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Realistic Imagery and Brand Integrity in Web Design

You’ll hear a lot of different things about web design from different people.  In some ways, there are no set rules.  Web design is an art and, like any other art, there are many different ways of doing it.  However, as a business owner, what you’re looking for are results.  You’re setting up a website so that you can increase the visibility of your company, improve your reputation and possibly make more sales through e-commerce.  You want your company to grow and your bottom line to rise.  Keeping that in mind, here are a some web design tips to keep in mind:

Relevant, Realistic Imagery

Depending on a person’s taste, they might like paintings, photos, black and white images, color images, nature images, urban landscapes etc.  However, the imagery you use in your website has to be relevant to your subject matter and realistic as well.

  • Is the Image Relevant?  Sometimes, people get very carried away with how good an image looks.  So they don’t stop to think about whether it’s really relevant.  Can a great sunset help you sell toothpaste?  Probably not.  It doesn’t matter how striking it might be.  So it’s a good idea to look for striking images but keep them as relevant to your subject matter as possible.
  • Is the Image Realistic?  As this article from Forbes states, “real people get a lot of attention while stock photo people are mainly ignored.”  You may not realize it but people can sense when you’re trying to sell them something without taking their needs into consideration.  This is why images that are more realistic make more of an impact than airbrushed images of models pretending to perform tasks that they’re not really performing.

Maintain the Integrity of Your Brand

Does your company have a brand?  Are there certain images, ideas or slogans that are sure to pop up in people’s minds when they think of your company or its product?  If so, then you need to make sure that these are the ones you use when you set up a website.  Give your website designer all the information that they need in order to maintain your brand’s identity.  Be clear about the types of images and text you’re going to need to appeal to your demographic.  Consider the following two examples that might help clarify this point:

  • Selling to Hipsters.  If you’re selling clothes to hipsters, your brand needs to appeal to this demographic.  The images you use will need to speak to your clientele.  The font used on your website can be casual.  The content should be eclectic rather than promotional.  If a certain celebrity is a spokesperson for your brand, you can follow them and quote them.
  • Selling to Middle-Aged Professionals.  On the other hand, let’s say you’re selling real estate to middle-aged people.  In this case, you’ll need to have a solid, respectable look; you can’t be too casual.  Your images will have to be crisp and clear; they’ll have to convey a professional image.  You’ll probably want to use more blue in your web design because this is a color that people trust.  You’ll use a regular font rather than something handwritten.
  • Keeping Your Clientele in Mind.  No matter what you’re selling, your brand has to reflect your clientele.  At times, it might be possible to anticipate what your clients would like even if they haven’t seen it yet.  Steve Jobs was known for going with his vision with no reference to what his clients wanted from him.  However, he was still aiming to create something that would have mass appeal.  If you have an innovative idea that you feel strongly about when it comes to website design, then, by all means, give it a try.  However, try to keep your clientele in mind at all times.

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