Do You Need to Hire a Web, Graphic, or Brand Designer?
Web designers, graphic designers, brand designers. If you’re anything like I was, you could be wondering what’s the difference? These terms might sound nebulous and interchangeable, but have no fear! Today we’re going to break them down and take away the mystery.
Which one you need (or want) will depend on a few different factors like the stage of business you’re at, what you currently have established, etc. But by the end of this post you’ll feel confident in knowing which one to choose right now.
Ready to dive in?
Let’s do it!
What is Web Design?
According to the Interaction Design Foundation:
“Web design refers to the design of websites that are displayed on the internet. A web designer works on the appearance, layout, and in some cases, content of a website.”
Appearance can mean colors, fonts, and images, while layout usually refers to the spacing and placement of elements on the page. Content is - of course - the words, images, and content found on the website pages.
Web design can also refer to the back-end development of a website (think coding). But with the variety of website building platforms available today, coding is no longer the only way to go.
Platforms such as Wordpress do continue to include code-heavy elements, but other builders like Shopify, Squarespace, and Showit have a much easier learning curve and are often perfect for DIYers.
And for those feeling a bit adventurous you can usually include coded elements on sites built with these platforms for a really unique touch.
It’s important to note that web design can include a variety of services, but these are unique to each web designer. One designer might include copywriting services in their packages (writing all the words that go on your site) while another might not.
Side note: if you do want help with copywriting, going with a web designer is going to be your best bet out of these choices (other than a straight up copywriter). Graphic and brand designers don’t typically handle that service, but many web designers do.
Be sure you thoroughly vet any designer you choose to work with and that you have a clearly outlined agreement of services before work begins.
Who is Web Design For?
Web design is for anyone who doesn’t have the time, skills, or inclination to build or redesign their own site.
Basically anyone who doesn’t want to do it themselves!
That is, of course, assuming your business has or needs a website (spoiler alert: every business does need a website!) Now, you might have heard the argument that you don’t need a website to start your business - and that’s absolutely true.
But you DO need a website to help grow your business, contribute to establishing your online presence, and quite frankly help your business seem more legit.
Don’t worry though - that doesn’t mean you need a huge 15+ page site! Depending on the type of business you have it could be as small as one page! (Although I’d say the average is about 5 pages.)
For those businesses that just need a landing page or 2 (think realtor, band, nonprofit/charity, etc.) you can think of it as a digital business card. A place you can direct people to in order to gather data (email address) or give quick information (tour dates, how to donate, etc.)
Web design is also generally for businesses that already have an established brand (or are working with a brand designer).
That doesn’t mean that the business itself is well-established (loyal customer base or well known). It just means the business already has a logo, colors, and general theme picked out. These elements are crucial pieces the web designer needs in order to construct the site.
Note: Given that you can find web designers in just about every price range, cost should not be a determining factor in who can hire a web designer. If you want someone else to handle it, go out there and hire them!
What is Graphic Design?
The American Institute of Graphic Arts defines graphic design as
“the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content”
If that sounded like word soup to you (as it did to me), let’s break it down.
Basically graphic design uses visual elements to communicate specific messages and/or ideas. Graphic design is often used by companies to promote and sell products (ahem… every commercial ever).
Side note: can we talk about the evolution of commercials for a second? Before the rise of streaming media and content, commercials were something we were forced to sit through in order to get the show we actually wanted to see.
They were usually about 30 seconds long (except for the infomercials that were at least 30 mins long!) and were unskippable. That meant advertisers (and graphic designers) had 30 seconds to convey their message and convince us to buy their product.
Now they have about 5 seconds to capture our attention before we can click the Skip button. 5 seconds! That means graphic designers and advertisers are working SUPER hard to get the message across as quickly as possible.
Graphic design isn’t just commercials though (although I think you can technically lump it in with advertising.) Elements of graphic design can include color, line, shape, size, texture, form, etc. A graphic designer will use balance, contrast, and movement with these elements to tell a visual story.
Graphic design tells a story, usually for a brand.
Who is Graphic Design For?
Graphic design is for a business in need of an initial theme (logo/color palette) or a re-brand. It’s also for businesses who want some splashy images or graphics to use on their website or other media.
There is a big difference between a graphic designer and a brand designer, and it’s important to note that graphic design services will not include all elements of brand design like color theory, typography, and cohesiveness to attract customers (more on that later.)
An easy way to think about it is like this: brand design is the level-up from graphic design. Now, I’m not hating on graphic designers or saying they’re not as good as brand designers. Not at all! Graphic designers are amazing creatives that produce beautiful work!
I’m just noting the difference between the two.
A graphic designer will most likely take quite a bit of direction from their client - creating images and designs the client specifies (similar to getting a tattoo from an artist in a tattoo parlor.) The client tells the designer what they want and the designer creates it.
Brand design is just a more holistic approach, and we’ll get into that in the next section.
Graphic design services can be used by both new and established businesses. It’s definitely worth picking a designer’s brain to see what they might update or refresh on your current site, especially if it hasn’t been touched for a while (12+ months.)
What is Brand Design?
According to ignytebrands.com brand design
“is the process of crafting visual identity, your brand’s signature look and feel that is instantly recognizable in a crowded market landscape. To create a visual identity that refuses to be ignored, you need strategic, intentional brand design.”
I also really like how they sum it up:
“A strong brand is more than just a pretty face. But that doesn’t mean a pretty face isn’t important. Enter brand design.”
As I mentioned previously, brand design is the more holistic, leveled up approach to graphic design. Brand design services will include logo creation, color palette, font choice (or typography), texture and pattern, photography, video, animation, etc.
The creation of a brand requires research (customer and market) and a pre-planned strategy in addition to design elements and thoughtful visuals. This is the up-leveled service you’ll get from a brand designer.
The key element that separates brand design from graphic design is experience and inclusion. A brand designer will create (or recreate) your business’ identity and face that is presented to the world.
A graphic designer will help with the visual elements, but ultimately you are the one crafting your business’ story and identity.
Neither is inherently better than the other - it all depends on what stage you’re at in your business.
Who is Brand Design For?
Brand design is for anyone just starting out in their business that wants help creating an authentic face to present to the world.
It’s also for businesses that are ready for a rebrand or refresh, and since brand design influences how people perceive your brand it can be an especially important item to put on your to-do list.
A well-designed brand will increase market recognition, leading to increased customers. Good branding will also help you retain customers, which is even more important than finding new ones!
Well-planned and established branding can also help you build that know-like-trust factor with current and potential customers. And as we all know, people have to trust you before they hand over their hard-earned cash.
If you’re not sure how to create visuals that speak to your ideal customer, or aren’t sure how to tie everything together in a smooth way, brand design just might be for you!
As with all things, research here is key. Finding the right designer who gets you and your vision might take a few tries, but it’s so worth it! Speaking from personal experience, when you can connect and just click with a person it makes working together so much easier.
