Exciting Graphic Design Trends for 2021

Image by 95C from Pixabay 

3D Typography Design

In 2020, typography design became a big hit: designers used all kinds of playful ideas, which were very much liked by viewers. Typography had a lot of artistic flow and will stay this way for some time. Whether organic or geometric, web designers are developing a new trend into 3D typography using the use of the same concepts. However, this time they will add rather than move away from. 

Experts predict that in 2021, the most popular 2020 typography designs will be transformed into 3D. This means lettering will look very realistic to viewers, almost be felt by them. In addition to 3D there will be animation, pattern and texture elements. Typography design is fast becoming an innovative symbol in graphic design, making use of the most up-to-date, reliable techniques in creative and stunning ways.

Cartoon Illustrations in Design

Using custom illustrations is an effective way to set a web design apart from the multitude of websites that have a clean, minimalist look and heavy graphic elements. Illustrations, which are more varied and multi-technique than they were in the past, can improve a web design while keeping it on point and in accordance with its ethos. Custom cartoon characters are going to be a new, popular design trend.

Format variety that is adaptable, creative and playful makes memorable branding. Businesses can express their character on their website, presentation materials, business cards and posters, etc. Plus, everyone loves cartoons. 

Voxel Art Design

A 3D cube called voxel is the equivalent of a 2D pixel. It is seen in a lot of video games like Minecraft. It is easy to recognize and looks close to Lego blocks. It is easy to see why this will rise up the charts in 2021. As earlier mentioned, 3D is a major player, and shape elements will be used to create more interesting designs. Voxel art is a mixture of the two. Though this highly visual technique is a bit childish in its simplicity and has retro appeal, it is very modern.

 

By Karina Pope. Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Karina_Popa/1432444

 

Before Posting That Meme. . .

 

Inclusive Brand Marketing, Part Two

 

Authentic Diversity and Inclusivity

From your website to your Instagram feed, inclusive marketing can be an integral part of your marketing strategy-but only if you're doing it authentically. Let's look at three ways to add diversity to your brand in an honest, approachable way. 

1. Cater to your target audience, not to everyone. 

Inclusive marketing isn't about trying to find a stock photo with every possible demographic crammed into it. Instead, it's about knowing your business inside and out, and making sure that your target audience is well-represented in your marketing campaigns. 

Remember: Your customers can tell the difference between a forced attempt at inclusion, and one that's genuine. And if they feel represented in a real way, they'll likely be more motivated to support your small business. According to the 2019 consumer survey by the Google and The Female Quotient, 64% of all respondents took some action after seeing an ad they considered to be diverse or inclusive. 

2. Stay true to your brand. 

You may remember the Dove Real Beauty campaign. Their first ad featured a fresh-faced woman sitting down and having her hair and makeup professionally done before her images were digitally retouched and put on a billboard. Of course, she looked incredibly different from start to finish, with the idea being that what we see in magazines, on TV and online is not reality. 

Dove has since built their marketing upon this concept, using women of all backgrounds, shapes and sizes in their campaigns and vowing not to digitally retouch images. I'm using this example not because I want you to be like Dove. I want you to take a long, hard look at your business' identity. 

If you don't sell plus-size clothing, including a bigger woman in your advertising will fall flat. If you do sell plus-size clothing, using a thin model will alienate your customers. Again, it all goes back to having a deep understanding of who's engaging with your business. 

I'm sure you've landed on someone's website and felt like something was just... wrong; or maybe you were suddenly turned off without even knowing why. Chances are, you quickly clicked back to find a competitor's website, where you felt more comfortable and secure. 

Your visitors could feel the same way if you don't pay attention to how you come across to your target audience. 

3. Always be empathetic. 

In order to reach your customers, you need to tell relatable stories, not just sell products or services. Discover what your target customers' likes, needs and pain points are. How will your product or service make a difference in their lives? 

Once you've got an idea of what makes them tick, tell that story through empathetic marketing. Empathetic marketing means putting yourself in your customers' shoes to better serve them. 

