How is Graphic Design Different from Web Design? | Here’s What To Know

The Difference Between Graphic Design And Web Design

If you’re looking to invest in marketing, you’re probably wondering: how is graphic design different from web design? After all, both are essential to building your brand and reaching customers in the digital world. 

Both of these tools are great for growing your business. Graphic design helps build your visual identity, and web design gives your customers a place to find you online. The combination of these two elements makes your business more accessible and more recognizable, which stimulates growth over time.

That being said, it’s important to distinguish these two tools. How is graphic design different from web design? Here’s our input.

 

The User Journey

A website is a multifaceted tool used to showcase products, sell goods or services, directly contact your customers, and so much more. A graphic design element, such as a business card or logo, is a single element that stimulates the mind using colors, shapes, and textures. 

A key difference between web design and graphic design is the user journey. When someone lands on your website, they are quite literally taking a journey through different pages, searching what they need, clicking different buttons, and hoping to land at the right spot. On the contrary, when a user views a piece of graphic design, it’s a singular experience. They visually consume the design, decide how it makes them feel, and then associate an emotion with that design. 

Both of these experiences are essential to building a strong brand. If a customer is unsatisfied with the user journey on your website, they might abandon your business forever. If your logo or business card is forgettable, it’s probably going to end up at the bottom of someone’s bag or tossed away in the trash. Both web design and graphic design work in harmony to create an ideal user journey, whatever that looks like for your company. 

Length Of Project

How is graphic design different from web design? Another key difference is the level of maintenance these two elements require. 

If you have a website created by a marketing agency, it’s likely that they will offer hosting and maintenance services as well, and may even offer SEO. That’s because the Internet is constantly changing, even from month to month. Your website needs updated, monitored, and may need small changes depending on what happens in the digital world. For most businesses, it’s not feasible to keep up with this maintenance, which is why they have a website design agency to help.

On the other hand, graphic design is different. For example, if you need a designer to work on your logo, that process will likely only take a month or so. You’ll send your idea for the logo, pass back a few rounds of edits, and then you’ll have the finished product. You may find yourself utilizing the same graphic designer for different projects, or for a brand refresh in the future. However, there is no constant maintenance in most graphic design projects.

About ADVAN Design | How Is Graphic Design Different From Web Design?

For more than 20 years, ADVAN Design & Marketing has helped businesses elevate their marketing. Our team of graphic designers, website specialists, technical writers, and marketing experts work together to form strategies that get you results.

There are dozens of answers to the question: how is graphic design different from web design? Most importantly, we think it takes both types of expertise to build your brand and grow your business. That’s why our web designers and graphic artists work together, in-house, to collaborate on projects. We want your website to utilize outstanding design that customers remember. We also want customers to come back to your site thanks to a seamless user experience.

If you’re ready to work with a team of experts, contact us today.