Month: April 2020

During the globally dark times of COVID-19, the beauty and colour of graphic design – along with its ability to share powerful messages simply and effectively – has provided an unexpected source of comfort and relief.

As a studio with a passion for good design, we know firsthand the transformative power of creativity, and feel very blessed to still be working when so many businesses in our industry and beyond are less fortunate. As an enormously powerful tool of communication, graphic design has rightly been hailed by UNSW’s Dr Rebecca Green as an unexpected yet effective weapon in the ongoing war on COVID-19, with striking infographics able to convey complex messages to the masses in a simple and compelling way.

Think of the ways you’ve processed important information during the pandemic. How clearly can you picture what flattening the curve looks like, or the up-to-date global infection rates? What about the state-by-state social distancing rules? As perhaps the most common infographic being shared, the ‘flatten the curve’ graph has successfully motivated people to stay indoors and abide by the government’s rules – true testimony to the effectiveness of design-as-messenger. Amidst the noise of the two-million-and-counting references to #coronavirus in the media, when the government has needed to get detailed, technical and often data-driven information to a large body of people as clearly as possible, it’s looked to simple, well-designed infographics to do the job.

As with any example of graphic design, the effectiveness of an infographic is very much driven by its quality: “…We often judge the authority behind the infographic – and how trustworthy the data is – based on what the infographic looks like’, notes Dr Green. And it’s not just data-centric messages that can be communicated in this way – everything from the best way to wash your hands to how to stay motivated and mentally well during a pandemic can all be powerfully conveyed by graphic design. With that in mind, here’s Sketch Corp.’s very own COVID-19 infographic – designed to bring you a welcome splash of colour and beauty. We hope it reminds you of small ways you can bring happiness and calm to your day as we get through this time of uncertainty – knowing we’re all in this together, and better times are to come.

 

As we rise to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19, these are surreal, challenging and downright scary times for all of us across the globe. With the majority of the world now in isolation for the foreseeable future, the online presence of your business has never been more important, or under greater scrutiny. Whilst we rightly continue to focus on the health of ourselves, those around us and the wider community, it’s important to also look at boosting the health of your company by generating new business digitally – here’s how we recommend you do it.

First up, start with your website. In a crisis, often one of the first things to go is your marketing budget. But with the Australian government currently offering support to help small businesses stay afloat during COVID-19, now’s the perfect time to give your online presence an overhaul. If you’ve previously relied on ‘walk-ins’ and kept pushing your website to the end of your to-do list, chances are you have a regret or two now. With so many people cooped up at home, online browsing (and spending – online sales are said to be up by at least 25%) is seeing a marked increase – and interestingly, desktop viewing is having a rare triumph over mobile.

As well as being a platform for sales, your website is an opportunity for potential customers to verify your credibility, with research pointing to increased consumer confidence in online purchasing decisions compared to those made in-person, as customers have had the opportunity to do comparative research around the web.  It’s important to also think of the long-game – to ensure you’re in the strongest possible position when ‘normal’ life resumes, you’re going to want to up your social media and Google advertising – both of which will be accelerated if you to have a kick-ass website ready to go.

Speaking of social media – it’s a vital marketing tool for businesses during COVID-19. If you haven’t already, you should have a post on your socials that covers where your business is at with regards to COVID. Instead of sending out a generic email, your social media should convey a genuine, thoughtful message that demonstrates your brand values and speaks to your customers on a personal level. If you’re able to share information or provide services that could be useful during this time, even better – be aware of your customers’ pain-points and if you can help, do.

Next up is advertising – and specifically, Google ads. A key strength of a Google ads campaign is its flexibility – meaning you can make changes to your messaging, target audience and budget based on what’s happening in the world. Depending on the situation, we may also recommend temporarily switching from an automated bidding system to manual, since Google’s system may struggle to react quickly enough to regular changes in your market.

If your business is slowing due to COVID-19 and you need to reduce your advertising spend, we’d strongly suggest you don’t fully suspend your Google ads. In this time of lockdown there’s an increased audience searching for businesses just like yours – meaning its crucial you retain visibility. Instead of suspending activities, we recommend you instead adapt your message and target the key areas that will deliver the very best bang for your buck. Keeping at least some activity going will also retain current data and trends in your account – information that Google’s system can then use to your advantage.

Conversely, and depending on your own unique situation, this might in fact be a good time for you to increase your marketing spend. If you feel confident your business can weather the storm, you may benefit from others in your industry who choose to pause their advertising. This could lead to a lower cost for more click-traffic – gaining you a significant competitive advantage. As ever, we’d recommend you closely monitor your key metrics before considering the best course of action.

Finally, it’s important to recognise these are unchartered waters, and you may need to be flexible in your approach to marketing. Whilst you may have had a stellar campaign all set for launch on 20 April, you may well need to reassess your plans – especially if that launch was prepared before the impact of COVID-19 and is not sensitive to the current environment. Whatever you choose to do and however you choose to proceed, Sketch Corp. is operating as usual (safely, from our homes), and we’re here to discuss the very best way forward for your business.