Suppose you put three or four pieces of your visual marketing tools in front of you; what visual brand would you see?
Will you see a clear message and consistent theme that jells together and feels like several pieces of one whole? Or will you see a mixture of confusing color schemes, inconsistent imagery, and tones that feel like they don’t come from the same place? If it’s the latter, then your business might just be ready for a visual “makeover”—in other words, it is time to develop your brand identity.
In this post, we’ll guide you through the steps on how you can build out your visual brand checklist. First things first, let’s define visual identity.
What Is a Visual Identity?
Visual identity is all the graphical information and imagery that expresses what a brand is and what differentiates it from others. In short, it describes all the things that customers can physically see, from interior design (in a brick and mortar business), to website structure, messaging, and even the logo of your business.
It is more than surface glitter, it ties to something deeper. Brand is about your values, and visual identity is part of that larger expression of who you are as a company.
Typically, visual identity involves the development of a brand style that offers consistent instructions on how the brand should be presented visually in any situation and at all times.
The purpose of visual identity is to:
- Inform customers about the nature of the brand and products/services offered
- To create an emotional impression on customers
- To unify various aspects of a business by providing consistent visuals.
What Makes a Good Visual Brand Identity?
A strong visual brand identity must be attractive, purposeful, and help communicate what your brand is all about, no matter the medium. Here are some attributes that a good visual brand identity should have:
- Memorable: It should make a good impression on your audience.
- Unique: It should be distinct and stand out (think of iconic brands like Apple and Microsoft).
- Flexible: It should be able to work across varying mediums, such as print, website, etc.
- Scalable: Your visual brand identity should be able to grow with your brand, regardless of whether you’re venturing into a new product, service, or even a new industry.
- Cohesive: Every aspect of your brand identity should work together like a jigsaw. Your content should therefore stay consistent.
- Easily applicable: You should equip your brand designers with the right tools so that they can perform their tasks properly.
How to Plan For an Effective Visual Brand Checklist
Creating your visual brand can be a daunting process. As you start the versatile process of branding (or rebranding), below is a checklist to guide you in creating an effective visual branding strategy.
1. Establish Your Brand Tone and Voice
Your brand tone and voice is the attitude that your business portrays, not only through words but also through visuals. It is critical to establish the tone of your brand first, then align it with your preferred style.
Some of the tones that your business can take include:
Whichever tone you choose for your business, ensure that it’s authentic and aligns with your business’ personality. If your tone is forced, it will feel phony and create mistrust among potential customers.
2. Create a Unique Logo
Your logo should define what your brand is all about. It is a visual representation through texture, shapes, and colors that your customers will recall. Logos are powerful tools given that they sell your brand without you saying a word. Customers usually process them faster, plus they trigger an immediate response.
Just as your business can tell a story, so can your logo. Because of this, it is prudent to hire a professional to create a custom logo design for your business. NameSilo can help you create a logo for your business. Try out our free logo maker. 3. Choose Your Color Palettes Carefully
Logos usually, but not always, portray your company’s color palette. A color palette could range between two to three secondary colors and one to three primary colors. But there are times when there is an exception to this rule.
Color palettes will differentiate the brand from those of other businesses within your industry. As such, businesses should ensure that they select unique colors that aren’t being used by their competitors.
Another factor that you should keep in mind is your business cultural context. A color connotation that is positive in one country may be negative in another. You should consider this, especially if you’re considering launching globally.
4. Choose Your Images Keenly
Images such as blog post visuals, infographics, slideshare presentations, and social media icons used in marketing tools will reinforce the impression and identity of your business. You should ensure that your brand doesn’t replicate that of another business, more so in the same industry. According to a Princeton University study, audiences develop a strong impression of your brand in the first seven seconds after they come across it. Creating a brand that can be confused with others will establish a misleading impression that will be difficult to erase from the minds of your audience. Therefore, it is vital to create a roadmap that guides your artistic and creative direction.
5. Pay Close Attention to Your Fonts
Fonts are another component that adds to the character and personality of your brand. They offer a subtle way of emphasizing your brand story.
Using the wrong font can detract your audience from your message. It can even make it difficult to understand your content. When choosing fonts for your brand, the essential rule is to make sure that they are clear and readable.
If there isn’t enough contrast or the font is too small, it can be challenging to understand your content. As such, your audience will immediately lose interest. Selecting and sticking to one or two font types helps build unity and continuity.
Bottom Line
Once you’ve established a clear visual brand, you can begin to expand on your visual marketing efforts. By using strong, consistent, on-brand imagery, you’ll produce higher returns for your marketing efforts.
If you want to improve your visual brand identity and create a lasting impression on your customers, seek the services of the best digital content and security providers. NameSilo offers outstanding rates and full-service email, security, and hosting packages. Contact us