One central aspect of modern marketing is boosting brand awareness and interest. This concept is simple to understand but challenging to master. However, there’s one easy and simple method to improve your results instantly: use more visual content. On average, viewers can remember 65% of visual information when asked three days later- compared to just 10% of written information.
Of course, not all visual content is created equally. The more skill and effort put into this content creation, the more likely it is to attract attention and stick in the mind of your audience. That’s why using graphic design services is very important.
Why Are Graphic Design Services for Small Businesses Essential?
It has long been established that graphic design is more than just about dressing up your brand to look aesthetically pleasing. Good design can boost your business in all aspects of operation. This is especially true for small companies building their brand from the ground up.
A great logo, eye-catching imagery, pleasing colors, and typography — these visual elements play an integral role in any business and can be made possible through graphic design.
But this is more than just aesthetic appeal or attention-grabbing. Good design communicates what your brand is about and the value it provides customers. In short, it is the quickest way to convey your unique brand’s personality, and how you express your brand is lucrative to your marketing strategy. This shows that graphic design has far deeper roots in your business than many might think.
Different aspects of small business graphic design require somewhat different approaches, and evolve in different ways. Today, we’ve collected information on current and valuable trends in graphic design, and we’d love to share them with you so you can get a head start on boosting your business’s profile!
Social Media Graphic Design Trends
When creating content for your social media, ensure you understand what works best for your audience and the platforms you use. These social media graphics trends will show you how certain practices are getting great results in 2022.
Non-Video Content Posted as Videos
Last year, Instagram head Adam Mosseri posted a video saying significant changes were coming to the platform. The biggest one? Instagram was placing a new focus on becoming a video platform rather than one for just photos. While this change has attracted various opinions on whether it’s positive, it’s definitely changed how Instagram works.
Content creators have tested the new Instagram algorithm and discovered that it favors videos. However, just because you post something as a “video” doesn’t mean that it has to include animation, GIFs, or any movement at all. It can just be a static photo.
When these creators posted text/still images as videos - Instagram's algorithm naturally boosted that over content posted as photos. Following their example and saving your latest social media graphics as videos could help boost your views.
GIFs as Content
Businesses have been jumping on the GIF trend for a few reasons. They’re the perfect way to add a bit of personality to your stories, increase brand awareness, and help drive more engagement on your account.
Sharing short, looping videos that don’t require audio to your audience seems to be an effective strategy, whether these videos are technically GIFs or not.
These types of videos are super-sharable, easy to digest, and catch the eye when people are scrolling through their social media feeds. Better yet, they are a great way to build a reputation and personality for your business. By making these GIF-style videos sleek, humorous, cute, or cool, you associate your company with this feeling and make your brand feel more human and approachable.
Interactive Content
As we’ve already mentioned, video content is vast, but you can take it to the next level by including interactive elements. On TikTok and Instagram Reels, it makes viewers feel special when businesses respond to their comments with personalized video responses.
Modern audiences also enjoy it when you ask what kind of content they want to see, or who they want you to collaborate with. It’s all part of building the sense of a genuine connection with your audience, and creating the image that your business is human and approachable.
Other interactive content types can also make a splash, like fun polls and quizzes. Anything that gives your audience the feeling that they have a personal relationship with your brand and that you are listening to them helps. While interactive content can be more involved to create, it’s definitely worth the trouble in the long run.
Branding Graphic Design Trends
Your branding should be memorable and consistent everywhere your brand is visible – including in your marketing and advertising, your business stationery and product packaging, your social media channels, website, and email communications, and most importantly, your products and services.
Behind every great business is an even greater purpose, and to craft a successful brand, you need to know exactly what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. As your business evolves, it’s essential to continue developing your brand, to ensure it aligns with your purpose every step of the way.
Consistent and up-to-date graphic design elements are a key part of this work. You want to make sure that your designs are appealing to today’s audience.
