Typography—A Creative’s Guide to the Art of Arranging Text

Typography—A Creative’s Guide to the Art of Arranging Text

At Root & Roam Integrated Marketing Agency, typography is a fundamental element of our work. It’s the art and technique of arranging type, or text, to create visually-appealing and easy-to-read designs. In this blog post, we’ll take you through the history of typography, its importance in web design, the benefits of hierarchy, and five basic typography rules that we follow.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

$

A Brief History of Typography

$

Typography and Fonts on the Internet

$

The Benefit of Hierarchy

$

Five Basic Typography Rules

$

Get the Most Out of Your Typography

A Brief History of Typography

The history of typography dates back to the invention of writing itself. As researchers have seen, the earliest typefaces were carved into stone or wood and later printed using movable type. With the invention of the printing press, typography changed the way books were produced, making them more accessible and affordable to the masses.

Typography and Fonts on the Internet

We never overlook the importance of typography in website design. Choosing the right font for a website can greatly affect its readability and usability. With the internet, we have access to a vast array of fonts and typefaces, but we must also consider the legibility of the font on different devices and screen sizes. At Root & Roam, we carefully select fonts that are visually appealing and easy to read on all devices.

The Benefit of Hierarchy

Hierarchy (elements that show importance in the design as a whole such as color, contrast, and alignment),  is a critical element in typography, and it’s essential to consider when designing. It helps the reader navigate and understand the content. We use hierarchy to enhance the visual appeal of our designs and to improve the readability of the text. We achieve this by using different font sizes, weights, and colors to create a visual hierarchy.

Five Basic Typography Rules

The designers here at Root & Roam follow these five basic typography rules to create visually-appealing and easy-to-read designs:

1. Use readable fonts. It’s important to choose fonts that are easy to read, especially for long blocks of text.

2. Limit the number of fonts. To create a cohesive look, it’s best to stick to one or two fonts.

3. Use appropriate font sizes. Different font sizes create a visual hierarchy and improve readability.

4. Use appropriate font weights. Bold or italic fonts can be used to emphasize important text.

5. Use appropriate line spacing. Sufficient line spacing improves legibility and readability.

Get the Most Out of Your Typography

Typography is a critical element of our design process. By understanding the history of typography, its importance in web design, the benefits of hierarchy, and by following basic typography rules, we create visually-appealing and easy-to-read designs. Typography is an art, and we pride ourselves in our ability to make written language legible, readable, and appealing when displayed.

Design Trends for 2023-A Look into the Future

Design Trends for 2023-A Look into the Future

In today’s world, staying ahead of design trends is a crucial part of building a successful brand. With new technologies and changing business landscapes, design is constantly evolving. Root and Roam Integrated Marketing Agency is committed to keeping up with the latest trends to ensure our clients stay ahead of the competition. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the design trends we expect to see in 2023.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

$

Minimalism

$

Bold Colors

$

3D Design

$

Augmented Reality

$

Looking To The Future

Minimalism

Minimalism has been a popular design trend for several years now, and we expect it to continue this year. The use of simple, clean lines and minimal color palettes can create a modern, sophisticated look that appeals to consumers. Brands like Apple and Google have successfully incorporated minimalism into their branding and marketing, using clean, uncluttered designs to communicate their messages.

Bold Colors

Another trend we expect to see in 2023 is the use of bold, vibrant colors. Bright, eye-catching hues can make a brand stand out and grab the attention of potential customers. Brands like Coca-Cola and Airbnb have used bold colors effectively in their branding and marketing, creating a memorable visual identity that sticks in consumers’ minds.

3D Design

Advancements in technology have led to the growing popularity of 3D design and AI. 3D design can be used to create more immersive, engaging marketing materials, such as product animations and interactive websites. Brands like Nike and Mercedes-Benz have used 3D design to create stunning, memorable marketing campaigns that capture the attention of consumers.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is another trend. AR can be used to create interactive experiences for consumers, allowing them to engage with a brand in a new and exciting way. Brands like Ikea and Sephora have successfully incorporated AR into their marketing, using it to create engaging and unforgettable experiences for their customers.

Looking to the Future

As we look to the future, it’s clear that design will continue to play a crucial role in building successful brands. By staying up-to-date with the latest trends, businesses can ensure that they’re communicating their messages effectively and engaging with their target audiences. At Root and Roam Integrated Marketing Agency, we’re committed to helping our clients stay ahead of the curve. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you build a strong, effective brand that stands out in a crowded marketplace.

