93% of consumers would judge a website first by its visual aspect. This percentage shows how much design, graphics, color affect our behavior. (01)
So, what is a digital graphic charter? What is its role? Why is it necessary to create one? What are its strategic issues? What should it contain? So many questions that we will answer in this article.
Why and how to create a digital graphic charter
Digital graphic charter: false good ideas
Before continuing, let's first sweep away the false good ideas that we come across.
> Can I only use my “print” graphic charter?
NO! Even if your graphic charter tells you how to use your logo on the Web or the colorimetric equivalents, you will still be missing elements specific to digital such as: font sizes, colors on your links, effects on your CTAs, etc.
> Can I have a digital graphic charter that is completely different from my “print” charter?
Again, the answer is NO. Your two charters must be complementary . You already have an existing graphic charter, you must adapt it with consistency as the watchword.
> Can I do digital without having a web graphic charter?
And the answer is always NO. You are on the Web, you must have a digital graphic charter that will standardize your visual identity .
Now that we've cleared things up, let's get down to business.
What is a digital graphic charter?
A digital graphic charter or web graphic charter or digital charter is a reference of graphic standards that applies to all of a brand's digital content: website, social networks, videos, etc.
What is the role of a digital graphic charter?
The digital graphic charter provides your teams as well as the various stakeholders (internal and/or external) with a lot of information on:
The versions of the logo to be used according to the digital medium (website, Facebook posts, LinkedIn, etc.),
Fonts , their uses and sizes (<h1> … <h6>, <p>) ,
Animations , links, etc.
The design rules for your website or your communications (technical points, sizes of the visuals in your posts, etc.).
As you can see, having a digital graphic charter allows you to frame the design, production and distribution of your various media.
Which media are affected?
All your digital media are concerned: website, mobile moj database application, Ads campaigns, posts on social networks, blog, newsletters and even videos.
Your digital graphic charter includes all the necessary reference for the design and production of these different elements, but above all it defines your visual identity. When it is well thought out and applied, your customers recognize you at a glance.
Why is it necessary to create a digital graphic charter?
The digital graphic charter serves as a reference for your contacts. A true “bible”, they can refer to it to find all the necessary information.
Its absence or an approximate graphic charter will cause:
A lack of precision in your briefs,
Multiple exchanges between you and your stakeholders (internal and/or external),
In the case of website design or redesign, longer testing times with many returns,
Inconsistencies on your website and in your communication elements,
Etc.
What are the strategic challenges of a digital graphic charter?
Creating an impactful , engaging and differentiating digital graphic charter allows us to address three strategic challenges :
Serve the interests of your company , your brand in terms of image quality,
Serve the interests of users in terms of browsing comfort, information gathering, recognition of your brand,
Ensure complete consistency with all other brand communication media.
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Digital graphic charter: what should it contain?
Reference document, the more complete your digital graphic charter is, the easier it will be to set up your visual identity . There is no standard Web graphic charter. This document must adapt to the needs of your company and your way of communicating .
For the rest of the exercise, we will focus on the essentials that a digital graphic charter must contain . That is to say: the logo, the colors, the typography, the icons, the images / photos / illustrations but also the color of your links, the effects on your CTAs, etc.
The logo
Just as it appears on all documents and communication media, the company logo must be perfectly integrated into the website. It is the central element of the visual identity . The graphic charter must precisely define its place on the site and its proportions.
