Organization
• Mistake 8: Ugly or Outdated Design Choices
• Mistake 9: Too Many Technical Mistakes
• Mistake 10: Experimental or Unconventional Elements
• Save Yourself (and Your Conversions) With DOM

Let’s make sure you’re not messing up your website by going through a few of the scariest and most common mistakes we see around the web and some ways to avoid them. 

Mistake 1: Lack of Clarity

A website without clarity is like a dimly lit room where you can barely make out the shapes around you. You know there’s something there—a purpose, a reason—but it’s not immediately clear. That’s what a website with a lack of clarity feels like to a visitor. It’s an eerie ambiguity that leaves people confused, frustrated, and likely to exit faster than a haunted house. 

For CMOs and marketing professionals, a lack of clarity on a website is akin to turning away potential customers at the door. Every visitor who leaves because they can’t quickly understand what you offer is a lost opportunity for engagement, conversion, and revenue. The absence of a clear message can dilute brand identity and make marketing efforts less effective. 

The Antidote: A Guiding Light

So, how do you banish this ghostly presence? It’s really quite simple: there should be a very clear declaration above the fold that describes exactly what you do. You would be surprised how many websites don’t do this one simple trick. In addition to that, you should have a value proposition: a concise statement that explains the tangible benefits that customers will get from your products or services. It should answer the question, “Why should I choose you?” straightforwardly.

Steps to Achieve Clarity:

• Identify Your Unique Selling Points: What sets you apart from the competition? It could be your innovative approach, exceptional customer service, or unbeatable prices.
• Craft a Clear Value Proposition: Use simple, jargon-free language. Your value proposition should be easily understood in less than 5 seconds.
• Place It Prominently: Your value proposition should be one of the first things a visitor sees on your homepage. Consider placing it above the fold for maximum visibility.
• Support with Visuals: A picture is worth a thousand words. Use high-quality images or short videos that align with and support your value proposition.
• Test and Refine: Use A/B testing to try out different phrasings and placements for your value proposition. Analyze visitor behavior and conversion rates to determine what works best.

Mistake 2: Not Enough Content (or Too Much)

Imagine a Halloween party where the snack table is either overflowing with candy corn or almost empty. In the first scenario, you’re overwhelmed by the sheer volume. In the second, you’re left wanting more. This is the Candy Corn Dilemma in web content—either inundating your visitors with an overwhelming amount of information or leaving them starved for details.

Too much content can lead to cognitive overload, making it difficult for visitors to absorb key messages or take desired actions. On the flip side, too little content can result in a lack of engagement and a missed opportunity to establish authority and trust. Both scenarios can lead to lower conversion rates and a weaker ROI for your marketing campaigns. When you don’t have enough content, you go against one of the cornerstones of good SEO: give the search engines plenty of content to serve to organic users. When you have too much, you’re breaking a UX law: don’t overwhelm your audience. 

The Antidote: Striking the Sweet Spot

The goal is to find the right balance, offering enough content to guide the visitor through the buyer’s journey or to educate them, or whatever your goal is, without overwhelming them.

Steps to Strike the Balance:

• Identify Key Information: Determine the essential details that a visitor needs to understand your product or service. This could include features, benefits, pricing, and customer testimonials.
• Organize Thoughtfully: Use headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make the content easily scannable. A well-structured page guides the eye and makes information digestible.
• Use Multimedia: Videos, infographics, and interactive elements can convey complex information in an easily understandable format. They also break up text and add visual interest.
• Implement Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics or Hotjar to track metrics like time-on-page and bounce rate. This data will give you insights into whether your content is engaging or overwhelming.
• Iterate Based on Feedback: Conduct user surveys or use heatmapping tools to understand how visitors interact with your content. Use this feedback for continuous improvement.

Mistake 3: No Call To Action

A website without a call to action is like a road trip with no map, GPS, or even road signs to guide you. You might enjoy the scenery for a while, but eventually, you’ll want to reach a destination. It leaves visitors wandering through your content without a clear path to follow, leading to missed opportunities for everybody. 

A missing CTA is a critical oversight, like having a store without a checkout counter. Visitors may browse, but they’re unlikely to take the next step in the customer journey, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting more information. The result? Stagnant conversion rates and a less effective marketing funnel.

The Antidote: Signposts for Success

The solution is to incorporate clear, compelling CTAs that guide visitors toward a specific action. These are your signposts, leading people down the path you want them to take.

Steps to Create Effective CTAs:

• Define the Objective: Before crafting a CTA, know what action you want the visitor to take. Is it to read a related article, fill out a contact form, or make a purchase?
• Be Clear and Specific: Vague phrases like “Click Here” are less effective than specific ones like “Download Your Free Guide Now.”
• Make It Stand Out: Use contrasting colors, larger fonts, or strategic placement to make your CTA catch the eye.
• Add a Sense of Urgency: Phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Only a Few Spots Left” can encourage immediate action.
• Test and Optimize: Use A/B testing to try out different CTA designs and placements. Analyze the results to find what drives the most clicks and conversions.

Mistake 4: Non-Responsive Design

According to Statista, 58% of all web traffic is on mobile, and that number promises to get higher. Since so many office workers and business people use their computers and their big, wide screens to look at their own websites, it’s really easy for them to overlook the mobile experience. No mobile experience means lower engagement, reduced SEO rankings, and, ultimately, fewer conversions.

The Antidote: Adaptability is Key

The remedy is a responsive design, one that adapts and restructures itself depending on the device it’s viewed on. This ensures a consistent user experience, crucial for keeping potential customers engaged and moving through the sales funnel.

Steps to Implement a Responsive Design:

• Audit Your Current Design: Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to see how your site performs on different devices.
• Prioritize Essential Elements: Identify the most crucial information and features that must be accessible on all devices. Make sure these are prominently displayed in your responsive design.
• Use Fluid Grids and Flexible Images: These automatically adjust to fit varying screen sizes, ensuring that your site looks good and functions well, no matter the device.
• Test Extensively: Don’t just test on one or two devices. Use a variety of smartphones, tablets, and desktops to ensure universal adaptability.
• Monitor and Update: Technology and user behavior are always changing. Regularly review analytics to ensure that your responsive design continues to meet your audience’s needs.

Mistake 5: Sloooooow Loading Speed

Is your website a zombie, moving at a snail’s pace, inching closer but never quite reaching some juicy, delicious brains? That’s what a slow-loading website feels like. They’re waiting for something to happen, but it takes so long that they lose interest and move on. 