Unlike sympathy, which is feeling compassion, empathy means imagining yourself in another person's situation. Your audience wants their needs to be understood and acknowledged. And that goes beyond a multicultural stock photo. Maybe it's interviewing an expert who is from the demographic you want to represent, or highlighting testimonials from real people who use your product or service. 

How to Add Diversity to Your Brand Every Day

As marketers, we need to continuously evolve our strategy (or pivot completely!) Going forward, that will also need to include more inclusive marketing.  

Your customers want to feel like you authentically understand them. More and more, consumers are interacting with companies not just because they want to buy something, but because they share that brand's beliefs and values. So research your target audience. Dive deep into your data. Listen to what your customers are saying, whether it's online reviews or social media comments.

  

Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media, is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and Social Media Advisor. She works with entrepreneurs who struggle with having the lack of knowledge, skill and support needed to create their online business presence. Visit http://www.ultimatewebsiteguide.ca  

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Susan_Friesen/260293

Inclusive Brand Marketing, Part One

 

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay 

How can you have more inclusive brand marketing, authentically? Add diversity to your brand, with integrity and honesty. . . 

In recent years we've been hearing more and more about diversity and inclusion, D & I, in the workplace. The words diversity and inclusion are similar, but they don't have the exact same meaning. The well-known diversity advocate VernÄ Myers explains it as, "Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance." 

Inclusive brand marketing is similar to diversity and inclusion, minus the Human Resources department. It refers to how you represent people from various backgrounds in all forms of your advertising. That means considering factors such as: 

• Age

• Ethnicity

• Gender

• Sexuality

• Appearance

Beyond making your customers feel represented, inclusive brand marketing can help you:

 • Reach more potential clients

• Build loyalty and trust

• Boost social media and website engagement

• Increase leads and sales

From your website to your Instagram feed, inclusive marketing can be an integral part of your marketing strategy-but only if you're doing it authentically. In our next post, we'll offer three ways to do this.  

Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media, is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and Social Media Advisor. She works with entrepreneurs who struggle with having the lack of knowledge, skill and support needed to create their online business presence. Visit http://www.ultimatewebsiteguide.ca

 Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Susan_Friesen/260293

Why SEO Is Still Worth Considering in 2021

 

Image by yogesh more from Pixabay

Search Engine optimization or SEO is considered to be a highly effective marketing strategy in the 21st century. Therefore, it is important for companies to be seen on the first pages of search engine results in order to improve their online presence. Companies must use SEO no matter what industry they are in. 

SEO is a continuous process. Unlike PPC marketing, SEO does not yield immediate results but the moment it does, it can prove to be very powerful. If companies stop their SEO efforts, the momentum they have tried so hard to build will all go to waste. The most challenging part is setting up SEO, and failure to maintain will result in a negative ROI.

There is a continuous growth of online consumers. Millions of people stayed at home due to lockdown orders. So, all of them had to rely on the internet to shop, work, go to school and find entertainment. This was the opportunity for SEO experts to increase their efforts and reach out to their target audience, who were searching for what they needed.

Digital marketing is growing stronger.

A lot of people have discovered the advantages of shopping, working, studying and watching shows online. For this reason, companies are keeping up with the demand by offering their products and services online, making them accessible to potential buyers. 

With the fast growing competition, organic traffic is becoming more powerful each day. For this reason, SEO continues to be effective in maintaining a competitive edge. In fact, experts reveal that there is an increase in demand for high-quality marketing efforts. 

Google is trying new algorithms. Search engines continue to come up with other ways to make it more convenient for users to search online. Companies should make new adjustments in their marketing campaign when Google changes its algorithms. 

As an example, Core Web Vitals will become official ranking g signals for websites in 2021. Therefore, companies should also adjust their efforts now so they w ill not lose their high rankings when the changes take place. 

Content is more valuable now than ever. In the last two decades, users have learned to distinguish highly valuable resources from spammy content. Since most of the research for education and entertainment is presently done online; there is a higher demand for high-quality content. 

An excellent marketing strategy would be to capitalize on such a demand. That is why it is critical to maintain the SEO tactics used in 2020 and enhance them further by making the content more valuable.

