In a nutshell, digital design is the process of designing for the screen. This can encompass many different disciplines ranging from user experience design, user interface design, development, motion graphics and so on.
Whilst there are many different disciplines that fall under the digital design banner, the main focus for us at StudioBand® is centred around the company’s website and ensuring your brand is aligned across the key digital touch points. These include, but are not limited to, website, social media and electronic direct mail.
At StudioBand® we have always considered the company’s digital presence as key to building a successful brand. You website is often the first place your audience will visit so it is critical that this is a strong reflection of your brand’s vision and offering. As previously mentioned, digital design is a broad term that covers many different roles and disciplines. The digital design process is also quite broad and is often used as an umbrella term to describe any form of visual communication and content that users can interact with via a digital interface.
This implies that graphic designers, web designers, UX designers, and UI designers all fall into this category. In summary, digital design is usually an interactive element on a screen, be it a computer, phone, dashboard, or any other digital platform that helps build brand awareness.
Although this term is often used interchangeably with graphic design and web design, there are key differences in their functions.
Digital design can also involve movement — such as animation, 2D or 3D modeling — as well as audio or sound effects, that set out to complement the visual and interactive elements to achieve greater engagement.
In contrast to other forms of design, digital design usually focuses on building the visual aspect of a brand on the screen. Whilst that of the traditional graphic designer is often considered in relation to print.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that graphic design is exclusive to print media. Both disciplines share a lot of the same fundamentals that are required to create effective, distinct and smarter design outcomes.
It is often the case that digital designers begin their careers as traditional graphic designers yet they transition across to the digital space.
So in short, whilst graphic design isn’t exclusive to print, digital design does tend to be exclusive to the creation of digital assets however, it still requires the same or similar principles a trained graphic designer would adopt to create these assets.
In this modern era, where we spend so much time online, creating content that engages our online audience is critical.
According to website How to Geek, as of November 2022 there is an estimated 2 billion websites published on the internet. Along with all of these websites is the need for them to be designed.
Digital Design Leading to Competitive Advantage
Now this doesn’t necessarily mean that all of them are designed well, some may argue that the majority of them are actually designed at all. And this is where we believe the opportunity for ambitious brands lie.
Adopting smarter design can be an effective way of being more competitive in your market. Given that most of your competition haven’t invested in design, by simply investing in smarter design and in particular smarter digital design, it is likely you are achieving a competitive advantage.
It is often the case that digital designers begin their careers as traditional graphic designers yet they transition across to the digital space.
Some people may argue that this is not a necessary investment however, smarter digital design can lead to increased
distinctiveness meaning that it will be easily remembered by your user or audience.
Therefore, unlike traditional graphic designers or print designers, digital designers are responsible for much more than just the visual component.
They create digital content for a vast range of devices based on screen sizes whilst also considering the user experience, interactivity as well as the aesthetic balance of the design.
Therefore, it is critical that the digital design guarantees a worthwhile and satisfactory online experience for the user.
So why are these factors so important, well for one, without the above your website won’t be as visible on Google because Google rewards sites that have both returning visitors and greater engagement.
At StudioBand® we know that smarter digital design can not only increase the performance of your website, it will also make you more visible online when users are searching for your goods or services. Meaning that your brand will be more visible and ultimately more competitive in the digital space.
In today’s highly competitive market, digital design can play a vital role in modern brand and marketing strategy. In an evolving business environment where a vast majority of business transactions take place online, smarter and more effective digital design can allow brands to be more distinct and have a lot more impact and penetration in the marketplace.
Effective Digital Design
Effective digital design can truly elevate your brand. It can allow you to be more distinct, leading to greater memorability. It can also help you be more visible to your audience. It can even help customers return back to your website. How many times have you visited a website, had a good experience then used it again as a result.
With the pace of life constantly increasing, users online are always wanting things to be easy, to ensure they make their life easier, saving time and often money. Smarter digital design aids this ensuring your website becomes an enjoyable and easy experience for your user.
Smarter Digital Design
Technically, smarter digital design can ensure you are visible on Google. As previously mentioned, if your website’s usability is a positive experience for your user, it’s likely they will stay on your website for longer, giving you greater authority and trust which will aid your search engine rankings.
Smarter digital design can give a strong first impression to potential customers. Graphic designers work hand in hand with digital designers to help a brand be more distinct, to help your brand to stand out and maintain its visual consistency.
Since most businesses market and advertise their products and services online, having an effective and distinctive digital presence will give your brand an advantage over competitors.
Along with the obvious advantages already discussed, it is likely that by embracing smarter digital design you will see benefits in the following areas;
Improved Customer and User Experience
A user is more likely to purchase or visit again if they have a positive experience with your design. This suggests that providing a great user experience increases the chances of users engaging with your content, impacting customers’ purchasing decisions.
This is why UX designers focus specifically on the usability of your digital page by providing functional designs that are easy to use and navigate.
Communicate Your Information
Smarter digital design shares your brand’s story with the world. Your brand can reach its target market through this medium by using engaging visuals, audio, or sound effects on digital software.
The design of your website, the way it interacts with the user, the content it houses are all a reflection of your brand and should always be considered in the same context.
Increase Your Sales
An appealing digital design can contribute to a brand’s increased visibility, which, in turn, can reflect in the number of sales. This is critically important for business owners.
Through aesthetically pleasing designs, customers are attracted and retained. Therefore, having excellent and prominent visibility and communicating your brand effectively will increase brand awareness, ultimately presenting you with more opportunities.
Create Trust and Credibility
Investing in your website builds credibility for your brand and earns the trust of potential customers. Your website serves as the public face of your company, so it needs high-quality design and content.
For your business to grow and perform at its best, you must establish and maintain an active online presence. This makes smarter digital design vital to every brand, as without it, this would be difficult.
However, standing out visually can be a difficult task in today’s crowded digital world. For this reason, StudioBand® focusses on smarter digital design practices in order to provide the best digital design outcomes for clients based in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
Be More Visible, More Memorable, More Competitive
By offering highly distinct, visually engaging and interactive digital design outcomes, we are able to help your brand be more visible, be more memorable and be more competitive.
Smarter Digital Design is Embedded in our Culture
At StudioBand®, we have a team of highly skilled digital strategists, thinkers and designers who are passionate about enhancing your company’s online presence. Not only can we design and develop your website and enhance your digital presence, we can also design your digital content so that it is aesthetically pleasing and aligned with your brand’s long term vision.
Get in Touch
If you would like to chat further about digital design and how we can assist improving your digital presence, click here to get in touch and we can begin your digital growth journey.