There are many myths regarding graphic design out there, especially when it comes to getting professional graphic design for your business. Today, we’re going to share three of the biggest misconceptions business owners have about graphic design, and what our recommendations are to combat those misconceptions.
3 Common Graphic Design Myths
Today, we’re going to dispel a few misconceptions about graphic design. Here are some of the biggest ones we’ve heard:
Myth #1: Graphic Design Is Just About Creating Logos & Designing Pictures
Perhaps one of the biggest myths we hear from people is that graphic design is just about creating logos or might include designing a pretty picture. So first, let’s get clear about what graphic design actually is.
- If there’s information to display, it’s a graphic designer’s job to display that information. Good graphic design takes it a step farther: displaying that information in an eye-pleasing way.
- Graphic designers are responsible to get a message across while representing your business. Good graphic design should represent your brand (your business). Great graphic design will tell a story.
- The designs are the end product: every logo, billboard, sign, flier, brochure, (and more) that you’ve seen were made by a graphic designer. So while graphic design does include logos, it also includes a lot of other things, including brochures and billboards.
Myth #2: Graphic Design Is Easy & Anyone Can Do It
Our response when someone says they don’t need help because they can just do graphic design him or herself is, “Yes, you can, but . . . “
- It won’t be done as efficiently or as personalized as a professional designer would make it.
- Using a free/cheap design program runs the risk of having the same artwork as someone else.
- It’s easy to download “free” images online that turn out to not be free and are actually illegal to use due to copyright or trademark.
Ultimately, the goal of graphic design is to make your brand unique to only you and your business – and you can’t achieve that if you’re using the same artwork as everyone else or breaking copyright laws.
Myth #3: Professional Graphic Designers Are The Same As Everyone Else
When it comes to marketing, there are so many specialized roles. And you rarely hear someone say, “Oh, Google Ads? I’ve been on a computer, so I’m an expert.” Or, “anyone can be a professional web designer!” But when it comes to graphic design, many people believe that professional graphic designers and their 10-year-old niece, Sally, can do the exact same thing.
Unlike the average person, a professional graphic designer . . .
- Understands the fundamentals of design
- Knows how to force the viewer’s eye to go where you want it to go
- Realizes why some colors do or don’t work together, font choices, etc.
On the other hand, the average person may understand when something looks good, but can they say why it looks good?
Often, the average person doesn’t understand the technical side of graphic design.
Here’s a Few Takeaways:
- Good graphic design should represent your brand. Great graphic design will tell a story.
- Using a free/cheap design program runs the risk of having the same artwork as someone else.
- Unlike the average person, a professional graphic designer knows how to force a viewer’s eye to go where he/she wants it to go.
If you’ve been harboring one of these graphic design myths, we hope we were able to dispel it for you!
At Paragon, we understand how professional graphic design can be a huge asset to your business marketing. As always, we want to be a resource for you. So as you have questions, we’ll be here to answer them.
Want to learn more about this topic? Check out our podcast, the Main Street Marketing Podcast, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your audio platform of choice.
