Jeweller - October 2022

BUSINESS
Marketing & PR
How to create attention-grabbing content
using visual hierarchy
What separates the best from the rest when it comes to marketing?
SIMON DELL explains the five key principles of visual hierarchy.
Have you ever played one of those games
where you have to guess the name of a
brand based on the logo, with the twist
being that you’re purely looking at the
visual design aspect of the brand without
any words or text?
So, how’d you go? Were the visual
elements of each image enough for you to
ascertain the brand that they belong to?
This is an example of visual hierarchy; the
arrangement of graphic design elements
with each element having a unique order of
importance.
The weight of each visual element defines
its importance in a design’s hierarchy,
thereby visually communicating to the
audience on what to focus and the order in
which to perceive information.
When you’re able to identify McDonalds
fries based on the red and yellow fry
carton, or any Coca Cola product because
on the cherry red can with white ribbon
spacing, the owners of these brands are
clapping their hands in delight successful
the goals of their visual hierarchy have
been achieved.
The great thing about visual hierarchy
is that it can apply to different facets
of marketing - whether it is branding,
packaging or content. The most difficult of
the three, from an execution standpoint,
however, is content.
In today’s digital world brands have little
time in advertising to make an impact and
get a message across. In fact, research
has shown that brands have about eight
seconds to capture the attention of the
audience. Therefore, implementing a
brilliant content structure that is visually
appealing is the surest way to grab the
attention of your readers! How can you
create content where its visual elements
will engage with your audience?
By mastering the five key principles of
visual hierarchy.
Size matters
When it comes to visually attractive
content, bigger is better!
From the aspect of catching the eye, typography, logos or imagery that
are sized larger naturally become a focal point.
Content sizing is what helps guide the
human eye around a landing page, giving
readers a clear path to what aspects of
your content should to be read first and
providing them with an understanding of
the message you are trying to deliver.
From the aspect of catching the eye,
typography, logos or imagery that are sized
larger naturally become a focal point.
Cadbury is one company that uses huge,
funky typefaces to not only capture
your attention but also direct your eyes
towards the bottom of the page where the
advertisement’s final message lies.
Colour
Just like that cherry red Ferrari that you
see whizzing past you on the highway,
bright colours stand out, command
attention, and make a lasting impact.
Colour also plays a role in the psychology
of a buyer by tapping into emotions and
compelling people to make a purchase.
Take Tiffany & Co for example; its
advertisements meticulously combine
brand identification with images that
highlight magnificent gold and silver
products on contrasting backgrounds.
Be sure to include colour cleverly in your
content design principles.
Spacing
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to find
your car keys amongst a table full of clutter
“In today’s
digital world we
have little time
in advertising to
make an impact
and get our
message across.
In fact, research
has shown
that brands
have about
eight seconds
to capture the
attention of the
audience.”
and other oddities? The same applies for
content. Too often we seen content pieces
inundated with text-heavy information
and visuals that make it impossible to
understand what the message is.
That’s why it’s important to give your page
layout some breathing by focusing on
negative space and space utilisation.
For example, visit the website of healthcare
brand Quip. This funky alternative to
flossing might look a little strange at
first but Quip has cleverly used space to
separate the product from its header and
subheadings, giving viewers a clear idea of
what is on offer.
Alignment
Align your content so that it can be
processed effectively. Don’t be afraid to go
against the status quo, especially if it aligns
with your brand identity.
Consider scanning patterns and reading
patterns, in particular Z patterns and F
patterns. Always remember the rule of
thirds and consider using heat maps when
aligning your web design content.
Contrast
The final principle to consider for creating
visually attractive content is contrast.
Contrast can be an exceptionally fun tool to
utilise when incorporating visual hierarchy
into your digital marketing content piece.
Things such as fonts, colours, sizes, and
textures all solidify the message that
you’re trying to get across to your readers.
Remember that in a world where shoppers
are only allowing you eight seconds of their
time to impress, effectively designing your
content piece with the visual hierarchy in
mind can drastically improve your chances
of being noticed and creating a lasting user
experience.
SIMON DELL is co-founder and CEO
of Cemoh, a Brisbane-based firm that
provides marketing staff on demand.
He specialises in digital marketing and
brand management. Visit: cemoh.com
70 | October 2022