Slow loading speed is a conversion killer. Google says that even a 1-second slow down in site loading can decapitate the top 27% of your website’s conversions. This means higher bounce rates, lower SEO rankings, and a tarnished brand image. 

The Antidote: Turbocharge Your Website

The solution is to optimize your website for speed, ensuring that pages load quickly and efficiently across all devices.

Steps to Boost Loading Speed:

• Compress Images: Large image files are one of the main culprits behind slow loading times. Use tools to compress images without sacrificing quality.
• Minimize Code: Eliminate unnecessary code elements. Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights can identify areas for improvement.
• Leverage Browser Caching: This allows frequently accessed resources to be stored in the user’s browser, reducing load times for subsequent visits.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): CDNs distribute the load, saving bandwidth and speeding up access for your users.
• Regularly Monitor Performance: Use speed testing tools to regularly check your website’s performance and make necessary adjustments.

Mistake 6: Inconsistent Design

Inconsistent design elements can create a jarring experience for visitors. One moment they’re navigating through a sleek, modern interface, and the next, they’re faced with outdated graphics and mismatched fonts. This inconsistency not only confuses users but also undermines the credibility of your brand.

For us marketers, inconsistent design is more than just an aesthetic issue; it erodes trust and can lead to lower conversion rates. A cohesive design is an extension of your brand’s identity, and inconsistencies can make your business appear disorganized or unreliable.

The Antidote: Cohesion and Consistency

The key to solving this problem is to establish a consistent design language across your website.

Steps to Ensure Design Consistency:

• Create a Style Guide: Document your design choices, including fonts, colors, and layout styles. This guide serves as a reference for anyone who works on your website.
• Standardize UI Elements: Buttons, forms, and other user interface elements should have a consistent design and behavior across all pages.
• Consistent Navigation: The menu structure should be the same on every page to make navigation intuitive.
• Uniform Imagery: Use a consistent style for all images and graphics. This includes the use of filters, angles, and lighting.
• Regular Audits: Periodically review your website to ensure that all elements adhere to your style guide. Make adjustments as needed.

Mistake 7: Bad Site Organization

Navigating a poorly organized website can feel like wandering through a labyrinth. Visitors encounter dead ends, hidden information, and a lack of clear pathways. This complexity frustrates users and often leads them to abandon the site altogether. How’s that bounce rate? Probably not very good. 

A poorly organized site is a missed opportunity. Visitors who can’t find what they’re looking for are less likely to convert, impacting your bottom line. Additionally, bad site organization can negatively affect SEO, as search engines may struggle to index your content properly.

The Antidote: A Well-Planned Blueprint

The solution lies in creating a logical, intuitive site structure that guides visitors effortlessly from one section to another.

Steps to Improve Site Organization:

• Conduct User Research: Understand your target audience’s needs and preferences. Use this information to inform your site structure.
• Create a Sitemap: Outline the hierarchy of your website, detailing how each page connects to others. This serves as the blueprint for your site organization.
• Implement Clear Navigation: Use straightforward menu labels and a consistent navigation structure. Consider adding breadcrumbs to help users track their location within the site.
• Optimize for SEO: Use descriptive URLs, proper tagging, and well-structured HTML to make your site more accessible to search engines.
• Test Usability: Conduct usability tests to identify any bottlenecks or confusing elements in your site structure. Make adjustments based on user feedback.

Mistake 8: Ugly or Outdated Design Choices

An outdated or unattractive design can make your website look like a room that hasn’t been cleaned in years, complete with cobwebs in the corners. This not only detracts from the user experience but also sends a message that your brand may be similarly outdated or neglectful. 

For businesses, an outdated design can have serious repercussions. It diminishes the credibility of your brand and can make visitors question the quality of your products or services. In a world where first impressions are often made online, an unappealing website is a significant disadvantage.

The Antidote: A Fresh Coat of Paint

Refreshing your website’s design can be like giving a room a fresh coat of paint. It brightens the space, makes it more inviting, and shows that you take pride in your presentation.

Steps to Update Your Design:

• Assess Current Trends: Research current web design trends to understand what modern users expect. This can include flat design, minimalism, or the use of specific color schemes.
• Consult Your Brand Guidelines: Ensure that any design changes align with your existing brand identity, including colors, fonts, and logos.
• Focus on User Experience: Make design choices that enhance usability. This can include larger text, more white space, and intuitive navigation.
• Implement Visual Hierarchy: Use size, color, and layout to guide the visitor’s eye to the most important elements on the page.
• Get Feedback: Before finalizing any changes, get feedback from stakeholders and target users to ensure the new design meets business objectives and user needs.

Mistake 9: Too Many Technical Mistakes

Technical errors on a website are like a flashlight that flickers and dies when you need it most. They disrupt the user experience, causing frustration and confusion. Broken links, outdated plugins, and 404 errors are common culprits that can make your website difficult to navigate. Make no mistake: Google will find those technical errors, too, and your rankings will tank faster than the Titanic.

The Antidote: Regular Maintenance

Just as you’d regularly replace the batteries in a flashlight, your website needs ongoing maintenance to function smoothly.

Steps to Avoid Technical Mistakes:

• Conduct Regular Audits: Use tools to scan for broken links, missing meta descriptions, and other technical issues.
• Update Plugins and Software: Outdated software can lead to security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues. Keep everything up to date.
• Optimize for Mobile: Ensure that your website is fully functional on mobile devices. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can help identify issues.
• Improve Site Security: Use HTTPS and regularly update security protocols to protect user data and improve search rankings.
• Monitor Site Speed: Slow load times can be due to technical issues like unoptimized images or excessive code. Use speed testing tools to identify and fix problems.

Mistake 10: Experimental or Unconventional Elements

Are you an artist? Are you trying something new and, this is the important part, are you unafraid of putting your users off? There’s a good argument for making interesting or unexpected web design choices. For instance, is your name Jeff Bridges, and are you a movie star? Do people coming to your website expect an unconventional experience? If that’s the case, then go wild and follow your heart. If not, then what are you doing?

For marketing professionals, unconventional design choices can be a gamble. While they might attract attention, they can also confuse or alienate your audience, leading to lower engagement and conversion rates. Unless your brand is built on being avant-garde or experimental, it’s usually best to stick with proven design principles.

