In a recent social media post, we referred to this well-known quote by the author of “The Little Prince”, who had a way with both design and words.

“A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” — ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPÉRY

Let’s apply this to social media posts, online ads and websites.

Too many colours, too many fonts, too many words – these all confuse the eye, distract the reader and give an impression of a cluttered, messy offering.

Let’s look at a website example…

Ouch!

There’s no discernible brand here. No colour scheme, no specific font, too many words, too many different messages. And that sludge-brown background! After looking at it for 30 seconds (which is way longer than a visitor to this page will stay), we are still not entirely sure what it’s about. This certainly doesn’t inspire confidence in the products or management of the business advertised.

(Here’s the full list of “ugliest websites”. Open at your own risk and avoid if you have a sensitive stomach.)

Let’s apply this to a social media post and create a mock-up of an advert for a new coffee blend at a Trung Nguyen coffee shop.

Here’s the first version, using a photo of the coffee shop. It has all the right things, such as the brand name, images of the offering, and a call to action. But it’s a mess. Too many things catch the eye. Wrong dimensions for most social media platforms. Multiple versions of the logo. Look at it too long and you are likely to feel stressed!

Let’s try that again.

Simple, clear image. Logo displayed. Call to action in place. Colours and fonts are neat.


A few more tips:

  1. Use good quality images
  2. Max 3-5 words on an image, anything else goes in the post text
  3. Stick to your brand fonts and colours
  4. Include your logo, but be subtle about it
  5. Bear in mind the correct dimensions for a post/story image


Remember that a clear, concise image gives your business a professional look. And as we have seen, it’s usually about taking things away, rather than adding them.


“Good design is a lot like clear thinking made visual.” — EDWARD TUFTE

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