2020 undoubtedly felt like one of the longest years in existence, with the majority of us spending a lot more time indoors, and even more time online. This increase in activity has lead brands and businesses to focus more effort on their online and social media presence, particularly through their visuals and graphics. Here are 5 design trends we predict will ensure your brand stands out on social media in 2021.
Social media design trends 2021
1) Share your story, people care!
With online shopping becoming increasingly prominent, people want to engage with and create genuine connections with brands. By sharing personal stories and experiences, you can humanise your brand, express your ethos, and connect more deeply with your audience. Whether it be through photos and videos of your team or text-based graphics, let them know what you stand for and care about.
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2) Show optimism with bright colour palettes
Following a year like 2020, it is important that we continue to spread positivity more than ever. Many brands have been using their platforms to spread messages of togetherness with beautiful design, a practice I hope is still happening into the new year. A brilliant example of this is the Birmingham Design Festival’s messages of love and hope posted on empty billboards around Birmingham.
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3) Time travel with type!
Fonts are often designed to be easy on the eyes and sometimes fade into the background of a design, following 2020 trends it is clear that most of us are feeling a need for nostalgia that retro fonts deliver. Fast-growing companies like Depop embrace this style. If you are unafraid of being playful with your typography why not give this a go with your socials to get the best start to 2021. Estrid is an example of a contemporary brand that shines using typography within both packaging design and socials.
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4) Going green
Being stuck inside more often than ever has left society appreciating our local parks, woodlands, and nature more than ever. This craving for the outside world can also be satisfied using design through earthy tones, leafy illustrations, and natural imagery. By ensuring the imagery in your feed all has the same colour palette, you can ensure your profile will look more professional, cohesive, and incredibly visually satisfying.
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5) It’s all about motion, baby!
Motion graphics are animated images, and with 90% of information processed by the brain being visual, they are a guaranteed way to gain your audience’s attention. Whether this is through GIF, short videos, Instagram stories, and now Twitter ‘fleets’, moving graphics have been proven to improve engagement. Twitter has even stated that the use of GIFs created 55% more engagement on its platform compared to posts without them. Keep their attention with engaging motion content your audience will want to share!
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So there you have it! Follow these five design trends to stand out from the crowd and keep your brand relevant as we move further into 2021.
Want to know more or want your brand to shine this new year? Check out what we could do for your business with our graphics services.
