The importance of a strong brand identity cannot be overstated in today’s competitive economy, where consumers are saturated with innumerable options. According to research, the vast majority of consumers – 80% to be exact – examine a brand and its visuals before choosing which goods or services to purchase. This emphasises the critical role branding plays in driving ROI and gaining potential clients’ attention and trust. The importance of good design becomes even more apparent in the area of financial marketing, where trust and reputation are vital.
Visual communication: trust and effectiveness
Capturing clients’ attention in an age of information overload has become increasingly difficult. According to studies, 31% of customers believe pictures are more successful than text alone in expressing information. This predilection for visual material highlights the importance for your finance brand to prioritise strong design in its communication strategy.
Speaking to The Dubs’ Executive Creative Director, Tristan Fawley, good design is “Design that’s emotive and elicits engagement.”
He continues, “Creating any content without defining its purpose is worthless. Therefore, how the content is distributed will drive its design considerations. For example, long-form videos on YouTube are very different to short-form TikTok videos. Always consider how the content will be consumed and let that drive how it’s designed.”
The impact of good design on financial success
The impact of design goes beyond attracting attention and successfully presenting information. It’s been demonstrated to have a tangible impact on the success of finance brands.
“ 57% of marketers believe a strong brand identity aids in revenue growth.”
Graphic design has been proven to increase sales, improve ROI, reduce customer attrition, and raise conversions. According to a recent study, 57% of marketers believe a strong brand identity aids in revenue growth. This demonstrates the link between good design, branding, and financial performance.
“Effective design plays a crucial role in all stages of the audience journey,” explains Fawley. “From arresting imagery on social media to a social formatted video, to optimised webpages, design is key to ensuring high engagement and a return on investment.”
Defining good design and branding
Aesthetics are only one aspect of good design; it also includes the strategic use of visual elements to communicate your brand’s values, personality, and purpose. It entails developing a consistent and visually appealing identity that engages the target audience. A good design reflects the essence of your finance brand, elicits emotions, and instils confidence and trustworthiness.
However, branding encompasses the entire customer experience, from visual components like logos, colour schemes, and typography to messaging, tone of voice, and overall brand positioning. It’s the process of creating a distinct and appealing identity that distinguishes a finance brand from its competitors and builds a strong relationship with its target audience.
Fawley suggests marketers, ”Understand the environment it sits in and ensure it delivers on the objectives set for it.” He adds, “Simple considerations such as does a design fit a mobile screen without scrolling will be a key driver in its ability to function.”
The benefits of good design and branding for finance brands
- Trust and credibility: A well-designed brand identity instils client trust and credibility. It assists your finance brand in establishing a positive reputation and distinguishing itself in a congested market.
- Brand awareness and recall: A strong brand identity with a memorable design fosters brand awareness and recall. When presented with a variety of options, people are more inclined to select a brand they can quickly recognise and recall.
- Emotional connection: Good design has the ability to elicit emotions and create an emotional connection with customers. Your finance brand may develop loyalty and long-term partnerships by appealing to customers’ emotions.
- Cohesion and consistency: A well-executed design and branding strategy ensures consistency across several touchpoints. Consistency fosters familiarity, trust, and promotes the underlying values of your finance brand.
- Competitive advantage: In a highly competitive industry, effective design and branding can help you stand out. It enables your finance brand to differentiate itself from the competition, acquire new clients, and keep existing ones.
Final tips and tricks
There are a number of things to consider when executing a good design. “Always consider how audiences will see and interact with it, not just how you see it yourself,” explains Fawley.
“What works for one environment will not for another, create a bespoke approach to allow designs to be optimised to different environments, such as desktop versus mobile, YouTube versus TikTok or even print versus digital.”
The most vital tip Fawley can impart is that design can’t be a one size fits all approach. “For a design to be effective it has to be appropriate to how it will be distributed and consumed.”
The future of good design for finance brands
Just like with any marketing trend or strategy, it’s important you remain diligent in staying up to date. Outdated design can be a major deterrent for clients and negatively impact your finance brand.
Speaking to Fawley, he identifies the following as the key trends to look out for. “Mobile, mobile, mobile. Ensuring all content when designed has mobile consumption front of mind is essential.”
He continues, “For social cards, this might be font sizing, for video, social publishing dictates format size (1:1) and the need to include subtitles as the video will auto-play with sound off. The mobile audience is now the main audience, any design not considering mobile is set to fail.”
The importance of effective design for your finance brand cannot be overstated. As consumers increasingly consider and critique brands before making purchasing decisions, it’s critical to invest in a strong brand identity that successfully communicates your values, establishes trust, and distinguishes you from the competition.
Good design and branding are critical tools for your financial success in today’s visually-driven environment, with the capacity to enhance sales, improve ROI, reduce churn, and raise conversions.