Right now, branding trends point to the popularity of colorful, retro, nostalgic elements in graphic design. What follows are three of the most popular schools of graphic design right now and what aesthetics they’re associated with:
Nostalgia
A resurrection of design elements and pop-culture references from the 80s to - the early 2000s has been popping up in films, TV shows, marketing materials, branding, and social media feeds. People love connecting with their youth and reminiscing about the most stylish and fun parts of the past. By using nostalgia-influenced design, you can create that connection with your audience. This trend is aesthetically associated with neon colors, gradients, unconventional text alignment, grid-style patterns, and an overall maximalist approach.
Bauhaus
The Bauhaus design trend was born from the famous German art school of the same name that rose to popularity in the 1940s-60s. Graphic design-wise, Bauhaus design features a stark bluntness, with sharp corners, edges, and strong lines. It’s a minimalist but bold style, usually featuring primary colors and focusing on design layout. Bauhaus is a safe choice if you’re looking for a simple and professional style while still feeling modern and classy to today’s audiences.
Retro-Futurism
Retro-futurism is a bit of a heady concept, but basically, it’s an artistic concept combining past and future into one fantastical whole. If you’re a sci-fi fan, you might be familiar with it from Blade Runner, Cyberpunk, and even Star Wars. But this style has bled over from the entertainment world to branding trends as a whole. It may be strange, but it captures your audience’s attention and imagination when done right.
As 99designs explains, retro-futuristic branding often includes ultraviolet colors and dynamic patterns that suggest something futuristic yet familiar. Retro-futurism can evoke the 80s, 60s, or 30s, but always gives everyday objects and symbols a flair of excitement.
Web Design Trends
Websites remain a crucial part of a small business’s online presence. Whether you have a brick-and-mortar storefront, provide at-home services, or especially if you only sell online, you should never neglect the way your website looks and functions. Failing to consider the ins and outs of your web design can mean lost leads, lost sales, and lost opportunities to establish your brand further and improve your search engine results. These trends will help you stay ahead of the curve in 2022 and beyond.
Custom Illustrations
While there are plenty of great stock photo websites and options out there, many businesses are shifting their design efforts to creating unique and one-of-a-kind illustrations for their website. Consumers now want to know who your company is, not just what you offer. Custom illustrations provide so much in terms of creativity and making a brand more personable. This web design trend is often paired with a unique trait though - purple skin.
As we covered in our previous blog about social media trends after COVID-19, most consumers now expect the brands and businesses they buy from to be part of the solution to problems like sustainability, racial injustice, and non-livable wages.
Current social trends in the UK even show that consumers are far more likely to post about the negative treatment of employees versus value for money. Using a skin tone that has no identity, like blue, allows companies to be inclusive and diverse without the risk of accidentally offending someone.
Bold Colors and Fonts
We’ve seen a rise in minimalist and minimalistic designs, but is it here to stay? Minimalist web design radiates simplicity, removing excess design elements in favor of a more natural and clutter-free layout. But just like bell bottoms and permed hair, every trend must come to an end.
With the average user’s attention span growing shorter and shorter, it’s more important now than ever to grab their attention within a split second. Oversized typography is becoming mainstream in web design, along with bold colors and color pairings.
Given 15 minutes to consume content, 60% of people would rather read something beautifully designed than something plain. Incorporating bold design elements into your website’s design is one way to ensure that happens.
Key Takeaways
As you can see, many businesses are opting for bold, brightly-colored branding. Now is not the time to be timid! Strong, creative design choices are paying off, creating a more powerful sense of what your brand stands for. In addition, video content is becoming increasingly vital for small businesses' growth. The more you can engage with your audience and keep them watching, the better your business will perform.
If you find the idea of making this new content intimidating or overwhelming, Zoek can help. Our team of graphic design experts is always ready to leap into action and create something trendy yet timeless for your brand. They offer a 24-48 hour turnaround time and unlimited revisions. Just click here to book a free consultation to get started with our graphic design services for small businesses!