The changing landscape of the digital world provides new challenges for both consumers and business owners. Making the transition from the tangible to the digital is often thought of as simply owning a bit of real estate on the web. However, with consumers assessing company credibility through web identity, and with the potential to reach a much wider audience from across the world, it is crucial that organisations understand what lies at the core of their brand and translate that into a digital identity.
When approached by new and old clients who wish to make their presence online as strong as possible, they understand that this has a direct impact on the real world. Your brand represents who you are and what you are about, thus it is important to consider EVERY aspect of a website when building a new or refreshing an old site.
Colour
Colour is just one element to a brand identity, from blue to green, from yellow to red; each colour conveys a particular significant meaning. Blue conveys security and reassurance, hence why it’s often favoured by financial institutions such as Barclays. Red is more for passion and excitement. Black is seductive and classy, whereas yellow is gloriously optimistic. Getting the colours right in your brand can back your sales message and make it appear stronger in the consumer’s eyes.
When considering palettes, you should think beyond the primary colour and explore your choice of secondary colour for elements such as supporting text, and highlight colours for branding, all of which have been chosen to reflect the unique visual values of a brand. Often, being very limited in your palette can have benefits- it’s simpler, it can make your message seem more ‘plain-speaking.’ But using additional colours that complement your core brand colour can make you seem more vibrant and lively, with the added benefit of drawing attention to key messages when they are the only things in that second colour.
Typography
Typeface selection may seem like a simple case of picking what you think looks good from a list of fonts, but careful consideration should be taken as how we communicate is still mainly through writing; overlooking how what we say is presented could be a fail.
Typography marks your company and is the one thing the viewer will process over and over again. Used correctly, typography can convey a certain mood or feeling. As the primary conduit for semantics, the audience needs to understand what message you are trying to send whilst being interested in it. Having the appropriate font sets the tone for your business.
For those brands wishing to showcase an element of perfectionism, they might select geometric fonts such as Futura or Avant Garde. For those wishing to appear a little more human, built on characterful imperfections, the fonts Calibri and Proxima would represent this trait. Serif typefaces like Archer can convey a sense of tradition and establishment.
Logo
A logo is the epitome of your brand. One only needs to see the iconic swoosh sign or the golden arches to know they are referencing Nike and McDonald's. It’s not just about what is depicted within a logo, but also about the dimensions and positioning. With the increase in importance of online marketing, it is essential that a logo look just as good in a small Twitter feed as it does on a huge billboard. It’s led to many brands revamping their logos, doing away with drop shadows and complex shading in favour of simpler, bolder shapes that are easily recognisable and scalable.
However, you might make use of icons for your brand architecture, especially on the web. Icons have the benefit of easily simplifying information to draw people’s attention to something important, whilst expanding your visual brand so you are not ‘just’ a logo. It makes you look like you have thought through your own brand thoroughly which gives consumers confidence that you are not just a one-dimensional company - that your service is exceptional and meticulous.
Photography
Visuals and imagery can at times, speak more than words can convey. Thought should be invested into the photography that will be available on a website. Images allow someone from China to have a glimpse into a venue that exists in New York. They can transport customers into new places and provide a tangible insight as to what you can offer them.
For example, when creating a website for a new trendy bar, you might make the cocktails more prominent or use close ups of the ingredients to give a more up market ambience to the venue. By using people in imagery, the company becomes more personable. Filtered images provide a consistent style and a level of control to how you present your company.
By Andy King, Account Director at Adtrak.
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