GA4

GA4

As a business owner, you may have heard of the change that is on the horizon. The coming of the new age is upon us, and on July 1st of 2023, Google will officially move away from Universal Analytics (UA) and transition into Google Analytics 4 (GA4). You may be wondering to yourself, “what does this mean for me and my business?” No need to worry! Root and Roam is here to help.

While the full step-by-step of changes and differences can be found in google support, we wanted to highlight the biggest changes that may affect you most. In this blog we will cover:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

$

What is GA4?

$

What is changing from UA to GA4?

$

How and when to set up GA4.

WHAT IS GA4?

Google Analytics 4, also known as GA4, is Google’s next generation of analytics. Within this new platform, Google will track event-based data from BOTH websites and apps. GA4 has made it possible to collect both website- and app-based data to better your understanding of your customer’s journey and behavior. With the fear of personal data sharing rising, GA4 has created a property that mitigates this behavior and tracks cookieless measurement as well as behavioral and conversational modeling. Within their predictive capabilities, GA4 now offers guidance without having to work through complex models: Introducing the next generation of Analytics, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) – Analytics Help

WHAT IS CHANGING FROM UA TO GA4?

One of the biggest changes coming to GA4 is the tracking of events. In the old Universal Analytic properties, each event had a Category, Action, and Label with their own hit type. In the new GA4 properties, every hit type now triggers an event in your analytics. GA4 events don’t register Category, Action, and Label. Ultimately, we will need to rethink our data collection to now fit the new GA4 event structure instead of using the same data collection structure we used in Universal Analytics. 

Another key component with GA4 is the integration of both web- and app-based data. Before, Universal Analytics would solely track what was happening on your website, and you would have to track your app-based data through firebase. GA4 has combined both features to show all your data in one place. 

GA4 will provide simplified reports. Previously, Universal Analytics would show you multiple lists and reports that could be intimidating to some business owners due to the vast amount of data being thrown at you. GA4 will track the key metrics it thinks you will be interested in and will provide simplified reports to speed up your data-tracking process. This new feature can be seen as good or bad, but for the majority of people, it will make Google analytics much easier to understand. For the more experienced data expert, GA4 will come with a new analysis tool that allows you to drill into your data and get the more advanced metric you may be looking for. GA4 will also track more events by default without extra coding, whereas in Universal Analytics you had to implement code to track things like outbound clicks, site searches, video engagements, etc. GA4 automatically tracks these events without the headache of adding code to your site. A more technical breakdown of differences can be found through Googles Analytic Help section.

HOW AND WHEN TO SET UP GA4

While the official date of transition is July 1st 2023, we here at Root & Roam suggest preparing your business for the switch today. With Google understanding that this is a big change for most companies, they have made it so that both properties can run side-by-side while you and your employees get used to the change. One of the biggest reasons we suggest adding GA4 today is that there is no upgrade plan from UA to GA4, meaning that you will not be able to compare historical UA data to the new GA4 data. With that being said, installing the GA4 tag today allows your business to begin tracking data for the future to better understand your month-over-month, and eventually year-over-year data.

Another reason we suggest installing GA4 today is to get yourself up to par on all of the differences before Universal Analytics is shut down. With both platforms running side by side, both you and your team can take this time to compare the two properties and get comfortable with using GA4. Another key fact is that GA4 doesn’t currently offer everything that Universal Analytics offers. Some metrics are still being added and upgraded on the GA4 platform, so having your old Universal Analytics account will ensure that you aren’t missing any data before the transition.

With the world of analytics changing rapidly, we at Root & Roam understand that GA4 installation and reporting can be difficult. If you or your business need any help or guidance in this transition, feel free to reach out and talk to one of our experts!

    Send Us A Message

    Wireframing

    Wireframing

    Wireframing your project can be helpful to your team. What may feel like an extra step will help in the long run to communicate purpose, placement, and action.

    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    $

    What is wireframing?

    $

    How to make a wireframe?

    $

    How to read a wireframe

    $

    Key takeaways

    What is wireframing?

    A wireframe is a two-dimensional creation of a digital or print design that focuses on content, call to action, placement, spacing, and functionality. Wireframes also establish the interaction between the user and the page.

