Rodrigo Lizarraga Shares Graphic Design Tips for Social Media Strategies

“Don’t distract the user’s attention from your brand message, but make the branding simple to find.” ~ Rodrigo Lizarraga

Examples of Rodrigo Lizarraga's clientele. Image: aeriformstudios.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - These days, consumers are surrounded by information both offline and online, and their sensory system must receive those inputs and transmit them to their brain.

While perception (the act of recognizing them interpreting those inputs) comes in several forms including taste, smell, sound and touch, 90% of the information which reaches the brain is visual and this makes visual perception most important of all.

It’s no wonder, then, that designers and marketers today have begun to recognize how important it is to use visual materials when coming up with their marketing strategies, and Rodrigo Lizarraga, an art director and graphic designer, has given us his top design tips for creating social media graphics to make sure that your message really stands out from the crowd.

The Use of Visual Materials in Social Media Marketing Campaigns

However brilliant the text may be, it won’t be noticed unless great visuals accompany it so that people’s attention can be grabbed while they’re browsing online.

“When it comes to telling the story of a company through graphics, it’s vital to bear in mind all the strategic goals that apply to the specific marketing channel,” Lizarraga points out.

“Social media marketing works for a different purpose for different types of business. Designers must, therefore, create their visual materials to suit the individual brand model and its marketing strategy.

"Tone, colors, typography... all must be considered so that the design supports the brand’s ethos and also the platform on which the design is appearing.”

Visual Content Types

Lizarraga points to:

• Graphics – unique illustrations and original graphics help content stand out when users are browsing social media feeds.
• Photographs – creative and eye-catching photos are ideal for demonstrating what happens behind the scenes.
• Videos – videos get more engagement than any other form of content on top social media platforms.
• Animations – these grab the attention of followers and can show sneak peeks of stories that are about to be told.
• Quotes – quote cards are inspiring and can be shared easily on social media to reflect the brand values.
• Screenshots – informative screenshots allow long descriptions to be avoided.
• Data visualizations – diagrams, charts, maps and infographics help to make difficult information more understandable.
• E-books – thanks to their ability to mix visual materials with textual information ebooks are ideal.
• Presentations – slides represent a great tool to make data coherent and more structured. They assist in communicating to the target audience, particularly for B2B companies.

How To Create Visual Content That Engages

Using Color: “Color can affect the user’s mood significantly,” Lizarraga says.

“If you choose the right shade, you can communicate effectively. Designers must bear in mind the brand message that they’re communicating as well as the brand’s tone of voice so that they can get the color right.”

Visuals must be eye-catching – it’s rare for a user to visit a company page in order to check out their recent posts. Rather, they scroll their news feed and look at updates.

That means you have under a second to grab the user’s attention and make them stop to read the message.

“Avoid monotonous combinations of color,” Lizarraga recommends.

“Try inserting new tints. This applies even if you’ve chosen a customized color palette reflecting the personality of your brand. Don’t shy away from bright shades – pops of color can surprise followers and increase their engagement.”

He warns, though, that balance needs to be maintained to prevent images from appearing overwhelming.

Using Contrast: Contrast may relate to color, shape, texture, type and layout. It provokes the visual sense and grab the attention which couldn’t be more important when users only briefly scroll through the news feed.

“Contrast allows you to organize graphical objects so the focus can be placed on a specific visual element,” Lizarraga explains.

“Contrast strengthens design ideas and connects and complements elements, but done wrong it can make an entire image confusing and meaningless.”

Using Typography: It’s harder to make people stop to read the text on an image than to make them stop and see the picture in the first place. Therefore, choosing the correct structure and font is imperative.

Messages must be comprehensible and clear, and legible enough to see on even a small screen.

“Remember, though, that images that are heavily focused on text are boring. Add icons related to the brand message, or try playing with weights, colors and sizes.” Lizarraga suggests.

Integrating Branding: Visuals are frequently shared via social media so making sure the company can be instantly recognized is key. Branding needs to be added to every image with mentions of the company name and website.

“Don’t distract the user’s attention from your brand message,” Lizarraga points out, “but make the branding simple to find.”

Since visual graphics have a vital part to play in today’s social media marketing campaigns, it’s imperative for designers to bear in mind the company’s marketing goals when designing visuals for this purpose.

By following Rodrigo Lizarraga’s advice, it is possible to achieve success via your unique marketing strategy.

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.