SOCIAL MEDIA AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
There is a symbiotic relationship between graphic design and social media. If you manage to master that balanced relationship, you can enhance your creative work as well as your success as a practical businessperson.
Due to the rapid growth of social media, consumers are exposed to a barrage of Tweets, “Likes,” texts and messages on the Web and on their mobile devices. With the need to read or view images in seconds as well as on smaller screens graphic design plays an increasingly important role not only in building brand awareness and recognition but in merely attracting the user’s attention.
GREAT DESIGN ENCHANCES SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
Social media managers work on engagement, virality for every post. There are all kinds of ways to go about achieving these things with simple graphic design and
As a designer, you’d almost certainly do a few things to improve this post. First, you’d add an image, one people could not resist sharing. Second, you’d shave down the text and incorporate it onto the image so the whole thing is short and sweet and has instant impact. by improving the post from a graphic design standpoint, you’d improve the Edge Rank score, boost engagement, and almost certainly get a better shot at virality.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Social media is a real time, instant access place, which means that first impressions are incredibly important. Profiles, cover images, avatars, and icons are often the only thing people see about you before they keep scrolling. Graphic design sets your profile and brand apart in a sea of competition, especially on huge platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
You also need to be sure that your first impression works from platform to platform; this is where an eye for great design really comes in handy. Most platforms require some version of a logo or profile picture that is close to square, but cover images tend to be landscapes. You’ll need branded versions of both if you’re working for a client, or just trying to sell your own services as a designer.
STAY ON BRAND
Just like the content and tone of your copy, your brand’s imagery needs to stay on brand at all times. This includes the colour palette, typeface and the subject of the image. Try creating a brand guidelines document, which could be as simple as listing your fonts and hex colours.
Remember, everything your audience sees scrolling your social profiles should tie in seamlessly with your company’s overall ethos and feel. Anything off-brand or off-topic can alienate an individual immediately.
BEHANCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Behance is technically a portfolio site, however, as a graphic designer you need to see it as a social media network as well. It is a social media hub for creative professionals, and that’s why it’s an important place for you to make the most of your social media skills to showcase your graphic design talents. Use Behance to appreciate, collect, and comment on the work of other designers and you will find yourself networking as a matter of course.
USE INFOGRAPHICS
Infographics are still a great way to engage and add value to an audience. Ensure they’re well-researched and will mean something to your audience. Don’t fall into the trap of making one just because you’ve seen one go viral, think about creating something of real interest or it’ll end up in the ever-growing pile of awful infographics lost in the ether.
Facebook is an excellent place to find paying clients and exposure. Even if it’s not your favourite platform socially, this is where the clients are hanging out. You can also network very effectively here, since on the numbers alone Facebook is still the juggernaut of social media.
INSTAGRAM AND PINTEREST
Social platforms like Pinterest and Instagram are great places for graphic designers because they are very visually driven. In many ways both platforms can act as a portfolio, helping you to build up followers naturally as you share your work. There may not be as many paying clients to be had here, but these are still good places to be seen.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
The most widely agreed-upon social media graphic design tip from our designers is to simply keep it simple.
Simple mockup
Having such a small canvas to work with causes overcrowding to happen, fast.
Avoid overcrowding your social media graphic by:
- Utilizing large, eye-catching graphics and illustrations
- Limiting typeface to 2 font choices (one for the header/title and another for body text)
- Sticking with 2–3 contrasting (or ‘complimentary’) colours
- Using white space to contrast with a bold, colourful element in the design
Be mindful of every design element you choose and make sure each one reflects the message you’re trying to tell.
Have “Scroll-Stopping” Impact
Building brand consistency is important, but sometimes you’ve got to break some rules to get noticed by your audience.
The only way to find out what will actually make your audience pause mid-scroll to take the desired action is by testing different social media graphic designs to see what actually works. Test out new design techniques to figure out what makes your audience click.
Pair photography with colour blocks to interrupt the flow of the image with important title copy. Alternatively, you can design the title using a knockout effect to add scroll-stopping drama.
GRAPHIC DESIGN CHANGING SOCIAL MEDIA
As social media users demand more interactive content and real time experiences, graphic designers will play a more important role on the various social media platforms. As always ads will compete for attention, so only the best and most visually appealing ads will win out. Graphic design is also central to user experience, which is at the heart of what every social media platform is focused on.
The bottom line here is that as a graphic designer your skills are in demand in the realm of social media, and even in strict graphic design roles, you’ll need to have social media experience.
Social media depends on great graphic design, which boosts engagement, improves user experience, and makes advertising more effective. Graphic designers need to understand how to work with social media, not just for their client work, but to promote themselves, find clients, network, and improve their skills. Great design work can help social media profiles and brands stand out, and graphic design will continue to affect how social media evolves.