We haven’t quite decked Valuable Content Towers in bunting, but we’re getting into the Royal Wedding spirit by celebrating the perfect couple. And while we wish Kate and William all the luck in the world, our perfect couple is something quite different. At Valuable Content, the marriage made in heaven is ‘content and design.’
As wordsmiths, you might expect Sonja and I to argue for the supremacy of the written word. But the deeper we get into the world of brilliant content, the more strongly we realise the inseparable link between what we do and design. The greatest words in the world won’t get read if the design’s all over the place. The smoothest design in the world will trip up if the words don’t make good sense.
As Lizzie Everard, one of our favourite graphic designers puts it,
“Flashy, superfluous and self-indulgent design that exists for itself is like having a Prada handbag filled with Superdrug costmetics.
but…
Brilliant, well-crafted words and insights that are not dressed for the party will miss all the fun.”
People won’t take your words seriously if they’re not professionally presented. And they will be equally disappointed if your design makes empty promises.
Iain Claridge, the Valuable Content web designer agrees.
“First Impressions are lasting impressions.
The visual design of a company’s logo, its products, its website, printed matter, etc should not be optional concerns. In a split-second someone can look at a shoddily designed website and decide “This company doesn’t look professional enough.” There is a critical period in the very first moments a potential customer sees a logo, product or marketing material that informs the rest of their relationship with that customer. There is always the danger that without an appealing aesthetic front, a potential client will have written you off mentally before you ever make it to delivering the meat of your pitch. Oh… and consistency is key.
Strong visual design generally promotes a clear, consistent identity, which in turn reinforces trust.”
So, to inspire trust and instill confidence and to give your content the very best chance of being loved, you need both; the great words and strong design.
All our projects start design and content simultaneously – and we run the two together – design and content, back and forward. It means we’re not just thinking of the message, but of the way the words work on the page. We favour clarity and simplicity of both text and visuals, always approaching both with ‘what does the reader/user want here?’
Get the marriage right, and your content will live happily ever after.
Five things to bear in mind when designing your content:
- Readability. Can your reader quickly find the information they need? Pay attention to the layout and look of your copy. A clear structure and hierarchy, carefully selected typography, use of headers, bullets and call outs all help.
- Images for interest. Give your words a focus and your readers pause for thought with graphical interest – helping you tell your story and hold their attention.
- Consistency. As Iain Claridge says, a consistent theme or a thread to your content design will give you a recognisable identity and means the reader knows what to expect. Keep it neat and tidy and make your content more usable.
- Space. It’s a busy, crowded world. Give your readers some thinking space by not over-stuffing your content.
- Attractive content works better. Look professional. Show your readers that you care.
That’s our view from the content perspective. We’d be fascinated to know what the design fraternity thinks. What do we all need to consider when designing great content?
I couldn’t agree more. I’d just say emphasise that when you get this right it not only makes you look more professional, but it is more powerful, engaging, motivating…
I think most marketing (including content), even when professionally presented, is plain DULL. To really work brilliantly the content and design have to come together in a way that makes sparks fly – something has to happen. I guess it’s like two people coming together (to follow your analogy) – sometimes “there’s chemistry” and sometimes there isn’t.
I see a lot of marketing without chemistry…