There are ad designs that look like a scam or just plain spammy just from taking a glance at it. But what are the triggers that make you think this way? Here are 6 graphic design mistakes that make your ads hard to trust.
Design Mistake 1: Inappropriate Typeface
Nothing ruins a design faster than using the wrong type of font. Imagine using a horror brush style for a travel ad. No one will take your ad seriously if this happens. Look for an appropriate typeface and stick to it!
Design Mistake 2: Too many typefaces
It makes the design look unprofessional, which makes it hard to trust. Without any cohesiveness to your font choice, each content section will look like it’s separate. Using only 1-2 typefaces will help your design maintain consistency.
Design Mistake 3: Low-quality images
It would give an impression that you don’t have enough budget to run your business, or you don’t care. Either way, this reduces the perceived value of your brand. With so many free image sites now available, finding the perfect high-quality image for your design should be a lot easier.
Design Mistake 4: Clashing colors
Having too many colors, especially brightly colored and off-brand ones, makes your design look like it’s screaming. Ad designs with no color harmony will look unprofessional. Sticking to your brand colors will not only make your design look cohesive but boost brand recognition as well.
Design Mistake 5: Crowded layout
It overwhelms the viewer. They will think that they don’t have the time to go through what you’ve written. You’ll get tired just by looking at it. Let your design elements breathe. Apply proper visual hierarchy in your designs and remember the importance of white space!
Design Mistake 6: Excessive Call-to-Actions
It’s the most common design element for spammy ads. Call-to-actions are all over the place, competing for your attention. It only makes your design look irritating.
Conclusion
Most of these mistakes are made when you try too hard to persuade the reader to do what you want them to do. You failed to consider how this would look from their point of view. A thought-out brand guide can help you avoid these graphic design mistakes early on in the process.
Always remember to design with empathy.
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