    Making a wireframe is important to your project because it helps you plan ahead what your project needs to work and what it should include before you think about aesthetics, branding, and imagery. Wireframing needs no special software, just a place you can quickly think out ideas and identify your key elements of the page.

    Wireframing is a tool that a team of designers, developers, and users can use as a blueprint for their project.

    Wireframes include but are not limited to:

    • image placement
    • call to action button
    • location and placement of copy
    • navigation placement
    • logos
    • search field
    • breadcrumb
    • headers, including page title as the H1 and subheads H2-Hx
    • navigation systems, including global navigation and local navigation
    • 1234
    • body content
    • share buttons
    • contact information
    • footer

    How to make a wireframe?

    This is a hot topic with lots of suggestions on the internet for software and technology, but the only thing you need to make a wireframe is your brain. Low fidelity wireframes can be sketched out on a piece of paper. High fidelity wireframes can be more thoughtful on a digital platform, but the results are the same. Digital software allows easy collaboration and duplication, but starting with sketches may help you think through your customer’s journey. There isn’t a wrong way to make a wireframe, but below are the steps I typically take.

    1. Sketch out a low fidelity wireframe to think through the customer journey, needs, and channels.
    2. Recreate the sketch in a high fidelity wireframe using a collaborative software such as Adobe XD.
    3. Illustrate the user experience above the scroll, and connect any interactions in the prototype tab.
    4. Try making wireframes using a phone first, since this is the most typical digital use and the most challenging for accommodating information.
    5. Share the wireframe with your team or client, making sure they have a place to give feedback and adjustments.
    6. Revise and approve.

    Once your wireframes are approved, start working on design and development.

    How to read a wireframe?

    Remember—wireframes are meant to provide just a little information, so make sure you are asking the right questions when you are looking at a wireframe. Make sure you can navigate through the customer journey and make sense of placement.

    Rectangles with X often represent photos, and buttons are symbolized with a rectangle. Below are some awesome resources from Adobe that identify the symbols and uses: {Download these Free Resources from Adobe.}

    Summary—Don’t be afraid of wireframes. The time they require can be intimidating at first, but the time they save in communication will be essential in later levels.

    CTA—Need help planning your next project or wireframe? Let Root and Roam help you plan your next customer journey. Call today for a consultation.

      Send Us A Message

      Ensuring your website ADA compliant

      Ensuring your website ADA compliant

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      $

      What is ADA compliance, and why does it matter?

      $

      How do I make my website ADA compliant?

      What is ADA compliance, and why does it matter?

      The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the United States’ most important law regarding accessibility and civil rights for people with disabilities. Signed into law in 1990, the ADA prohibits discrimination against anyone based on ability or disability.

      The ADA is a broad piece of legislation covering many aspects of accessibility for people with disabilities. The part of the ADA that affects how businesses serve customers is called the “ADA Title III.” The ADA Title III covers public areas and accommodations that apply to businesses, restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors’ offices, libraries, parks, and almost every other place of work.

      All types and sizes of businesses have to comply with ADA legislation—for their customers and employees—if there are over 15 workers. The ADA affects places of entertainment, restaurants, large enterprises, small to medium businesses, retail stores, government offices, employment agencies, and more.

      As the internet and websites have played a bigger role in how consumers interact with businesses, the way that the ADA applies to web accessibility has changed. In 2017, a clear consensus emerged that the ADA also covers the online world. Today, U.S. courts apply ADA accessibility requirements to the internet, meaning websites should comply with ADA rules.

      Ensuring your website is ADA compliant is the responsible and right thing to do. But, in recent years, ADA title III-related lawsuits have skyrocketed. There were at least 11,452 federal filings in 2021, which is a 320% increase over a short, eight-year period. And, as of 2020, 265,000 demand letters were sent to businesses that operated inaccessible websites.

      Approximately 85% of ADA lawsuits in federal and state courts during 2018 were filed against small-and medium-sized retail businesses. Since it’s almost inevitable that the court would find in favor of the plaintiff, small business owners feel that they must settle out of court. The cost of defending a lawsuit could destroy even a medium-sized business, as the average ADA website lawsuit settlement comes to $35,000.

      How do I make my website ADA compliant?

      Web accessibility is essentially a set of rules, behaviors, code standards, and design guidelines that were created by the W3C and are called the WCAG 2.1.