SEO Note: this also applies to the language you use. Sure, you can call the donuts you sell “Dough-Knots” but unless you use the old-fashioned and obvious word for what you sell, too, kiss that organic traffic goodbye. 

The Antidote: Calculated Creativity

Innovation and creativity are not inherently bad; they just need to be applied thoughtfully. The key is to introduce new elements in a way that enhances, rather than detracts from, the user experience.

Steps to Balance Creativity and Usability:

• Know Your Audience: If your target demographic appreciates creativity and is more tolerant of unconventional elements, you have more leeway.
• Test Small Changes: Before overhauling your entire site with a new experimental feature, test it on a smaller scale to gauge user reaction.
• Get Feedback: Use analytics and user surveys to measure how new elements are affecting engagement and conversions.
• Iterate: Based on feedback, make adjustments to ensure that your creative elements are adding value, not creating confusion.
• Balance with Familiarity: If you do introduce unconventional elements, balance them with familiar design features to help guide the user.

Save Yourself (and Your Conversions) With DOM

Using the World Wide Web doesn’t have to feel like a trek through a haunted forest, dodging pitfalls and snares at every turn. Your website should be more like a well-lit, inviting mansion where visitors can explore freely, welcomed and encouraged by each room they enter. 

At DOM, we’re the architects of these digital mansions. We know how to avoid the cobwebs in the corner, the flickering lights, and the confusing mazes. Let’s work together to build a digital space that’s not just free of scares but is irresistibly inviting. Turn the key, step inside, and let’s create something extraordinary. 

Key Takeaways

• Clarity is Crucial: Your website should immediately convey what your business is about. A clear value proposition is essential.
• Content Balance: Too much or too little content can either overwhelm or underwhelm your audience. Strive for the sweet spot that informs without overwhelming.
• CTAs Drive Action: A missing Call To Action is like a map without directions. Make sure to guide your visitors toward meaningful engagement.
• Mobile Matters: With over half of web traffic coming from mobile devices, a responsive design isn’t optional; it’s mandatory.
• Speed Sells: Slow-loading websites kill conversions. Optimize for speed to keep your audience engaged.
• Design Consistency: Inconsistent design elements can confuse users and dilute your brand message. Maintain a cohesive look and feel.
• Organized Navigation: A well-structured site helps users find what they’re looking for, improving user experience and SEO.
• Fresh and Modern Design: Outdated or unattractive designs can turn visitors away. Keep your design fresh and aligned with current trends.
• Technical Health: Regular maintenance and audits can prevent technical issues that harm user experience and SEO.
• Calculated Creativity: Unconventional elements can be a double-edged sword. Use creativity wisely to enhance, not hinder, user experience.
• Partner with Experts: Avoid these common pitfalls by partnering with a skilled team like DOM to create a compelling, effective website.

Free DOM Webinar: Tuesday, November 14 2023

Feeling like your digital marketing and sales teams are like a witch and a vampire—powerful alone but not quite in sync? Conjure up some team synergy this season. On Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 12:00 PM EST, we’re stirring a potion of knowledge in our webinar: “From Click to Close: Maximizing Google Ads & Sales Team Synergy.” 

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill webinar; it’s a spellbook for navigating the shadowy realm between Google Ads and your sales force. From unlocking the dark arts of Google Ads to metrics that can resurrect your ROI, we’ve got the incantations you need. Suitable for CMOs, sales sorcerers, and SEO warlocks alike. Don’t ghost on this opportunity; reserve your seat in our digital séance today.

The post The Top 10 Scariest Web Design Mistakes You Can Make (And What To Do Instead) appeared first on Direct Online Marketing.

Getting Started

Understanding the Key Components of Website Design

We specialize in creating websites that accurately reflect your unique culture and brand. We take the time to understand your business inside and out so that we can create a website that feels like a natural extension of your company.

But it’s not just about aesthetics. We also focus on creating a website that is:

• User-friendly
• Easy to navigate
• ADA compliant
• Optimized for search engines

How Web Design & Development Can Help Your Business

• A properly designed website builds trust in your business and encourages customers to learn more about you.
• Your pages’ loading speeds can be improved, leading to greater engagement rates.
• Your website may have broken links or orphaned pages, frustrating customers when they attempt to gather information about you.
• Your site may be improperly tailored to mobile devices, leaving a large group of your customers unable to access or navigate your site.
• You may be unaware of problems that are hampering your site, whether technical or design-focused.

Benefits of Custom Website Development

We custom-develop each website uniquely as a solution to your needs. We build a platform for the future so that as you grow, you have a site that can handle your needs and expand as necessary. 

While our team is well-versed in all of the current web languages, the vast majority of sites we develop are on the well-supported WordPress content management system. This allows you the ability to more easily create, edit, organize, and publish content without having to write a single line of HTML code, letting you take the reins when quick changes need to be made. This gives added flexibility to keep your site up to date without having to consult a web professional. 

We also offer site management, allowing you to take your focus off the website entirely while we maintain and update it as needed. 

All of our websites are developed with optimal load speed and practical functionality based on up-to-date best practices in the ever-changing world of the web, including mobile responsiveness and mobile experiences. 

Is your website in need of a redesign? Get your free website development consultation now.

Let’s Talk

Brainstorming & Research

Before our team begins any hands-on execution of a new website project, we dive into extensive collaborative sessions that allow our experts to familiarize themselves with your brand, ideate, and visualize innovative ways to ensure your company stands out.

Market Research 

Before diving into a project, our team engages in a collaborative brainstorming session to evaluate similar brands and companies, compile inspiration, research your target audience, and discuss the latest trends you may want to implement for your new website.

Focus on Visual Design – Marrying Brand with Performance

Identity, messaging, and usability drive the visual design, all with an eye toward conversions.

DOM will work closely with you to develop an intuitive, easy-to-use, user-centered design. This design is curated for the target audience and provides an excellent user experience.

The design also focuses on conversion rate optimization, providing a landscape to encourage prospects to contact you.

Omni Channel Experience – Usability for Any Device

The aesthetic look and feel, user experience, ease of navigation, and quality of content all must factor into the design for mobile and desktop across browser sizes.

We design for these different experiences with a keen eye for mobile accessibility, as this often serves as a first introduction to your brand and can determine whether users continue through your marketing and sales funnels.

Your brand will virtually be in your customers’ hands whenever they want to engage with it. We will ensure you are ready whenever and wherever they are with a mobile experience that is as seamless as it will be working with you.

