Visual branding refers to the visible layer of a brand, and the visual cues that become associated with a business or product.
The immediate thing we think of when we hear visual branding is perhaps the centerpiece of any visual identity: The logo. However, visual branding also includes patterns that are less immediately obvious:
- how you structure layouts
- which images represent the brand
- spacing between elements
- how “formal” or “casual” things appear
It’s important to consider that visual branding is not the brand itself, but it is the visual expression of it.
Take a website or a poster, and cover up all the text. Would you still be able to tell which brand it came from? If the answer is yes, the branding is obviously doing its job.
What role does visual branding play in trust?
Visual branding is vital because we respond to visual stimuli much faster than we are able to read and process text. In other words: We make visual judgements before we start reading.
Consistent visual branding helps with recognition, familiarity and trust. Creating that sense of recognition of something familiar can be powerful for a brand.
For a small business, visuals can even be a substitute for reputation. When people don’t know you yet, visual consistency can signal seriousness, care and instill trust.
To achieve this, it’s important that nothing appears coincidental. More so than being “flashy”, appearing deliberate is key when crafting a visual brand.
The core elements of a visual brand
Visual branding is usually made up of several components working together. While each can be recognizable on its own, clients will notice when these elements are designed to form something more than the sum of their parts.
The logo
The centerpiece of many visual brands, a logo is the most immediate identifier for a brand. However, it is not a full visual system on its own, and only in rare cases can it carry a brand alone.
Color palette
Alongside a logo, you’ll often see a carefully chosen color palette. It can really do a lot of heavy lifting, both on the emotional and practical level. The color palette sets tone, aids in recognition and creates hierarchy.
Strong brands tend to stick to using a few colors, and using them very deliberately and consistently.
Typography
How a brand uses fonts can communicate both personality and level of seriousness. You know this instinctively already from simply living modern life, and interacting with visual branding multiple times a day.
Fonts can signal anything from how modern or traditional a brand wants to appear, to its level of formality vs friendliness, to how technical or approachable it wants to be.
Again, most successful brands use a careful selection of very few fonts, usually one or two, to communicate their personality and tone to the customer.
Use of imagery and icons
Visual elements such as images or icons are also part of the visual brand and work in concert with the other elements we’ve mentioned so far.
They can be realistic or abstract, playful or restrained, but the important thing is once again to make these choices deliberately.
Layout and spacing
It’s easy to think of layout and spacing as something of less importance, but think back to all the times you’ve noticed that something appears cluttered, messy or hard to read.
How you use white space, group information together, and where you want to draw attention first: It’s all consequential and fundamental to a visual brand.
Consistency is everything
When running a business, non-designers frequently have to make design decisions. Whether that’s done in collaboration with a designer or not, one consideration is more important than any other: Consistency.
To put it another way: Consistency beats creativity.
Constant reinvention or wild swings at creative designs can signal volatility and reduce trust, which is the opposite of what you want.
Consistency means that you take care to repeat the same visual patterns, use the same colors and fonts, and keep layouts familiar across surfaces. It’s better to be boring and consistent than flashy and chaotic.
Occasionally, brands will absolutely take some wild swings during campaigns or limited runs or seasonal variations, but these often work because they’re exceptions to the rule.
Visual branding is not just for the website
It’s important to remember that a website is just one of many stops your client may take to reach you and interact with your brand.
In fact, in a lot of cases, other places matter even more:
- Invoices and estimates (Conta lets you put your logo on all invoices, for example)
- Proposals and PDFs
- Email templates
- Trade show materials
- Social media posts
- Presentations
Being inconsistent with these has consequences: If one of these is out of line with the rest, clients will notice.
Likewise, if all of these appear out of the same visual gene pool so to speak, they can support and enhance your credibility without even saying a word.
You can create all your invoices with ease using Conta, and even add your brand’s logo. Get started with invoicing here.
Common mistakes businesses make
These mistakes are easy to make, which is why people make them so often:
They start with a logo
It’s easy to think this is where you should start, but a logo without context is a hard thing to build from. Instead of starting with visuals in isolation, it’s more useful to think systematically about context.
- Who is it for?
- What is my business offering?
- In what situations will people encounter my brand?
- What does it need to feel trustworthy or familiar?
Mixing too many styles
A clash caused by mixing styles can be deeply harmful to a brand. Think of it as visual noise, it’s unpleasant to the viewer.
Chasing trends
Design trends are fleeting, aim for something that will work over time. Of course, it’s virtually impossible to create a visual brand that endures forever, but take a look at which brands have endured vs those who haven’t. You’ll see a pattern emerging.
Inconsistency across surfaces
A polished website paired with messy invoices sends mixed signals. Again, consistency is the key.
Take note: This is primarily a question of coordination. You have the website, now make the other touchpoints consistent with it.
How much branding is enough?
Just like consistency, restraint is another virtue when it comes to visual branding.
At an early stage, businesses usually need:
- one logo
- a small color palette
- one or two fonts
- a consistent approach to layouts
That’s a good start. If you’ve made conscious choices about all of these, you’ve already given this more consideration than most.
When your business starts growing, however, is when it’s time to consider expanding your visual brand. If you’ve been consistent up to this point, elaborating should feel intuitive and you’ll be more equipped to apply that “I know it when I see it” instinct.
Also, this kind of evolution doesn’t require a full visual overhaul. It’s an iterative process of you taking notice of what worked, repeating it, and most importantly: Being able to let go of what didn’t.
Put it like this: The work you put into your visual branding at an early stage, will pay dividends.
