TOPICS WE’LL COVER…

• Why Design is Important to Communicators • Marketing and Design Fundamentals • How to Create and Implement Graphics (For Free!)

DESIGN MATTERS (no, really, it does)

A worldwide learning community for professionals committed

to improving the effectiveness of organizations

through strategic communication.

Noise vs. Signal • 800 Million active Facebook users • 900 Million Facebook objects

– Pages, groups, events, apps to interact with

• 250 Million photos uploaded DAILY • Over 200 Million Twitter accounts • 2 Billion videos watched / day on YouTube • Over 350 Million websites on the Internet

http://blog.schipul.com/a-visual-schipulcon-data-set-we-are-all-connected/

Make your message count

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8743214@N04/2697931573/

• Be clear • Be consistent • Be interesting • Be awesome

Don’t be this door http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrew-turnbull/4411650628

Be this door instead

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slopeypete/537913313

(GOOD) Design Makes Life Easier

Design speaks volumes

• Am I in the right place? • Do I trust these people? • What is this _______ in a nutshell? • What are the important details? • This sounds cool, what do I do now?

Smart Communication + Good Design

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95822817@N00/2238609065

MARKETING + DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

BRANDING • Perceived Emotional Corporate Image As

a Whole • The Companies' Core Values • More Than Just Colors, Typefaces, Logo

• Is the Foundation Which the Designer Builds Off From

• Clear + Consistent Message

IDENTITY • Visual Aspect That Forms Part of the

Overall Brand • Branding Standards Manual

• Has Set Guidelines To Apply Identity to Visual Elements

• Examples of Visual Devices • Signage • Marketing Collateral • Products + Packaging • SOCIAL MEDIA

LOGO • Identifies a Business in Its Simplest Form

Via the Use of a Mark of Icon • Iconic Logos are:

• Describable • Memorable • Effective Without Color • Scalable in Size • Relevant

AUDIENCE + MESSAGE • Who Is Your Target Demographic?

• Gender • Age • Location

• What Message Are you Communicating? • Clear • Concise • Direct

CONTENT IS KING (EVEN FOR GRAPHICS)

PRIMARY INFO

• Logo (A MUST!!) • Contact Information • Location • Hours of Operation

SECONDARY INFO

• Tagline • Additional Tab Links Information • Image Pertaining to Product • Image Source

FANPAGE GRAPHIC PROMOTIONS

FANPAGE GRAPHIC PROMOTIONS

FANPAGE GRAPHIC PROMOTIONS

FANPAGE GRAPHIC PROMOTIONS

EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGN

FINDING IMAGES AND FONTS

IMAGES • Free – Make Sure it’s Okay to Use – Ask Artist/Photographer’s Permission – Example:

• Compfight.com • Flickr.com

• Paid – More Creative Control – Example:

• Istock.com • Shutterstock.com

Http://Compfight.com

Http://IStock.com

Creative Commons

Where do I find CC content?

FONTS • Free

– Examples: • FontSquirrel.com • Google.com/WebFonts • DaFont.com

• Paid – Examples:

• Fonts.com • Houseind.com • Emigre.com

Http://FontSquirrel.com

Http://Emigre.com

CREATING GRAPHICS

GRAPHIC DIMENSIONS

• Facebook – Ideal: 180 x 540 pixels

• Twitter – Ideal : 1024 x 768 pixels – Content Area: 41 – 108 pixels

• LinkedIn – Ideal: 400 x 180 pixels

ALTERNATIVES TO PHOTOSHOP

• Google “Free Alternatives to Photoshop” • My Two Favorites:

– Picnik • Picnik.com

– Photoshop Express Editor • Photoshop.com/Tools/ExpressEditor

– Gimp • GetGimp.com

Http://Picnik.com

Http://Photoshop.com/Tools/ExpressEditor

Http://GetGimp.com

LINKING TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

MUY IMPORTANTE

UPLOADING YOUR GRAPHICS

WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT

OVERVIEW

• Why Design is Important to Communicators • Marketing and Design Fundamentals • Creating and Implement Graphics