We also emphasize site speed to enhance engagement, increase conversions, and improve search engine performance.

Kickoff Meeting

Now that the contract is signed, it’s time to get a meeting on the books to discuss your project in-depth, learn about your specific goals and needs, and review the project timeline.

Our experts ask questions to understand exactly what you’re looking for in your new website.

• Will the new site be designed entirely from scratch?
• Is the content on your current site relevant?
• Does your new site need to be rebranded?
• Who are your direct competitors? 

The kickoff meeting is an excellent time to provide brand guidelines, photography, logo files, content, and anything else that may be helpful for our team to make your vision come to life during the new site build.

Design Phase 

Site Mapping

If you have a previously created website, the designer reviews the live site with our SEO team to outline a feasible layout.

From there, the designer takes the outline and builds your site map in our preferred prototyping application, Adobe XD.

Upon completion, our team sets up a meeting to walk through the sitemap with you, answer any questions you may have, and source any feedback or revisions. 

Once the site map is approved, the team begins working on the homepage wireframe.

Homepage Wireframe

Wireframing offers a skeleton look at your new website design with an emphasis on content placement, space, functionality, and behavior without any imagery or color present throughout the interface.

Our wireframes are designed with a 12-column grid with Bootstrap grid widths that allow for seamless breaks between mobile and desktop versions of the site. 

While the page may look boring or even confusing at first, this stage allows our team to adequately create the backbone of your new website.

After the homepage prototype has been created, a meeting is set up to walk through the design and answer any questions you have. If adjustments are required, we take the feedback from the meeting, make the changes, and regroup, repeating this process until the wireframe is approved. 

Internal Wireframes

Your homepage wireframe has been approved, and the designer is now wireframing the remainder of the website in the same style, linking pages together to accurately depict page flows for all additional pages found on your site.

Once the remaining pages have been designed and prototyped, we regroup again to review the design and answer any questions. Implementing feedback as necessary until approval. 

Homepage Design

This is when your website begins to look like a real website and your brand comes to life.

Using the homepage wireframe as the base template, images, colors, fonts, and other design elements are implemented into the layout. Our team works hard to infuse your website with elements that your consumers will appreciate and understand.

Once the new homepage is ready for review, we regroup to walk through the design and answer questions. After the regrouping, we take your feedback and revisions and adjust the layout accordingly, repeating the review process until the homepage design is approved.

Keep in mind that any revision requests could add additional time to the project outlook, depending on the extensivity. 

Internal Designs

Our final step of the design process – similar to the homepage design – is where images, fonts, colors, and other elements are added to the remaining pages of the website design. 

All remaining copy and content should be added to the site during this step to wrap up the layout and avoid making changes to any layouts after development has begun. 

When the internal designs are ready for review (typically a few weeks after the approval of the homepage) we regroup to walk through the layout and answer questions, making any necessary changes until receiving final approval.

Development Phase

Now that you’re happy with the look of the website it’s time to pass the project over to our web developers to bring the design to life. 

They begin by coding the homepage, header, footer, and internal page templates.

Once development is between 85-90% complete, we send the staging link for review and set up a meeting to walk through the website to review and answer questions. From here, the team will make any requested changes, and repeat as needed.

Quality Assurance

Your website is about to launch, but we want to make sure that everything is perfect before going live online. 

Our design and development teams regroup to complete a thorough internal quality assurance check to ensure everything is functioning properly, all links are working correctly, ADA compliance standards are met, and all elements from the approved design are accurately translated to the functional website. 

Our analytics team also performs a quality assurance check to make sure that Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has been properly implemented on your new site.

Website Launch

Our team coordinates a date that the website will officially go live online. In an effort to avoid any missteps, we prefer to launch new websites Monday-Thursday for appropriate post-launch monitoring.

The developer will host a WordPress walkthrough training session with you to make sure you understand how to add new content and make any updates to the website in the future. 

After the site has launched, our design, development, and analytics teams perform post-launch quality assurance checks to make sure your website is in good shape.

We did it! Your website is live and already making a lasting impression.

Is your website in need of a redesign? Get your free website development consultation now.

Let’s Talk

Read more about how our website design and development services can help your business make impressions that matter.

• https://www.directom.com/10-website-examples-to-spark-inspiration-for-your-next-web-design-project/ 
• https://www.directom.com/graphic-design-services/ 
• https://www.directom.com/website-redesign-seo-best-practices/ 
• https://www.directom.com/how-can-website-design-affect-seo/ 

The post A Step-By-Step Process for Your New Website Design Project appeared first on Direct Online Marketing.

Not every website will come together as picturesque as the one we’ve just painted, and, in most cases, the above is merely a dream scenario, at least from the outset. 

But that’s why we’re here to help! 

How to Decide If It’s Time for a New Website

A good website showcases its brand, products, and services. But how do you know when to revamp your online presence? 

First and foremost, if your website looks like a relic from the ’90s, complete with pixelated images and clunky navigation, it’s a clear indicator that a redesign is long overdue. A modern, visually appealing website is essential to captivate and engage today’s users. 

Additionally, if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on potential visitors who primarily browse the internet on their phones or tablets. A responsive design that adapts seamlessly to various devices is no longer a luxury. In today’s digital world, it is a necessity. 

By staying attuned to these key indicators and embracing the evolving digital landscape, you can ensure that your website remains a valuable asset in driving growth and success.

Where to Pull Inspiration for Website Designs

Design inspiration can come from the most random, unsolicited places. A quick Google search can generate thousands of options at the click of a button, but all this can get overwhelming and tedious to explore.

That’s why we’ve compiled some of our favorite website designs to spark creativity and harvest inspiration to help get you started on your next website design project.

Adams Presidential Center

This website informs the public about the Adams Presidential Center to honor John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and their families. 

It features plenty of scrolling animations plus multiple interactive carousels that condense page length and customize different pages.

Land & Sea

Hungry yet? The Land & Sea is a business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce site for specialty meat and seafood sales.

The design highlights select brands and distributors, includes a customer portal, and features a vast product catalog that incorporates countless images sure to make the tastebuds water.

JV Manufacturing

JV Manufacturing’s site uses bold design elements, video, and interactive hovers to reel the viewer in and keep them engaged. 

The contact page features a creative look at how a typically generic page layout can transform something from bland to unique with color and layering effects.