SEO is still worth all the effort even if consumers go to search engines to get the information they need. Whatever the situation of the world's economy and health, SEO continues to be a very effective marketing strategy that has an impressive ROI. 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Karina_Popa/1432444

 If 2021 feels overwhelming already, don't worry. We're sending a help-icopter!

Blockchain and your business, Part Two

 

Get curious about blockchain 

Blockchain can be explained as a digitalized database and it belongs to digital ledger technology (DLT), which implies no central data store or administrative functionality. Why is it an advantage for an enterprise? Decentralization along with transparency, gives every single participant an opportunity to view all recorded data, ensure its security and track important information.

Here are more areas blockchain has already entered and has proven that this technology is worth relying on.

E-commerce increasingly requires blockchain technology. Again, supply chain is a crucial aspect here: monitoring goods and managing supplies are often challenging tasks but blockchain helps businesses manage their inventory more efficiently. Consumers who trust their money and data to e-commerce organizations are concerned about data security and transparency but this issue can be addressed with blockchain development. Even slight changes in transaction are obvious on a blockchain, and tracking who made a mistake is not a problem anymore. It is also possible to perform crypto payments.

The next area is actually related to cryptocurrency transactions. DeFi, short for decentralized finance, doesn't only include simple assets transfer, but also refers to more complex financial use cases. The implementation of blockchain contributes to intermediary exclusion and, consequently, reduces costs. All transactions are encrypted and immutable, multi-step authentication mechanisms make the system hard to access for unauthorized members. Among recent novelties is the opportunity to turn to P2P lending services and digital banking.

Social media has potential to be affected by blockchain as well. Along with its global popularity and the ability to connect people around the world, social media is still vulnerable to account hacking, identity leakage and copyright infringement. To tackle those issues, blockchain offers author rights protection, digital identity verification and unbiased licensing.

Real estate, eGovernance, gaming industries and many others have joined the wave of blockchain adoption. Once your business chooses innovation, delegate the technology implementation to one of the enterprise blockchain companies which will develop a future-proof enterprise DLT for you. With blockchain, your business will change the rules of the game in your field.

What do you think about blockchain for your business? 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Alexei_Dulub/2848075

Enterprise Blockchain Solutions: What Can They Do For Your Business? Part One

 

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay 

Despite the popular conviction that blockchain technology is only designed to perform cryptocurrency transactions and earn bitcoins, blockchain continues its entry into many areas of life: social media, gaming, healthcare, real estate, and others. The technology intends to enhance work efficiency, cut costs for businesses and improve customer experience.

Blockchain can be explained as a digitalized database and it belongs to digital ledger technology (DLT), which implies no central data store or administrative functionality. Why is it an advantage for an enterprise? Decentralization along with transparency, gives every single participant an opportunity to view all recorded data, ensure its security and track important information.

 Here are areas blockchain has already entered and has proven that this technology is worth relying on.

 Supply chain management, for instance, is a major yet vulnerable part of the workflow of many companies. Parties participating in the process often don't interact with each other directly and still apply paper-based methods of information collection and storage. Blockchain offers complete elimination of paperwork: documents flow becomes automated, digital certification is employed as well. More importantly, each authorized member of the supply chain can track the product from the manufacturer to the consumer and prevent counterfeit distribution.

Several American retail giants that encountered foodborne illnesses outbreaks and further food recalls, have implemented blockchain technology in their food supply chains. Before, tracking one product took around 7 days minimum, and these days a food item's provenance can be identified for a few seconds.

Thus, blockchain solutions made the process of recall faster, more efficient, and cost-saving. Meanwhile, customers have also experienced blockchain adoption in their hypermarkets. In Walmart's Chinese stores, for example, they can scan the QR code and get all the information about the product: from the farm location to the inspection certificates.

Healthcare is the field where blockchain-based solutions have established themselves as a highly secure and transparent way of keeping electronic health records (EHR). Both doctors and patients receive authorization to access the records and use them when necessary. In the same time, blockchain solutions are powered by smart contracts which enable EHR data privacy protection. Healthcare device data and clinical research are encrypted, insurance can be executed and stored, too. Another use case is prescription medicines and equipment supply chain control.

More in our next blog post, Part Two.

 Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Alexei_Dulub/2848075