      The WCAG 2.1 is a massive 1,000-page guidebook that encapsulates a range of disabilities, from hindering internet use to making internet use impossible without adjustments. This spectrum comprises 20-25% of the general population, depending on if we’re going with the CDC or WHO.

      There are many disabilities covered, and the primary categories that require attention are

      • blind people using screen-readers,
      • the motor-impaired using only the keyboard to navigate,
      • epilepsy, color blindness,
      • cognitive and learning disabilities,
      • visual impairments, and more

      With a 1,000-page guidebook to follow, it is obvious that making your website accessible and compliant is no easy feat! Here’s are a few of the simpler things you can do to work towards full compliance:

      • Every page should have a single H1 title, and titles should follow a consistent hierarchy (H1, H2, H3, etc.);
      • Images should be thoroughly described in image alt tags for assistive technology;
      • Fonts should be large and legible with enough contrast between background and foreground colors;
      • The entire website should be navigable via keyboard.

      With that said, simply following the guidelines above will not make your website fully ADA compliant. The current options in the market today are either free or low-cost plugins that do not provide you more than 10-15% of the accessibility you need in order to become compliant.

      You also have manual accessibility services that do bring you up to full compliance, but they cost 20-40 thousand dollars per site, and they take several weeks or months to implement.

      Those options, as you can imagine, leave 99% of businesses without a feasible solution, making them easy targets for lawsuits and preventing them from helping people with disabilities. To solve this impossible situation, Root & Roam Integrated Marketing Agency has partnered with a leading AI accessibility tool. This interface includes both accessibility profiles and enhancement features.

      Let’s touch on a couple of the profiles first. These profiles enable users with disabilities to instantly adjust the entire website to their specific disability. For example, enabling the epilepsy safe mode immediately stops all moving objects and tunes down potential dangerous colors. Enabling the visually-impaired profile scales the content by 100%, increases the website’s saturation, and also activates a text magnifier window using mouse hover.

      In addition to the profiles’ functionality, users can choose specific enhancement features, like increasing the font sizes if they are too small. They can also emphasize titles and links and set their preferred scaling, spacing, height, and alignment. The interface also enables people with color blindness to change the website to a dark mode or monochrome mode. These are just a handful of features included.

      We know that ensuring your website is ADA Compliant can be an overwhelming task. Root & Roam Integrated Marketing Agency is here to help! Contact us if you’d like a website audit or more information.

      Send Us A Message

      Selling on Shopify: How To Set Up An ECommerce Store

      Selling on Shopify: How To Set Up An ECommerce Store

      Selling on Shopify As the world is ever-changing, more and more people are doing their shopping online. From basic necessities to clothing and groceries, just about everything is available for purchase through the World Wide Web. Perhaps you have a brick and mortar store or you’re just getting started and seek only to sell online, but you just don’t know where to start. There are numerous ecommerce-specific platforms available, but the ecommerce experts here at Root & Roam agree that Shopify is the gold standard. 

      Shopify is a full featured, robust platform that handles the most nitty gritty of online selling. They have made it simple to process payments, create shipping labels, and design the actual look and feel of your website all in one place. Shopify has even built in various high-powered and highly effective ecommerce marketing tools. Gone are the days of confusing, clunky, hard-coded ecommerce websites. So, just how do you set up a Shopify store? Read on for our expert guide.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      $

      Selling on Shopify

      $

      How to set up a Shopify store

      $

      Utilize ecommerce marketing

      HOW TO SET UP A SHOPIFY STORE

      First things first—Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, and, once your trial period has expired, Shopify offers three tiers ranging in price from $29 to $299 per month. All of these plans will get the job done. However, the higher tiers give you access to more features like advanced reporting and deeper discounts on shipping. Advanced reporting in Shopify allows you access to reports such as a live view of your website, customer statistics, information on how your customers find your website, and more. Once you have selected the plan that best fits your needs, the setup process begins and consists of the following steps:

      Choose a Shopify Theme.

      Shopify offers several free themes, as well as third party paid themes in their Shopify theme store. The free themes are definitely enough to get you started. However, if you want more styling options and features, you’ll want to browse through the paid themes. Shopify’s themes are all mobile-friendly, and you won’t have to worry about configuring for mobile devices. Once you’ve chosen a theme, you can start customizing it and plugging in your content as you see fit. Don’t forget to develop your navigation, customize your checkout pages, and add legal pages like a privacy policy and terms of use.