Carnegie Mellon University RoboticsEd

Talk about information overload. This site doesn’t hold back on content resources, but the user-friendly layout makes all the information incredibly easy to navigate and digest.

Incorporating interactive maps, content, and videos are excellent techniques to keep visitors engaging with your pages longer.

MidAtlantic Energy Services

It’s becoming more uncommon to see full-screen website layouts, but the MidAtlantic Energy Services website executes this style brilliantly. 

The large text on top of the slightly overlaid images feels fresh compared to the many boring white-space-filled corporate sites that flood the internet.

Bonus points: this site uses dark mode-friendly, inversed layouts! 

Cleveland Research Company

Spot a trend yet? All the sites on our list incorporate unique interactivity, and the Cleveland Research Company website fits the bill, too. 

In addition to the breathable layout, the site incorporates a variety of candid employee photos. We recommend checking out the careers page for an excellent depiction of how to use photography as a hiring tool.

PopSole

Who knew foot insoles could look so cool? This site incorporates bright pops (see what we did there) of bold blues and purples for a trendy, modern palette. 

The hover effects on the homepage’s insole infographic offer an excellent user experience, while the rest of the site makes it easy to find additional information.

Brookeville Equipment Corporation

The Brookeville website offers unique navigational pieces and incorporates bright videos and images that blend well with the site’s palette. 

The homepage’s video hero immediately captures visitors’ attention, while interactive pop-ups and timelines add extra personalization and engagement to the design.

The University of Pittsburgh Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence

The IEE website perfectly embodies what visitors expect from an informational higher education site. The design plays perfectly off of The University of Pittsburgh’s corporate branding but adds personality that derives from being a carbon copy of other websites. The animations for statistical callouts and hover effects particularly stand out.

Precision Fluid Power

The Precision Fluid Power website offers extensive product and resource libraries with user-friendly contact options. Category filtration takes this user experience to another level to easily find whatever you may be looking for.

Ready to Start Your Next Web Design Project?

Our graphic designers understand the importance of creating a digital presence that engages visitors without bogging the site down through unnecessary extras. 

In collaboration with our in-house web developers, we’ll work to create the best digital experience possible for your audience, along with enticing visual elements to reel them in. 

Web design isn’t all about what you see, but if the visuals aren’t appealing, customers have no reason to delve further into learning about you. You only have one chance at a first impression; let us make it count.

Read more about how our web design and development services can help take your business to the next level

• https://www.directom.com/graphic-design-services 
• https://www.directom.com/thinking-mobile-first-for-your-web-design/ 
• https://www.directom.com/how-can-website-design-affect-seo/ 
• https://www.directom.com/website-redesign-seo-best-practices/ 

The post 10 Website Examples To Spark Inspiration For Your Next Web Design Project appeared first on Direct Online Marketing.

From graphic design and web design to brand development and social media content creation, creative services have a profound impact on the success of brand awareness, digital marketing campaigns, and in many cases, sales.

Let’s explore the importance of graphic design services for your company, its influence on the digital marketing world, and how companies like yours can benefit from investing in professional creative services.

Free Design Resources vs. Professional Graphic Design

With many companies looking to cut costs due to the current economic climate, you might think, “Can’t I use one of the free design resources instead of hiring creative professionals?”

Sure, but we definitely would not recommend it! 

Programs like Canva, Wix, or even AI image generators can make even the most uncreative individuals feel like the next Don Draper. 

Though to folks classically trained in the creative field, these generally boring and unrefined templates stick out more than a clown at a funeral and ultimately make professionally crafted, high-quality designs much more effective and engaging.

From conceptualization to execution, graphic designers can expertly craft captivating, custom designs for the digital world and beyond.

What Graphic Design Services Should You Look For?

The graphic design process can be complex, so it’s important to choose an agency that has a range of services and experience with different types of projects. Any agency you pick should also be able to provide a final product that is high quality and meets your specific business needs.

At DOM, for instance, we specialize in a wide variety of creative services, including:

• UI/UX Design
• Web Design & Development 
• Website Management
• Landing Page Design and Development
• Digital Ad Creation (Animated HTML5)
• Social Media Ad Creation
• Infographic Design
• eBooks
• Customized Presentation Decks
• Motion Graphic Design
• Social Media Content Creation (including video editing for TikTok, Instagram Reels, etc.)
• Company Swag Design (t-shirts & merchandise, tradeshow items, etc.)
• Corporate Branding & Logo Design
• Business Cards
• Brochures, Booklets, and Annual Reports

To paraphrase one of the most innovative creative minds the world has come to know: if you can dream it, [we] can do it! 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most important services a creative team can provide.

Web Design: Your First Impression to Your Audience

A website not only acts as the digital storefront for your business but also presents a first impression of your brand to your audience. A professionally designed website captivates visitors and provides a seamless user experience to help drive clicks, conversions, or sales. 

A good creative services team will make sure it’s up to par with an engaging visual identity, laying out exactly what defines your company as a customer’s best choice in a visually appealing way.

Responsive design, intuitive navigation, and visually compelling layouts ensure that users stay engaged and navigate through the site effortlessly. Furthermore, web design that aligns with your brand helps establish credibility, encouraging top-of-funnel visitors to convert to paying customers.

Even inexperienced web users will notice when a website design is difficult to navigate or looks outdated. With so much content at the tip of the finger, it is vital to present a brand in the most polished and professional way to ensure you aren’t raising an immediate red flag for your products or services.

Graphic designers understand the importance of having a strong digital presence that’s engaging for visitors without bogging the site down through unnecessary extras. If an agency is lucky enough to have in-house web developers, designers can work with them to create the best digital experience possible for your audience, along with enticing visual elements to reel them in. 

How UI/UX and web design can help your business:

• An intuitive design builds trust, simplifies buying and data-gathering processes, and grows customer loyalty.
• UX ensures that all features of your website work in harmony, reinforcing your image to users and conveying authority in your industry.
• CRO reinforces your conversion rate, turning bounces into buyers.

Web design isn’t all about what you see, but if the visuals aren’t appealing, customers have no reason to delve further into learning about you. You only have one chance at a first impression–let a graphic designer make it count.

Digital Advertising: Impactful and Engaging Campaign

For digital advertising to break through the noise of constant content overload, it’s a graphic designer’s job to effectively capture the attention of potential customers with artwork.

