In the digital world we live in, graphic design holds an important place, especially for E-commerce and SaaS (Software as a Service) product services. As a graphic designer, I’m sure you’ve come across both e-commerce and SaaS product companies and wondered which might be the better fit. While each sector presents promising prospects, the day-to-day work differs substantially. So what exactly separates these two paths? In this blog, we will dive into the ins and outs of graphic design for e-commerce vs. SaaS to help you decide.
Difference Between Graphic Designer Roles in E-commerce and SaaS Product Companies
Graphic Designers in E-commerce
Designs for product images, website banners, advertisements
The goal of visual elements is to evoke emotions and stand out
A mix of static and dynamic content
Focused on increasing conversions and sales
Graphic Designer in SaaS
Creating visual identities (logo, color scheme, banner, etc.) for software
The goal of visual elements is to enhance software usability, guide users effectively
Primarily static content
Focused on increasing usability & stickiness
Roles and Responsibilities in e-Commerce
Graphic design can aid e-commerce businesses by making customer experiences visually pleasant, and your day-to-day responsibilities include:
Designing Product Images
This can be on print, web, or application. Your focus will be on how the end product looks with different design elements, ultimately, with the right combination of visual elements, you will be able to evoke emotions and feelings in users.
Developing Marketing Collaterals
To stand out in the buzzing world of e-commerce, you will need to create engaging marketing materials. These can drive attention, encourage sales, and strengthen brand recognition.
Creates Visually Stunning E-commerce Sites
You will be in charge of creating logos, and product images, for the company’s website. With those graphics, you will be able to create visually stunning websites ultimately elevating user experience on all devices.
Visualize Social Media Content
As the graphic designer, you will be responsible for developing compelling visual content across social media platforms. This includes graphics, infographics, and videos that align with the brand's style while capturing the interest of online audiences. Crafting engaging visuals is crucial for e-commerce businesses, as it allows them to stand out among competitors and attract potential customers. To succeed in this role, you'll need a keen sense of visual messaging as well as the ability to stay on top of real-time market trends. Strong creative skills and pulse on emerging design styles will be important for generating visuals that drive engagement and sales.
Roles and Responsibilities in SAAS Product Companies
Graphic designers are key in SAAS product businesses, and your day-to-day responsibilities include:
Creating a Strong Visual Identity
With visual elements such as icons, animations, color schemes, you will be able to create an overall visually stunning representation of the brand on the internet. Ultimately, you will play an important role in telling the company’s story, building customer loyalty and increasing revenue.
Collaborate with Product Design and Marketing Teams
You will be working closely with the product engineers, UI/UX department, and marketing team to help create visual assets that complement the user experience of smart devices and applications relating to products.
Follow Brand Guidelines
You will have to follow brand guidelines such as typography, colors, and logos so as to ensure that there is a cohesive look to all the marketing materials.
Design Manuals and Paper Materials
You will be responsible for designing instruction manuals, and warranty documents among many other paper materials for your customers. This will mean that you will need to have a deep understanding of your audience and plan your content clearly and concisely for users to understand.
Career Growth and Advancement
Salary
The salary for graphic designer roles varies based on the experience level, industry, and country you are in. In the following table, we will be providing you with the base salary for graphic designers in the region of Asia.
E-commerce
Junior: US$20,000 - 25,000/year
Mid-level: US$24,000 - 45,000/year
Senior: US$40,000+ /year
SaaS
Junior: US$20,000 - 30,000/year
Mid-level: US$28,000 - 50,000/year
Senior: US$45,000+/year
Do keep in mind that these are just general ranges and your actual salary will be dependent on your specific circumstances. However, it is worth noting that when it comes to senior roles, SaaS companies tend to pay more compared to E-commerce roles.
Career Advancement and Growth
E-commerce: Boasting booming growth, e-commerce offers more abundant job openings for graphic designers at all levels. This makes it easier to break into the field or switch companies.
SaaS: Job postings might be less frequent, but competition can be fierce due to the potentially higher salaries and prestige associated with top SaaS companies.
Work Culture and Learning
E-commerce: Can be fast-paced and demanding, especially in agencies. However, this translates to rapid learning opportunities as you tackle diverse projects within tight deadlines. The focus is usually on immediate conversion and user engagement.
SaaS: Offers a more structured environment with an emphasis on long-term product vision and user experience. The learning curve might be slightly slower, but you'll delve deeper into specific design areas like interaction or UI/UX.
Challenges and Opportunities
In both sectors, you will face different challenges and opportunities, here’s a summary of what you can expect:
E-commerce
Challenges
Fast-paced and demanding
Focus on immediate conversions
Competition and tight budgets
Opportunities
Abundant job market
Diverse projects
Direct impact on sales
SaaS
Challenges
Steep learning curve
Competition for top roles
Focus on long-term vision
Opportunities
Higher salaries
Focus on user experience
Structured environment
Is E-commerce or SaaS better for me?
Ultimately, the best choice to work for an e-commerce or SaaS company depends on your individual priorities:
Prioritize job security and plentiful opportunities? E-commerce might be your fit.
Aim for potentially higher salaries and a structured environment? Consider SaaS.
Thrive in a fast-paced environment with diverse projects? E-commerce could be ideal.
Prefer a focus on long-term user experience and product vision? SaaS might be your calling.
In Summary
Be it working for an e-commerce company or a SaaS product company, both offer exciting opportunities for you as a graphic designer. With the right skills and experience, the world of graphic design is yours to claim.
We wish you the best as you explore your job prospects and further develop your career in the field of graphic design, be it e-commerce or SaaS product companies. If you are looking for job opportunities, there are plenty out there for you, you can tap on job platforms like LinkedIn Jobs, Indeed, Recruitery, etc. which can help you find your perfect position.
