When businesses look to save money and cut costs, graphic design services are often the first victim. With free apps like Canva providing basic design tools, it’s tempting to try and do everything yourself. Sometimes this is the only option, but a good graphic designer is still valuable to every business.

What does a graphic designer do for a business?

Start with logo design. Even for those of us who are design-oriented, actually coming up with an effective logo can be difficult.

Having aesthetic appreciation or the tools for the job doesn’t necessarily mean having the skill. Ever heard the phrase ‘all the gear, and no idea’?

A graphic designer has market experience and knowledge, which is an excellent starting point. They know what other people are doing, and why they’re doing it.

Importantly though, they also understand how to translate this into a logo which represents your business. In reality though, graphic design isn’t just about logo design.

Branding is the way that your business communicates with your audience. It forms your identity using colour schemes, fonts, imagery, tone of voice, layout, and more.

These work together to tell your audience, almost subconsciously, what your business is and does. It makes your business, marketing and website so much more professional and effective.

Making a good first impression with your business

Your logo is often the first impression that customers get, so it needs to paint the right picture. Good logo design is harder than it looks, needing to do multiple jobs to effectively communicate the business’s personality directly to your target audience.

It means that what makes a great logo for one company, might not work well for another.

Website and social media headers are also important for a good first impression. They need to be eye-catching without being obnoxious, and informative without being overwhelming. They need to match your audience, without missing the mark.

This is harder than it sounds, but a graphic designer will know what approach to take, and save you from having to figure it all out yourself.

Ongoing graphics

If you’re posting blogs on your website, (and our friends at Team Organic are passionate about websites doing this) it looks better if it includes a featured image. This same graphic can be used on social media when you share your blog posts.

Images do better on social media than just plain text, so an eye-catching graphic with your blog post title and your URL is key to people engaging with it.

On a similar note, as images do well on social media, so do infographics. If you can turn your blog posts, research findings or tips and tricks into shareable infographics this can help drive engagement and conversion rates. The best infographics are created by professionals who know how to design them to include comprehensive information, without being too overwhelming.

Should I hire an in-house graphic designer, or out-source?

Are you going to hire a traditional, in-house employee? Will you be outsourcing to an agency or a freelancer?

If you don’t need regular design work, then it makes more sense to outsource to a freelancer or agency, rather than hire a full-time employee. If you’re looking to save money or just need occasional design work, then an agency or freelancer could be your best bet. That way, you can get help only if and when you need it. If you do take someone on, however, an in-house employee who knows your brand well is ideal.

Learn more business tips at our Guides and Videos hub, or view our online accountancy services for more help.

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About The Author

Christopher Jones

Forensics graduate-turned copywriter and blogger. I love turning complex topics into easy to understand, yet engaging pieces of content.

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