Each campaign type has specific requirements that must be met with corresponding creative assets, which makes it all the more important to work with an agency that understands why and how certain ad types can be effective for your company. 
Whether you’re running animated HTML5 display ads, discovery campaigns, or social media ads, compelling visuals, persuasive copy, and enticing CTAs work together to drive click-through rates, conversions, and return on investment (ROI).

Keeping Up with Evolving Trends

Much like many industries, the graphic design landscape is in a constant state of flux, with new trends and technologies emerging regularly. We’ve quickly seen AI tools take the creative field by storm, and there is no shortage of new cutting-edge programs and generators to explore and enhance efficiencies.

Good designers take pride in staying on top of new trends, testing beta platforms, and exploring styles that will make a brand stand out. A good graphic team can help you stay on top of these advancements by incorporating the latest design trends and industry best practices into your marketing strategies.

Conversion Rate Optimization and the Data-Driven Approach

A graphic designer or creative services team should be dedicated to testing innovative data-driven design decisions with a focus on conversion rate optimization. For every new landing page design or digital ad set, they should analyze data to ensure that the most successful designs are representative of your target audience.

An in-depth UI/UX audit can reveal weaknesses and oversights in a website, including navigational errors, awkward menu structures, and more, all of which could drive users away.

Designers accomplish this by running A/B tests with multiple different design variations. They can use these tests to gather user feedback to fine-tune marketing materials continuously. 

By optimizing designs for maximum impact, creative (and subsequently digital marketers) can boost conversion rates, increase engagement, and maximize return on investment.

After analyzing the data, designers funnel out the lower-performing creative pieces based on audience tendencies.

If you choose to avoid testing different design options, you could be depriving your company of data that showcases your audience’s habits, and in turn, miss out on the opportunity to optimize both current and future campaigns.

Refining UX and CRO leads to higher conversion rates, better customer satisfaction, and a more harmonious view of your company by making the user’s experience simple, intuitive, and streamlined by refining your site for user-friendliness.

Enhancing Corporate Branding through Graphic Design

In the crowded digital space, establishing a strong brand identity is indispensable.

Logos, infographics, banners, digital ads, and social media graphics are excellent creative tools to grab the attention of your target audiences. All of these assets help to leave a lasting impression. 

To be effective, these assets must be aesthetically appealing and visually consistent with your company’s brand guidelines to enhance brand recognition and build trust, leading to increased customer loyalty and engagement.

Brand Development: Storytelling with Design

Brand development is a strategic process that encompasses everything from logo design and brand guidelines to crafting a unique brand story. 

Professional creatives help shape a brand’s personality and differentiate it from competitors. Graphic designers aren’t the only creatives involved in this aspect, either. Brand development encourages collaboration with copywriters, web developers, social media managers, and digital marketers alike to establish a consistent voice, tone, and imagery across platforms.

By effectively communicating a brand’s mission, values, and story through compelling visuals and messaging, creative professionals can forge emotional connections with the target audience, fostering brand loyalty and advocacy.

Brand Consistency & Cohesion

Maintaining brand consistency across various marketing channels – various social media platforms, websites, etc – is crucial for establishing a strong and recognizable brand presence.

Working with a designer ensures that brand elements, such as logos, color palettes, typography, and imagery, are consistently applied across different platforms and touchpoints. 

This cohesive approach reinforces brand recognition, builds trust, and enhances the overall user experience, regardless of the channel through which the audience interacts with your brand while reinforcing who you are.

Are You Ready to Take Your Graphic Design Capabilities to the Next Level?

From creating captivating visuals to developing a strong brand identity, all of these services play a crucial role in capturing the attention of target audiences, fostering engagement, and driving conversions. 

Businesses that invest in professional creative services gain a competitive edge, delivering impactful and memorable brand experiences that resonate with customers. 

So, if you’re looking to take your digital marketing efforts to new heights, don’t overlook the power of investing in an agency that provides professional graphic design services.

The DOM Difference

No matter your goals, Direct Online Marketing has the experience to achieve the outcomes you want. We also have commitments to providing industry-leading reporting and a company-wide dedication to transparency. 

Our graphic designers are professionally trained and have over 30 years of combined experience with the Adobe Creative Suite. We frequently dive into InDesign, Photoshop, AfterEffects, and Premiere, but our favorite programs are XD (Top 15 % of LinkedIn Learners) and Illustrator (Top 8% of LinkedIn Learners). We also have experience with Figma, Unity, and 3D Studio.

When you request a free digital marketing consultation from us with an interest in our graphic design services, you can expect:

• Review any creative briefs you have created, so we can figure out what you’re looking for
• Analysis of your current traffic volume and what opportunities exist
• Actionable feedback on technical issues holding your campaigns back
• Competitor review to see how you stack up against them
• Identification of growth opportunities to improve in 5 key areas, so we can align on what works best for your project

Reach out today to set up a free one-on-one creative consultation. 

Read more about how our creative services can take your digital marketing to the next level.

• https://www.directom.com/how-are-digital-graphics-used-to-advertise/ 
• https://www.directom.com/how-ai-imagery-shaped-the-look-of-our-latest-webinar/ 
• https://www.directom.com/rebranding-guide/ 
• https://www.directom.com/ai-creative/ 

The post Why Digital Marketers Should Invest In Graphic Design Services appeared first on Direct Online Marketing.

With a multitude of content readily available at our fingertips, it has become even more important for advertisements to stand out. A high-quality design is vital in order to draw more attention to your call to action.

I flip this adage on its head when strategizing for digital ads, particularly when branding any of our internal campaigns. 

Recently I was tasked with designing the creative attached to our webinar, The AI Advantage: Unleash Your Digital Marketing Creativity & Efficiency, and I wanted to take a much more explorative approach than anything we’ve previously produced.

Ready to save your seat? Register here.

We’ll explore the steps of my creative process, and dive into the way AI generation impacted my creative strategy and design choices for this particular campaign.

Developing The Creative Strategy

Whether you know it or not, design is ubiquitous, and creativity subconsciously drives everyday choices. 

Quick, think about all of the websites, apps, social media platforms, billboards, advertisements, products, and big brands that throw design into your – i.e. the consumer’s – face without even batting an eye. 

• Why did you choose that particular coffee mug this morning? 
• Why did you buy a particular six-pack of a craft brew you’ve never heard of? 
• Why did you click on the ad while mindlessly scrolling your favorite social media platform? 

Probabilities point to design ultimately impacting your answer to each of the aforementioned questions. But it’s the strategy and application behind the designs that tend to drive your actions.

