November 7 2016
There’s no escaping the fact that the internet is a major factor in almost everything we do today. For business of all sizes, this means that the internet can be anything from a useful way to connect with customers to the heart of their business. Whatever the case, everything the business does on the internet should have a certain look and style and this is where a creative agency comes in. But what are they and why would your business use one?
What these businesses do can vary a little from one company to another. For example, a creative agency in London may list certain services that aren’t offered by one in Manchester. But the general view of a creative agency is that they are the people that create and design your part of the internet – this includes the company website, social media platforms and can include areas such as email and print design as well as advertising content and appearance.
At the heart of this work is the concept of branding, a major talking point in internet design at the moment. The creative agency can help a business create a brand and then transfer that brand to everything they do. Good branding is the way a business gets a customer to stay on their website for more than the three seconds it takes to read a headline or a product title. It is also the way that a company gets customers to read an email or click an advert.
Good branding is crucial for business success because it is the strong foundation on which all work is done. Professional looking websites, social media platforms and other communications instil confidence in people – we are a very visual species and we make snap judgements based on what things look like.
Therefore, by creating a solid, quality look for a business, you can become recognisable to customers. They might see your latest Facebook update and recognise the brand from their shopping experience on your website. They are then more likely to engage with it and even share it on to their friends in the internet version of word of mouth.
A consistent approach to all interactions on the internet makes people think that the brand is trustworthy and serious about their business – even if they use a little humour in their branding! A good brand attracts attention and reassures people that the company is a legitimate one, with good quality services or products and plays down the nagging fear of untrustworthy companies or scams that we all have on the internet.
Now there are lots of great pieces of software out there that allow you to make some elements of branding yourself. And if you have graphic design talents then you can probably do a bit more. But there is no substitute for the professional standard that a creative agency can offer. And by using a creative agency in London if you live in the city, you can even meet up with them, go over things in person.
Another advantage of the creative agency is that they are at the cutting edge of things. These people know the latest technology to use, trends to include and are constantly dealing with the real world application of their designs. It takes time to learn all of this and when you are running a business, you often don’t have the time to get up to speed on all these additional areas.
So you have decided that you want to work with a creative agency – but which one? There are some solid tips to help you make that decision but much of it is down to how you feel. Are you comfortable with the people at the agency? Do they ‘get’ what you want?
Look at their portfolio and the work that they have done in the past – does it resonate with you? Can you use ideas from it to inspire your own website? Look at their workload and how much time and manpower they can dedicate to you. A good balance is an agency with lots of ongoing work but also time to give your project the attention it deserves.
Whether you have a firm idea of what your branding should involve or are happy to let the experts take over, working with a creative agency is definitely the best approach to getting it right. That way, your business will be recognisable, trustworthy and everything will look great.