Why Content Writers Need to learn Graphic Designing
“Why should I learn to design?”
This is the most common question I come across whenever I am sitting down with a content creator and discussing ideas for a new project. As a content & design agency owner, I am in constant touch with many content creators across different fields. Few are writers, many are designers, others are into photography or videos; but, at the end of the day, they are all creators who keep creating and pushing out content to keep people engaged and entertained.
While all them pack a punch above their weights in their respective fields, when it comes to presenting their creation, content writers often lag behind others. Writers usually depend on their words to make an impact and that is how writers work. Nothing wrong with it!
But, in today’s age of short attention span, there is only one tool that will attract your audience’s attention. And that tool is a Great Design.
Many writers whom I know have a website or a blog, to showcase their portfolio. These websites also have their contact information and projects they have written for. And that’s about it! There is nothing more to their website, no quirky designs or funny transitions to get me to spend more time on their websites.
From what I have seen, most blogs have a similar feel to it and their only distinguishable feature is their pre-designed WordPress theme. It is hard to distinguish writers in a sea of similar-looking blogs and websites.
And this, my friends, is precisely why a writer should learn how to design.
In today’s market, every skill you learn is adding more value to your portfolio and helping you to stand apart from your competition. Graphic designing can be one of the most important skills a writer can learn and hone.
In this blog, I will explain to you how even writers who are beginning of their career can maximise their communication efforts and reach a wider audience through visually attractive and appealing designs.
But before we learn why graphic design is important, let us first understand what graphic designing means.
In its simplest form, graphic designing is a form of communication which allows you or your business to send across a message and visually portray an idea.
Graphic designing involves taking graphical and textual content that is interactively placed for marketing and communication purposes. Every design sets the tone of the campaign it is created for. Design is responsible for influencing the audience’s thought process and purchase decisions. A good design sets the foundation for a successful campaign.
Now that you have an idea of graphic designing is and what is its overall importance, let us look at how content writers can benefit from learning to design.
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Captures attention & Improves content readability
The first and most important reason for learning designing is that it will help you to improve the readability of your content.
In the digital world, content is the king. BUT, your content is only considered the king when people will stop their browsing and read it. If you cannot attract your audience, no matter how many good words you pen down, your content won’t be read or even noticed.
A good design makes sure people not only notice your content but also stop and read it. Apart from attractive designs, graphic design also covers the layout and structuring part of your content as well. Knowing how to design can help you to pick the right fonts (or typeface, as we designers like to call it), the colour palette for the article, and the right images; Improving the overall structure and readability of your content.
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Enhances sales
If you are a content writer who is associated with sales, learning how to design is a must for you. A well-crafted design can do wonders to your write-ups & campaign. It is human nature to seek out for the most premium offering in the market and a good design accompanied by sophisticated words can help you to provide that fell to your customers.
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Turn your blog into a brand
If you are a freelance writer, you can turn your blog into a big brand through effective use of design. But just like how Rome wasn’t built in a day, building a good brand takes time.
Poor branding efforts and unfinished designs will give your blog an unprofessional and uninspiring look. Design holds the power to turn your blog from an ordinary blog to an extraordinary and premium brand.
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Improve relationship with your partners
As a freelancing writer, nothing is more important than maintaining a healthy and positive relationship with the clients that provide you with project opportunities consistently. To make sure you win their hearts, use design as your primary tool, and your words as your secondary.
Consistent designing, both to blogs and other communication materials like your social media posts, is the key to that. When there is consistency in your designs and communication, not only your partners but your audience as well, will start falling in love with your words and keep coming back for more.
Creating a visual identity that captures your thought process, the style of your writing, and your vision can inspire your partners to commit to you for the long run and your audience to sign up for your newsletters.
Think of it this way, if you can offer your clients the design for their newsletter along with the written content, they probably won’t jump ships and look out for another writer for a long time, giving you a long contract and a healthy pay-check.
Need a hand at learning graphic designing? Join my Digital Design Blueprint and learn how you can maximise your content through effective and creative designs.