      Create Your Products.

      Adding your products is relatively straightforward. Shopify has all of the necessary fields within their product listing sections. Be sure to complete as many fields as possible and use thorough, keyword-heavy product descriptions. Add high-resolution images that showcase different views of each product. Input pricing, skus, inventory, etc., for each product. You’ll also need to categorize each product into the appropriate “collection.” The collection a product belongs to will determine how the products are displayed on your website.

      Determine Payment Methods.

      What payment methods do you plan to accept? You’ll need to set this up in Shopify settings. Will you accept all major credit cards? What about Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, or PayPal? It is during this step that you will also need to provide your business information so that you can receive payouts.

      Configure Shipping.

      The possibilities are endless when it comes to your shipping terms. Do you plan to offer free shipping, flat rate shipping, or calculated shipping? Are you able and willing to ship internationally, or do you plan to only ship domestically? Will you use multiple carriers or stick with one tried-and-true option? It is imperative to determine your shipping structure up front and configure all options to match. If you plan to offer real-time, calculated shipping rates at checkout, you will need to shop and install a third party app from the Shopify app store.

      Don’t Forget to Collect Tax.

      Depending on the types of products you sell, where you are shipping them, and where you are physically located, you will need to configure the tax section in Shopify settings. Obviously, it is important to comply with all state and federal tax guidelines.

      Test and Retest Your Store.

      Once you have set up your Shopify store, it’s imperative that you test all aspects. Click around the front side to ensure all links are properly configured. Check to be sure your products are categorized in a way that makes sense and your product listings and individual product pages appear as you want. Add products to your cart, and walk through the checkout process, paying close attention to shipping options and the collection of taxes. Essentially, do anything and everything to try to “break” your site or the rules you’ve set in place. If everything operates as it should, you’re ready to go live!

        HOW TO UTILIZE ECOMMERCE MARKETING

        Shopify offers an assortment of ecommerce marketing tools to help you make more sales. One of the simplest ways to grow your audience is by encouraging visitors to sign up for email newsletters or SMS (text) updates, special offers, and announcements. Once you’ve gained these leads, you can build marketing campaigns to drum up site visits and increase conversions. You’ll want to use a third party service like Klaviyo, Omnisend, MailChimp, or Wishpond to create flows and push customers or potential customers through the funnel. If you choose to run SMS campaigns, be sure to meet all legal obligations in your Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy!

        Shopify Abandoned Cart Emails

        Another simple marketing tool that Shopify offers is abandoned cart emails. These emails are sent out at a specified time if a shopper places items in their cart but does not complete the checkout process. Shopify offers basic abandoned cart emails, but to really make the process more robust, it is recommended to use a third party service like Klaviyo. According to Shopify Partner Ezra Firestone, “Ecommerce customers who receive multiple abandoned shopping cart emails are 2.4 times more likely to complete the purchase than those who receive only one follow up email. And customers who receive multiple abandoned cart emails have a multiple transaction rate 44 percent higher than those who didn’t.”*

        Shopify Integrations

        Shopify integrates with several other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google to boost your efforts to the next level. You can use these integrations to build ad audiences to retarget and upsell your current customers, build like audiences that would be interested in your business based on the profiles of those who are already your customers, and re-engage users who visited your website but did not complete a purchase. Use a free Shopify app like Kit to build targeted social media ads and campaigns. (Kit is free, but you will pay social media platform fees for running ads.) 

        The ecommerce marketing options are truly endless. However, anything beyond basic needs will require the use of a third party app. When you find the one that fits all your needs, the cost is well worth it!

          Shopify Best Practices

          Now that your Shopify store is up and running, and you’ve got some ecommerce marketing campaigns in place, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Don’t get too comfortable just yet, though! Successful websites and marketing campaigns are consistently monitored, weak spots identified, and adapted to be even more effective. The World Wide Web and all of its various algorithms are constantly evolving. Thus, it is important to stay up-to-date on advancements and trends and adjust accordingly. 
          If you find yourself in need of a new ecommerce site, or you’re unable to stay atop of the constantly changing environment, give the Shopify experts at Root & Roam Integrated Marketing Agency a call. We have extensive experience in both developing and designing Shopify websites, as well as running highly successful ecommerce campaigns.

          Resources