As all businesses know, earning your customers’ trust and operating professionally are requirements of success. However, what happens when those core values come into jeopardy? Poor graphic design decreases a business’s credibility. In fact, research shows that it takes just 7 seconds for someone to form an impression of your brand.
Forge Apollo is a digital marketing, video, and graphic design agency in Chester County, PA. In this blog, we will discuss the dangers of bad graphic design, including legal effects, to ensure that your business avoids these mistakes. Keep reading to learn more.
What is Graphic Design? (Good and Bad)
Before discussing how bad graphic design negatively impacts a brand, let’s understand what exactly graphic design is. Principles of graphic design apply visual elements to convey messages. Graphic designers do this through shape, color, texture, spatial relations, typography, and more. In print and digital media, graphic design shows emotion, brand voice, and consistency.
Good Graphic Design
Good graphic design is easy to spot. It is visually appealing, uncluttered, and has a clear message. Have you ever looked at a logo and been pleasantly surprised by its cleverness and readability?
For example, our graphic designers created a simplistic and effective logo for Impact Recycling Partners. The colors are appealing, the design is uncluttered, and the font is timeless. The logo also differentiates itself with a clever take on the typical “reduce, reuse, recycle” symbol.
Bad Graphic Design
Bad graphic design is messy and lacks focus. Have you ever seen a flyer and struggled to read it because of poor layout, font choice, or color scheme? It can be frustrating!
Some elements we see in bad graphic designs are:
- Lack of branding consistency
- Poor color selection
- Too many fonts or illegible fonts
- Lack of ADA compliance
- Dated designs
- Cluttered layouts
- Excessive text
The flyer below is the perfect example. Too many images, text, and colors in a small space are distracting and challenging to understand. Loud colors compete with one another, making the flyer difficult to read.
Eliminating all non-essential text and simplifying the background would be a great way to improve this graphic. Changing the font and color combination to something classic and simple could also increase readability.
How Bad Graphic Design Hurts Your Business
While graphic design can give your company an advantage when done correctly, it can also hurt it when done poorly. Here are some dangers to be aware of.
Appearing Unprofessional
The wrong logo, font selection, or product packaging can deter customers from trusting you. It is essential to match your company’s appearance to its brand voice.
A cohesive appearance shows authority and professionalism. Research even shows that 94% of first impressions are related to design and that constant branding can increase revenues by up to 23%.
Michele Kusmanick, a graphic design expert at Forge Apollo, explains that “poor graphic design makes a company look unprofessional and careless, which can ruin its credibility.”
Loss of Customers and Sales
Customers value high-quality graphic design. Amateur graphics can cost you customers and profit. Tropicana learned this the hard way in 2009 when it redesigned its infamous logo. Its new, modern, and generic look upset customers. The company reportedly saw a 20% decrease in sales and lost 30 million dollars.
A good graphic designer creates content that resonates with your audience.
Diminishing Engagement
Ineffective graphic design hinders customer interaction. Customers who can’t find what they want on a flyer, business card, email, or infographic will likely stop engaging.
This means a customer’s first impression of promotional material is critical to their interaction with your brand. Valuable information must be shared correctly to promote engagement. Consistent branding, simple color schemes, uncluttered layouts, and legible fonts help with accessibility.
Violating ADA Regulations
The Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with disabilities and ensures equality. Legally, there are standards for the accessibility of both print and digital marketing materials. Failure to meet these standards can result in fines of up to $150,000. Accessibility regulations apply to design structure, color contrast, and more. The professional graphic designers at Forge Apollo understand ADA compliance and can help your company avoid hefty fines.
One example is color contrast, which refers to the differences in brightness between foreground text and its background. Using appropriate color contrast on your print and digital advertisements ensures that people with color blindness and impaired vision can read your material.
Blending In With Competitors
Forge Apollo’s graphic design expert emphasizes that “if your branding doesn’t look polished or unique, then you will get lost in a crowded market.” Bad typography, dull color schemes, and inconsistent designs lack a unique personality. Your brand should be memorable and distinctive.
Get Great Graphic Design from Forge Apollo
Now that we have discussed the dangers of poor graphic design, here are some tips to improve your strategy.
- Choose fonts wisely
- Prioritize simplicity
- Stay consistent
- Implement visual hierarchy
- Follow ADA regulations
- Remove unnecessary text
Most importantly, though, recognize when it is time to ask for help! Forge Apollo, a graphic design agency in Chester County, is here to assist with all of your graphic design needs. We specialize in everything from logos, business cards, and emails to social media graphics, presentation decks, and ADA compliance. Contact us today to improve your graphic design!
