We’ve all heard of pop culture icons like Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, and Taylor Swift, but do we know why we call them icons? According to Merriam Webster, an icon is “a person or thing widely admired especially for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere.”
Alright, makes sense, Taylor Swift is widely admired for the great influence she has in the sphere of music and pop culture. She has become so well known that when we think of her, we think of her as a symbol of her music and influence. She makes her music well known because she has become an icon.
So, how is that related to web design? I’ll explain.
Words are symbols just like icons, but they are harder pick out on a website because the website is full of them. We love icons because they stand as symbols that are easily recognizable. They make navigation through topics easy; they also make navigating websites far easier. Let’s look at an example, what’s easier to recognize? Five characters that look like this?
Or this?
The second definitely pops out more.
This is why icons are powerful. They do three important things:
- They make navigation simple and easy
- They pique people’s interest
- They can prioritize important content
For that second point. Remember how you used to only read the picture books when you were a kid? Well, makes sense, they were so much more interactive. Just because we’re adults and can read books without pictures doesn’t mean we don’t like have pictures in our books. Likewise, just because we are adults that can read long paragraphs of text on a website doesn’t mean we don’t like the icons that compliment the existing text.
Lastly, they prioritize important content. If you have something unique and awesome about your company that you want customers to know, make it easy for them to find it on your page, pique their interest, and use an icon that works as a symbol of the unique element of your company! On our website, aliowebdesign.com, we have 3 icons on the front page, with the headers, Fast Web Creation, Superior Customer XP, and Brilliant Designs. Essentially, these are the things that make us stand out. So, do the same thing with your icons.
In conclusion, icons make navigation easier, they pique the viewer’s interest just like a picture book, and they can catch your customer’s eye and communicate the key elements that make your business stand out.