ARTWORK
BEST PRACTICES

Headline: Make sure the headline is the focal point of the design, that it is not lost.

 

Overall Look and Feel: What feeling do you want your target to have when they see your artwork? Use your artwork to create this impression of your brand, for the target to have in mind when they need your services.

 

Eye Direction: Generally speaking, most people read from top left to bottom right. Placing your logo, important information, etc at bottom right can be a good place. Though there are many exceptions to this, depending on overall design.

 

Maps: 

• Generally best not to include a map, unless there is room to fill and placing a map fills that space, or a map is necessary due to a confusing area, etc. 

• Instead you can mention, “Only [5] minutes from ABC Elementary”

• You can also use a QR code to create driving directions, making it easy for the reader.

 

QR Codes: These are great for our products. However, it is best to avoid just placing a QR Code without any direction. Instead, provide a prompt, a reason/benefit to click on the QR Code. Ask: “What would make me want to click on the QR Code?”

 

Outerglow: Generally speaking this look is outdated, and best to avoid in most circumstances.

 

Social Logos: Generally speaking these are outdated, and best to avoid. Instead use a QR Code to drive traffic to a specific social account for a specific reason, for example “Click to Preview our Current Inventory” and it can lead to Instagram, etc.

 

Incorporate the School: When you can and it makes sense, personalize your artwork to the school, such as incorporating one/some of these: school colors, school name, school mascot. Best to keep it simple and not overdo it, but this will customize your artwork for your target market, localizing your offer.

 

Fonts:

• Avoid using too many different fonts, where the text can become hard to read. This includes too many different font styles like bold, italic, etc.

• Stylistic fonts, unique fonts, and even more than font in the headline and maybe subheader can be great and provide a pop. 

• For regular copy though, a simpler, easier to read font is best. Avoid changing the kerning (the space between letters) too much that it is hard on the eyes to easily read the text.

• Avoid fonts that are too small; “When in doubt, print it out” at 100% and make sure it is readable. 

 

Avoid Too Much Copy: We’ve found some of our most successful artwork to be simple, where less is more. 

• If you have multiple locations, avoid putting in additional locations and addresses that do not make sense for this particular school. 

• When putting in an address, decide if you need the full address, or if given the area you can leave off the state, zip etc. They may be necessary; but if not, it can clean up the look.

• If you offer multiple services, avoid mentioning the more obvious ones. Put yourself in the reader’s shoes and ask…what would I want to know?

• Avoid overly wordy text in longer sentence form…people are busy, and while it can make sense in some (rare) situations to have the copy in sentence/paragraph form, generally it is best to keep text to simple statements, bullets, etc that are easier to read at a glance.

• Less is More!

 

Contrast: Ensure that any text on top of a background/photo/image has sufficient contrast so that it is easy to read against the background.

 

Photos: 

• Try to choose a photo that pops, that has good colors, that is in focus. 

• Bonus for a photo that is interesting, shows a benefit the reader can expect to receive, shows satisfied customers, etc. 

• Best to avoid photos of the interior of the practice waiting room, exterior of the building, etc…unless it is a particularly good picture (for instance, a picture of the building lit up at night, a newly remodeled waiting room, etc).

 

Keep it Appropriate and Appealing to Children: 

• Your target for your ad is the parent or caregiver. 

• But keep in mind that your artwork will be either in the hands of children or viewed on a regular basis by children. 

• Be sure to keep it fully appropriate for children, and if possible, appealing to them.