10 Ways to Use Icons And Images in Digital Design

When designing for a digital brand, you or your designer has to find a balance between creating something visually novel and exciting whilst communicating all the important stuff. Icons and images come hand-in-hand to set the tone for your user’s experience and invite them to soak up your brand’s identity and ethos.

How to feature icons successfully

1. Consider their context: How do the icons digital marketing relate to the rest of the design and content on the page? Where will users encounter them? Is there a logical order or flow to how they should be presented?
2. Make them legible: Icons should be easy to understand at a glance. Use simple shapes and colors that will stand out against the background and won’t be easily confused with other elements on the page.
3. Keep them consistent: Users will recognize and appreciate icons that are used consistently throughout your site or app. If you must use different icons for similar functions, make sure they’re clearly labeled so there’s no confusion.
4. Make them tappable: If your icons are being used on a touch screen, make sure they’re big enough and spaced far enough apart so that users can tap them accurately.
5. Use quality visuals: low-resolution or pixelated images will cheapen the look of your site or app and give users a poor impression of your brand. Use high-quality, professionally designed icons and images to create a polished, sophisticated look.
6. Go easy on the animations: too much movement can be distracting and even dizzying for users. If you must use animation, keep it subtle and use it sparingly.
7. Be mindful of file size: large image files can take forever to load, especially on mobile devices. Be sure to optimize your images for fast loading times.
8. Use alt text: everyone should be able to enjoy your content, including users with disabilities. Be sure to include alternate text (alt text) for all images so that screen readers can describe the image to users who can’t see it.
9. Don’t overdo it: a few well-placed icons and images can enhance your content and help communicate your message, but too many will just clutter up the page and overwhelm users. Use them sparingly and only when they genuinely add value.
10. Make sure they’re legally sound: before using any icons or images on your site or app, be sure you have the legal right to do so.