The ART of Engagement: The Power of Communication Design in Marketing Success

Communication design elements play a crucial role in content marketing by enhancing how a company's message is conveyed and understood by its audience. Design elements can be broken down and defined as the components that make up a design, such as shape, color, and texture. It is essential for you, as a marketing professional, to understand the company's advertising goals to ensure that when incorporating design elements, the mark is not missed.While you are establishing yourself in a creative space such as marketing, you never want to known as the person who misses the mark. Never.

From my perspective as a marketer, there are a few design elements that make a major difference in content marketing: typography, color, imagery, layout and spacing, motion design, and consistency.

Typography

This refers to the variation in styles of text used within a design or piece of content. It encompasses how the letters are arranged, whether the text is visually appealing, and if the chosen font style aligns with the brand it represents. If the typography is incorrect, it can negatively impact the brand’s identity. It may also come across as unprofessional or careless, indicating that the brand didn't ensure consistency in its design elements. It is ESSENTIAL for the font style to remain consistent across all content. My personal advice to anyone in the marketing field working on content is to always consult the design team regarding specific fonts and styles to avoid any mistakes in this area.

Color

Color is one of the most recognizable design elements for a company. You can instantly identify Netflix by its signature red logo, McDonald's by its iconic yellow ‘M,’ and Taco Bell by its distinctive purple bell. When asked about these brands, you immediately recall the color of their logos because that’s what they’ve established as part of their brand identity.

Color is also essential in content marketing, as it can evoke emotions. For example, it's commonly understood that red, yellow, and blue are colors associated with stimulating hunger. Companies like Burger King incorporate all three of these colors in their logo seamlessly.

As a marketing professional, in addition to ensuring accuracy in font styles, maintaining consistency in the color of a logo throughout content is equally important.

Imagery

Visuals make content more engaging. Regardless of the demographic, people will not be drawn to your content unless it is visually appealing. The quality of your images also plays a significant role in how your brand is perceived. High-quality infographics and product images are more likely to be shared than blurry, hard-to-understand images. It's also essential that the images created or selected align with the content they accompany. If the visuals and content don't match, it can confuse the audience.

Consistency across all visuals, regardless of the content, is crucial. Another thing that is not also spoken about when it comes to images is accessibility. Ensure that alternative text is provided for those who are visually impaired so they can enjoy your content as well.

Layout & Spacing

A well put together layout makes any type of content easier to navigate and digest. The goal when speaking about layout and spacing is reducing clutter.Making sure that content is well organized and broke up into sections with bullet points and headlines make a huge difference. It can make it easier for a user to find information quicker in the event that they are skimming through.If the layout is confusing and hard to digest it can cause the user to be less inclined to engage in your content and will more than likely scroll away One thing that is not always spoken about when it comes to layout and spacing is the fact that it can also increase engagement. The user will be more inclined to stay on a page longer if there is no clutter.

Motion Design

Motion design is something that is not always used in the marketing space but it can be seen in more spaces than you think. Have you ever noticed that when you scroll on the Apple website when looking for a new phone or a new watch, the elements on the page move as you scroll? I always found that to be one of the reasons I enjoy their website. When creating content, elements that move not only grab the users attention but also can cause you to stand out from other brands because not every company thinks to incorporate motion in their content. From my perspective, it helps if the person who is consuming the content is able to control how fast the animated content moves, similar to Apple, because otherwise it can be make it hard  for the user to comprehend. Motion can help you content stand out and will more than likely drive more users to your content due to them wanting to see them animation themselves.

Consistency

This is one element that is essential for all the elements mentioned above. This is how your content is instantly recognized by your audience. It is also how you can gain your customers trust because anything they interact with your content, it is the same fonts, colors, and visuals. Consistency in your content can also increase your SEO. If you use the same themes and keywords it can not only make it easier for persons to find your content but it can also be successful for your company in the long run.