Here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design experts. We provide, high quality, effective, web design solutions for local companies and businesses across Manchester, and the surrounding area, including Wigan and Southport. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about combining web design with social issue support.
The changing intersection of web design and social issues
In recent years, many companies both large and small have moved away from the age old tradition of avoiding social issues, in favour of instead using their stance on these issues as part of their brand identity and personality. We’ve seen huge industry giants like Nike utilise this on a multi-national scale with the Colin Kaepernick video advert, as well as Gillette and their “the best men can be” video advertisement. As polarising and dividing as these stances may be, they do unite their intended target audience around a common cause. And in terms of marketing, especially online, this can have a huge range of advantages, including:
- Forming and building a lasting relationship with the audience- people who see this content are more likely to react positively, if this reaffirms their own beliefs and values. What then occurs is a rapid commitment to brand loyalty that could otherwise take several years to build. As society becomes more divided and factional, particularly online, your potential customers or clients can instead unite around a common core and feel an instant connection to your brand.
- Honesty and reliability- brands that are seen as honest, genuine and reliable are often the most successful. Taking a stance on social and environmental issues that your audience really care about can help to show that your company is committed to being honest. However, taking such a public stand with your social values can come back to hurt you if you don’t practice what you preach. A company committed to supporting sustainability and the environment for example will need to ensure that this is something put in practice within the company, and not simply a social media token.
Important considerations for combining web design with social issue support
As a big part of your online presence, your website is the perfect place to establish your social issue support. But it’s important to get this right. You could consider:
- Using imagery and language- using imagery and language as part of your web design that relates to and resonates with the social movement you are supporting, without outright expression, can be a good way to show your support for a popular social issue. This invokes the interest and intrigue of your potential customers, which can make them more interested in your company as a whole.
- Being more explicit- for some social issues it makes more sense to be fully explicit. Environmental and sustainability issues for a company aiming to have a “green” brand image for example should be a key part of your web design, and should be explicit to make it easier for your potential customers to know where you stand.
For more information or advice about professional web design and marketing information get in touch with the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.