The Importance of Design in Social Media
Take a second and observe your surroundings. What do you see? You’ll maybe see a book, your phone, your laptop, a poster on your wall or even a cup of tea. Each one of these objects was designed in such a way that would be convenient and aesthetically pleasing for you. Now think about the social media platforms you log onto on a daily basis. You’re exposed to a flood of “Likes”, tweets, tags and messages every day. However you don’t really remember all of them, do you? Well, here is where graphic design comes into play. If you really think about it, it’s kinda simple. Until and unless you see an image so catchy, that you absolutely have to share it, you won’t give it a second thought. With attention spans decreasing, it has become increasingly important for brands to up their design game on their social media pages.
Consistency is Key
Brands are becoming more and more active on social media. When a brand uses an image consistently throughout their social media platforms, you have a better chance of remembering it. If you relate to the image or if it manages to evoke any of your emotion, you may even share it. Inadvertently, you’ve just advertised the brand on your own social media. This is the power of good design. Take the Oreo’s Instagram account for example. To simplify it, Oreo is a company which makes cookies. What could they possibly come up with that may interest you? However, Oreo’s design team has come up with some of the most creative things you could do with an Oreo cookie. They may not advertise it straight up, but once you look at their page, you might as well get up and buy a pack of Oreo.
Show-off your Culture
Similarly, images are not just used to advertise your product. They can be used to convey a company’s culture as well. Most of the time, companies are so focused on advertising the product that they forget about who really makes their company a success. In such cases, social media becomes a perfect platform to showcase a company’s “behind-the-scenes” activities. Images of employees having a little fun or working hard can help customers relate to a company on a more personal level. Cisco is one example of such a company, which uses its Instagram account to not only showcase their expertise but also to showcase its employees.
Color it Up
The role of graphic design doesn’t just stop at pretty pictures. It also has a lot to do with branding a company. The colors a company uses, where the brand is placed, everything leads to how a company is perceived by you. While the big shots in the corporate world use soothing and limited colors, Google uses bright and a variety of colors in their graphics. This brings a sense of youth and playfulness in the way Google is perceived. The use of different colors also means that Google isn’t a company which is limited to a certain set of services. It conveys a sense of unlimited possibilities, hence setting Google apart from the rest of the world. If you’ve ever looked at Google’s social media pages, you’ll see how consistent they are with their branding. Google uses the same logo, the same cover image throughout their social media. This brings a sense of unity and builds a sense of familiarity with the user. Having a consistent look and feel on your social media goes a long way in building trust as well.
The next time you’re on any of the social media platforms you use, think about what makes you share a post, or what really appeals to your senses. Also look at a few companies and see if their social media pages have a sense of unity in them. The role of graphic designing is increasing at a rapid pace and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
