This guest post is part one of a series on ad design written by Nikki Matarasso, a graphic designer and marketing coordinator for Blue Crane Design.

Advertising is to design as a violin is to a bow. Just like it’s impossible to make good music without a bow, it’s almost impossible to have an effective advertisement without incorporating good design.

Good ad design can grab attention, focus that attention, and create action. Bad design will be overlooked entirely or create a negative impression. So what are the most important things to think about when designing an advertisement? What should you avoid?

The Seven Questions For Good Graphic Design

To tell if your ad design is effective, ask yourself the following seven questions:

1. Does it lead your eye to the product? A good composition will bring the product front and center.

2. Do the colors fit the product and brand? Your color scheme can not only capture attention but trigger emotions. For example: red is often used for passion or anger, and blue for tranquility.

3. Is the space used effectively? Remember to leave some empty space for visual “breathing room.” No one likes a cluttered ad.

4. Is the font interesting? Does it fit with your product/image? Times New Roman may be great for Word documents, but it may not fit your product.

5. Does this advertisement fit with marketing previous campaigns? This doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to look the same or have the same colors, it might just have a similar feel.

6. Does it appeal to your target demographic? If you’re marketing to middle-aged women, for example, hiring a hip-hop artist as your spokesperson probably isn’t the best choice. Similarly, your ad should be attractive and relevant to your target market.

7. Does it have a clear message? When designing your ad, you should have a clear “take away” message that will lead the viewer to a desired action: most commonly, a sale.

Remember: it’s better to have no advert than a bad advert. If you don’t feel confident in designing an ad yourself,  it might be in your best interests to seek the help of a graphic design professional.