Before I begin every project, I ask myself three simple questions: 

• WHY? – Why should people care? What’s our purpose?
• HOW? – How is this different (and better) than what we’ve done before?
• WHAT? – What are we promoting?

Simon Sinek refers to the harmony of these three questions as “The Golden Circle” in his book Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Reading this book and asking these three simple questions has bolstered the way I examine every new project.

Understanding the Project

Every successful design begins with a thorough understanding of the project. It’s crucial to have a clear grasp of the project’s objectives, target audience, and scope. 

This phase involves studying brand guidelines, competitive landscapes, and any existing design assets, ensuring you have a solid foundation to build upon.

I’ve had a hand in developing the branding for all our webinars and internal campaigns for much of the past 2 years, so this particular project comes a bit easier in that regard.

However, presenting this webinar in tandem with Semrush required a bit more diligent research. It was important that the creative assets would blend well with their voice on social media as well.

Semrush isn’t afraid to get a little cheeky on social media, so I loved the idea of incorporating some kind of off-the-wall concept that shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

With the prevalent themes of AI generation and creativity, I thought to myself “How can I play off of this to make something that elicits a somewhat creepy, yet sarcastic feeling while remaining relevant and professional?” 

Research and Inspiration

Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of the project, it’s time to dive into research and seek inspiration. Explore various sources to broaden your perspective. 

Gather visual references, analyze successful design executions, and identify emerging styles or techniques that align with the project’s goals.

Remember, inspiration can come from anywhere, so keep an open mind and let your creativity flourish. Sometimes, however, you don’t have to diligently search, and inspiration is right at your fingertips.

Recently I’ve seen a comical (and sometimes relevant) meme floating around social media that simply states: 

“To replace creatives with AI, clients will need to accurately describe what they are looking for. We’re safe.” 

Design is more than just arranging pixels and crafting aesthetically pleasing visuals. It’s a journey of creativity, strategy, and problem-solving. While it may come as a shock, graphic design is not, in fact, magic. 

But every time I see this, I smirk just a little bit. It’s a humorous take on the harsh reality of the misconception that creatives often deal with.

That’s when I decided to get some help from a few AI image generators, inputting different phrases and testing across multiple platforms before coming to the decision that DALL•E, OpenAI’s image generation platform, was spitting out the most resourceful assets.

Concept Development

With a wealth of information and inspiration at your fingertips, it’s time to embark on the concept development stage. Start by brainstorming ideas and sketching rough concepts on paper or using digital tools. 

I began testing prompts within the AI generator, but there always seemed to be some kind of imperfections or shortcomings with the images, so I kept refining and finally got something from: “portrait of a man and robot split perfectly half screen”

The results clearly are nowhere near spectacular, but I knew I had something that I could work with. 

If you’re hoping AI is going to spit out perfect conceptual graphics, think again! Human manipulation is more important than ever. Super creepy though, right? 

Idea Refinement & Iteration

Once you’ve generated a collection of design concepts, it’s time to refine and iterate. Review your concepts critically, seeking feedback from peers or stakeholders if possible.

I took my favorite of the generated faces, put my head down, and meticulously edited the photos; adjusting proportions and shadows, and stitching the pieces together to formulate a cohesive image. 

Moments later, our AI Frankenstein was ready.

I knew my half-man-half-robot concept may not work for all audiences and internal stakeholders, so I made sure to pull a few more images that I felt may still hit with the same impact, each one getting a little crazier than the next. 

With a Lonely Island-esque “Incredible Thoughts” montage running through my mind, I asked myself:

• What if the king of the jungle was actually king?
• What if someone took a photo of the photographer shooting the moon landing?
• What if my dog is actually smarter than me?
• What if energy-efficient lightbulbs literally impacted our environment?

While we may not be able to accurately answer these questions directly, with AI, your wildest thoughts can become a distorted sense of reality, and that was just the case when I began experimenting more thoroughly.

Consider your project’s objectives, brand identity, and target audience while assessing each concept’s strengths and weaknesses. Combine the most promising elements from different ideas, gradually narrowing down your options. 

It’s essential to allow yourself to explore different directions, experimenting with typography, color palettes, imagery, and layout options. This phase encourages out-of-the-box thinking and enables you to generate a range of design concepts that capture the essence of the project.

Content Integration

While words crafted beautifully can elicit many emotions; when paired with graphics and artwork, they can work together to become a unified sensory experience that subconsciously impacts user decision-making.

The use of color isn’t just meant to make things look pretty, either. When you dive deeper into the theory of color it becomes apparent that it is a psychological technique that makes viewers feel certain emotions subconsciously. 

The deep teal hues used throughout these concepts fall in line with our branding, but heavy shadows within the imagery give off a more mysterious, menacing feel.

Strategy, brainstorming, testing, and even failure are natural cycles that are often overlooked in the creative process but are essential to any campaign’s overall success. 

Translating these concepts into your digital marketing campaigns is a subtle tactic that could help your ads drive more conversions, but ensure you’re not straying too far from your typical brand palette! 

Execution

With a refined concept in hand, it was time to bring everything to life and execute the design with precision.

I took the images and copy and began laying it out in the most compelling way possible, focusing on legibility, but also making sure the imagery was prominent and engaging.

Whether you’re working with software like Adobe Creative Suite or other industry-standard tools, pay attention to details, maintain consistency, and ensure the design is optimized for its intended medium. 

Fine-tuning typography, layout, color schemes, and other design elements until you reach a compelling and cohesive design that you’re proud to share with your team.

Ready to save your seat? Register here.

Collaboration, Feedback, & Testing

Design is a collaborative process, and seeking feedback is vital for refining and improving your work. Share your designs with team members or stakeholders and encourage constructive criticism. 

Listen attentively to their input, understand their expectations, and incorporate their suggestions where appropriate. Effective communication and collaboration foster a deeper understanding of the project’s goals and ensure that the final design meets or exceeds expectations.

Designers, I know it’s difficult for your egos, but make sure you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket, either. 

While personal preference will certainly come into play, trust the data to ensure you are pushing the creative that is driving the most conversions. The more you can test your designs against other variations, the better. 

Finalization and Delivery

The last step of my creative process involves finalizing the design and preparing it for delivery.

Polish the details, double-check for any errors or inconsistencies, and ensure the design is optimized for different platforms or mediums. 

