Let's admit it, the age-old saying "Do not judge a book by its cover" is easier said than done. We're highly visual creatures, quick to form impressions the moment we see something—seven seconds to be exact. And although text still plays an important role in our processing of information, visuals are the primary drivers of engagement.

In the world of marketing, this is a claim you must take advantage of if you want to give your business a boost in the industry. The power of visual branding is not something we can ignore anymore; so many companies are rebranding nowadays to adapt to the latest trends and appeal to the taste of the digital generation.

There are so many ways good visual branding can do wonders for your business (and how Bold & Light can help you get there), but we've rounded it down to four points as we're well aware we can only hold your attention for so long.

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1. Good visual branding attracts attention

We are exposed to thousands of brands every single day, especially now with our heavy use of social media. On top of this, technology has enabled our environment to be more fast-paced than ever and has given us so much media to consume, decreasing the average human attention span to 8.25 seconds. This poses a challenge to business owners because how are they supposed to attract customers in such a saturated market and in so little time?

The key is a good visual branding strategy. And no, we don't just mean your business logo (fun fact though: 60% of consumers avoid companies with weird or unappealing logo designs even if they have good reviews). Your visual identity is so much more than the logo—colors, typography, tone, and a whole brand visual guide are also part of this. 

However, to come up with a good strategy, a lot of research has to be done on how to best align your visual identity with your business and its overall branding, and how psychology (of colors, for example) can impact the audience's perception of your brand. For some businesses, the best approach is to make their brand look upscaled or premium, while there are others that need to appear warm and approachable. We want to make sure your business is worth the 8.25 seconds of attention and is striking enough to leave a good impression afterwards, and so we won't throw random branding suggestions out there that are not backed by data or science.

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2. It sets your business apart

Much like your personal branding as an individual, branding is what makes a business unique. The global marketplace is getting more and more competitive every day, and whether you're launching a new brand, promoting an existing one, or doing a rebrand, it's important to stand out from your competition. You've worked too hard on building your business only for it to be another generic, forgettable name in the market. This is where a unique visual branding strategy can help.

A distinct visual brand identity should include at least a few things: a striking color scheme, brand-appropriate graphics, and a memorable logo. Nowadays, people also tend to buy from companies whose branding leans toward the premium, aesthetic, or hip side. Apple is proof of this. Not only are Apple devices themselves high-end, but the company has also built a reputation for innovation, quality, and trendiness. Because of this branding, Apple can charge more than twice as much as their competitors, and the market accepts this because of the perception that it is a premium brand. This is how powerful visual branding is in helping your business stand out – if developed and executed correctly.

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3. Consistent visual branding creates trust and builds loyalty

Establishing a visual identity is a form of storytelling. All elements that make up branding, including visuals, make up the entire identity of your business. And since your branding will be telling your business' story for you, it has to be cohesive and consistent. Inconsistent branding lessens credibility and makes it harder for your audience to recognize you, and of course, consumers won't put their trust in a brand they don't know well or perceive as reliable. An elevated visual branding also helps build credibility. In fact, a study from the University of Melbourne says people are more likely to trust websites or applications that are visually appealing.

Once you have established a customer base who is loyal to your brand, consistent visual branding will make them stay too. Since they already know what to expect from your business, the chances of them straying and exploring competing brands are low. Another upside to this is that customer retention is said to be easier and cheaper than customer acquisition. Not only do repeat customers tend to spend more on a brand they are loyal to, but they will most likely promote your business too. And nothing beats the feeling of having your customer base advocating for your business for free (and it's highly effective, too)!

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4. Good visual branding can speak to your consumers on an emotional level

Aside from establishing a physically memorable brand, marketers also take advantage of a strategy called emotional branding to invoke strong emotions from their audience and form a relationship with them. Before you can expect people to be loyal to your brand, of course you would have to establish a connection with them. Consumers tend to make purchase decisions based on emotions, not logic.

A good visual branding that makes use of the right images, colors, and style can help you form a connection with your customers. For example, for one of our clients, we use cool colors in our promotional and educational social media materials to convey trustworthiness and reliability, while for our community engagement posts for the same client, we use warm palettes so that we can appear more approachable and friendly. 

A business that does not take advantage of branding strategies to make itself stand out is only setting itself up for failure. Remember, your visual branding has to be at least four things for it to make a good and lasting impression: attractive, unique, consistent, and memorable.

We at Bold & Light can help you with this – by elevating the visual design of your brand, you are also driving the sales of your business. Leave us a message to get started with this journey!