Mockups have become a key practice within the realm of design to illustrate and present ideas. It is a bridge between a concept and its execution that both designers and clients can see before things go into production. In the business field, let’s find out how mockups can cut your workload, improve communication with the client, and brighten your marketing strategy.
Why Are Mockups So Useful?
Mohammad Abuali on Google+ Hassan Sardar describes a mockup as a ‘Visual representation of design applied to an exact place as, the layout of a website on a laptop screen, or a logo on a coffee cup, or artwork on a t-shirt, etc.’ Mockups contrast the sketches or wireframes that emphasize functionality and the wireframes which emphasize the final appearance. Abstract ideas find it difficult to be superior to tangible visuals. You can’t describe a concept to a client in its full form with a flat design file. As a reminder of a message that they know they want to get out, it works wonderfully; but then they see their logo on that product packaging, or how their app will sit on their phone, and then it hits them.
Mockups to Streamline the Design Process
A tremendous benefit of using mockups is that they save us a ton of time in the design process. Instead of having to create mockups every time you wish to show a client the ways the design might appear in a certain context, you can use pre-made mockups to ease the process. Here are some practical ways mockups can streamline your work:
- Design Approval: Clients can visually confirm the design and its application, making it easier to agree on the final version before going into production;
- Fewer Revisions: By showing how the design will look in real-world contexts, clients can provide feedback early, reducing the need for multiple revisions;
- Time-Saving Templates: For designers who work on multiple projects at once, using mockups speeds up the process by providing ready-made templates where you simply insert your design.
Additionally, mockups aren’t just for print or product designs. They can also be used for web development projects. By placing your web layout into a mockup of a laptop or smartphone, you can show how responsive your design is across different devices.
Types of Mockups: Static and Animated
While static mockups are more common, animated mockups are gaining some traction as well. Static mockups are simply images of your design placed over the top of for example a product, or a surface. Here we find these perfect for quick previews and simple presentation use. Animated mockups can be a real game changer though if you really want to catch attention.
Especially in the digital space. Visit website to get a better understanding of what we’re talking about and see all the free mockups contained.
Mockups for Business Marketing and Branding
Mockups come in handy whether you’re promoting a new product or a rebranding campaign — your designs can be tuned to a certain audience. Say you’re launching a new t-shirt line, so you can create a mockup that shows your designs on various items of clothing. Much time and money is saved since you don’t need to make every single item for a photoshoot, you just overlay the design on top of a t-shirt template and you’re good to go.
Mockups are great for businesses that want to expand their social media footprint into cohesive, visually appealing posts. Social platform templates are most of the many mockup bundles. Because of their flexibility, you can use them with your own branding, product images, or promotional content and have a professional look without having to spend hours on design work.
Conclusion
Whether you’re building websites or designing products or managing your brand’s social media it’s a powerful tool for anyone working in design. They give you a realistic preview of how your work will actually look in the real world, making communication with clients easier, making your design process easier, and making your marketing materials better. The truth is that with so many free mockup resources there’s no excuse not to integrate them into your workflow. These are design tools that can save time and help bring your designs from static images to dynamic animated mockups that sketches and wireframes can’t!