The suite of deliverables for our webinars typically ranges anywhere from digital ads to social assets, email marketing materials, and even the deck for the presentation. 

Create the necessary files, maintain an organized file structure, and keep backups to facilitate future revisions or updates.

I can’t stress enough how incredibly important it is that the creative translate cohesively across all deliverables to heighten brand awareness for these events. 

When your creative pieces look good, it’s a bonafide first impression that helps to drive all of the other KPIs for a given campaign.

The creative process is a fascinating journey that combines strategy, creativity, and technical skills. By following the steps outlined above, you can approach your projects with the same clarity and confidence, delivering exceptional designs that captivate and communicate effectively. 

Remember, the process is fluid, and each project may have its unique requirements. Embrace the iterative nature of design, stay open to collaboration, and continue to evolve and grow, embracing new technology and harnessing it to your advantage.

As the marketing world and generative AI continue to change daily, it’s important to remember that design quality will still reign supreme, but adapting to industry trends will only make your campaigns stronger. 

Read more about how design and creative services can revitalize your digital marketing efforts.

• https://www.directom.com/ai-creative/ 
• https://www.directom.com/how-are-digital-graphics-used-to-advertise/ 
• https://www.directom.com/the-year-for-social-media-marketing/ 

The post How AI Imagery Shaped The Look Of Our Latest Webinar appeared first on Direct Online Marketing.

Could creatives soon be competing with machines for jobs? 

It’s certainly possible, but before any (more) fear is elicited, let’s break down what exactly AI-generated images are and how they are made. 

What Exactly are AI-generated Images?

Put simply, AI-generated images are images that are created entirely by an algorithm, without any input from a human artist. The possibilities for this technology are vast, and it has the potential to revolutionize creative services completely. 

This algorithm is trained on a dataset of images, and then it uses that training to generate new images that are similar in style and content to the images in the dataset. 

The algorithm can generate anything from realistic photographs to abstract designs, and it can even create entirely new images that have never been seen before.

The more detailed and specific the original prompt, the more likely the algorithm will be able to successfully generate a slew of images based on the information.

How Quickly are AI-generated Images Created?

One of the most interesting things about AI-generated images is that they can be produced at a speed and scale that would be impossible for a human artist. With traditional art, it can take hours, days, or even weeks to create a single piece. 

With AI-generated images, however, an entire collection of images can be produced in a matter of seconds. This speed and scalability have the potential to completely transform the creative services industry.

Common Concerns Surrounding AI Creative Services

Much like other industries currently being impacted by AI trends, the creative field is no different. Graphic designers, developers, and artists of all kinds have concerns about the impact that AI-generated images will have on the industry. 

Putting Artists Out Of Work

One of the biggest concerns is that it will put traditional artists out of work. After all, if a machine can create images faster and more efficiently than a human artist, why would anyone hire a human artist in the first place?

While it’s true that AI-generated images have the potential to replace some types of artistic work, it’s important to remember that there are some things that machines simply can’t do. 

For example, machines don’t have emotions or life experiences, and they can’t create art that is deeply personal or reflective of the human condition. There’s real power in passion, which leads to the notion that there will always be a place for human artists in the industry, even as AI-generated images become more prevalent.

Copyright Infringement

There is also a general cause for concern when it comes to copyright infringement. It may be impossible to tell where inspiration or reference is coming from with AI-generated images being pulled from every edge of the web, which could make usage guidelines rather hazy going forward.

This directly plays into the looming issue of information interpretation. How AI algorithms interpret an image prompt is almost certainly going to be different from what the human mind can envision. 

With a few general searches, there seems to be a clear lack of realism in many of the AI-generated options. Many have clear imperfections or unrealistic styles that folks working in the creative field can easily spot, further emphasizing the battle between quantity and efficiency against quality. 

Lack of Diversity

This also leads to the concern that AI-generated images could make the industry less diverse. If the majority of images are generated by machines, there’s a risk that all images will start to look the same. This could result in a lack of diversity in the industry, as well as a loss of creativity and innovation.

The Positive Outlook on AI Creative Services

On the contrary, there’s also the potential for AI-generated images to make the industry more diverse. For example, AI could be used to create images that are more inclusive and representative of different cultures, races, and backgrounds. 

Additionally, AI-generated images could be used to create images that are more accessible to people with disabilities, such as images with audio descriptions or images that are designed to be viewed by people with color blindness. 

Many of these image styles are currently lacking when it comes to widely available stock assets that already dominate the web. 

Think about all of the off-the-wall requests that would have taken hours to manipulate different stock photos to get the request just right that could now be at the disposal of AI. It’s true that these could become an extension to stock assets and give creatives an endless library to play with, but at what cost?

Are AI-generated Images Free?

While many companies offer a few free credits for AI-generated images, once these credits run out many companies will attempt to capitalize on subscription-based services. 

OpenAI’s AI-generated image platform, DALL•E, includes 15 free credits upon account creation. This system is still not perfect and oftentimes crashes mid-search due to server errors, but produces some decent options in the grand scheme.

Adobe is also Beta-testing its new AI-generation platform, Adobe Firefly. The Firefly Beta is currently only accessible to approved creatives with active Adobe subscriptions.

The Future for AI Creative Services is Now

Adobe plans to take its AI capabilities to even bigger heights as well, with ideas in place that could transform the efficiency and overall framework of the creative field.

Adobe is exploring the following capabilities with Adobe Firefly:

• Text to image (AI-image generation)*
• Text effects*
• Recoloring vectors
• Inpainting
• Personalized images
• Text to vector
• Extending image aspect ratios
• 3D to image
• Text to pattern
• Text to brush
• Text to template
• Sketch to Image

* available with the Beta version

Fortunately for us, our team has already been approved to test Adobe Firefly (Beta) and is actively exploring its capabilities and offerings. 

As a matter of fact, the images featured throughout this post were all generated with Adobe Firefly… with some human manipulation, of course.

Overall, it’s clear that AI-generated images have the potential to completely transform the creative services industry. The concerns about the impact that this technology could have on traditional artists and the creative process are very real, but it’s important to remember that no matter how advanced the technology becomes, there will always be a place for human creativity and imagination.

It’s important to note that the AI trend is not limited to creative services. Direct Online Marketing provides AI Marketing Services as Ai continues to change what the Internet looks like and how we interact with it.

Read more about how AI is impacting other industries below.

• How To Optimize Your Website For ChatGPT
• Will AI Replace Copywriters?

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