How we’re using design to build trust

Design itself shapes the first impression your target audience has with your brand, it sets expectations right away and it sends signals about your brand to those viewing and consuming it before a single word is even read. When it’s done with care, with thoughtfulness, it reassures people that you’re competent and reliable before they’ve even had a chat with you. When it’s careless or inconsistent, it raises doubts straight away. That’s why we put trust at the heart of our design approach.

Why trust and design are inseparable

Picture this. You’re searching for a partner in an area that really matters to your business. You land on one website that looks dated, cluttered and confusing to navigate. Straight away, your gut says “maybe not”. Then you land on another site that feels clear, consistent and easy to explore. You don’t even realise it, but you immediately trust them more.

That’s the quiet power of design. It isn’t about the visual decoration of the page entirely, it’s about communication. People don’t have to consciously analyse a page to decide whether they trust it. They just feel it. The spacing, the typography, the flow of content, it all feeds into a quick judgement of whether this is a brand worth engaging with.

Consistency builds confidence

One of the foundations of building trust is consistency. When a brand's designs look and feel the same across its website, brochures, presentations and social channels, it instantly evokes a few mental responses. Ultimately, it tells people you know who you are and that reliability translates into confidence very early on in their journey to considering your product or services.

On the other hand, when the logo changes colour depending on the medium, the messaging sounds different from one page to another, or the overall look feels stitched together, people hesitate. Interestingly, they might not even be able to say why that is, but they notice the disconnect.

For us at Tiga UK, consistency doesn’t mean rigid uniformity. It means creating a flexible design system, a flexible approach that keeps a brand’s essence and messaging clear, no matter where it shows up. Key design aspects such as fonts, colour palettes, iconography and tone of voice all work together to form a familiar experience. If we can deliver exactly that, it makes people feel like they’re in safe hands wherever they encounter your brand.

Designing spaces that feel safe and accessible

Trust isn’t just about what people visually see; it’s about how they feel when they interact with your brand across the multitude of ways possible. That’s why accessibility is also considered across the projects we carry out. We understand that if someone struggles to read your text because the contrast is too low or can’t navigate your site because the menus are confusing, that frustration chips away at the trust you’re trying to build on your website.

As a creative design agency for B2B businesses, we pay close attention to making spaces inclusive and welcoming, especially for those clients looking for such inclusiveness. That might mean designing layouts that are easy to consume and move through, choosing font sizes that are easy to read or structuring pages so screen readers can navigate them freely, logically and smoothly. It can also be as simple as writing clear error messages or making sure forms explain why information is being collected. These details might not grab headlines, but they leave a lasting impression that you respect people’s time and needs.

The details that speak volumes

It’s often the smallest things that have the biggest impact on how trust is affected. It can be as simple as a button that responds smoothly when clicked. A colour palette that feels calm and intentional. A headline that’s short, clear and free of jargon. These things might seem invisible, but they add up to a feeling of polish and professionalism.

Typography, for example, is more than a stylistic choice. Serif fonts can communicate tradition and authority. Sans-serif fonts often feel more modern and approachable. Colour choices matter too: blues are often linked with security and stability, greens with health and sustainability. These rules aren’t rigid, but together they form part of the unspoken language of design.

At Tiga UK, we sweat these details. Because we know people notice, even if they don’t realise it consciously. A brand that pays attention to the little things signals it will pay attention to the bigger things too.
 

Real-world examples

We’ve seen how thoughtful design can shift how people feel about a brand, how it can quietly build trust and confidence. These projects from our own portfolio bring that to life:

Clevertouch

We helped Sahara Presentation Systems reposition their well‑known Clevertouch interactive screens as Clevertouch Technologies, not just a product, but an ecosystem of smart, collaborative tech. That meant reshaping their strategy to speak confidently to education, business and healthcare and crafting a bold visual identity to match.

We paired that with a content‑first go‑to‑market approach, layering in HubSpot to capture meaningful data, automate nurturing and deliver the right message at the right time, even adapting content based on visitor location.

The result? A brand that feels globally agile and ambitious, yet grounded in trust. We reframed Clevertouch’s identity as a seamless collaboration partner that educators and business leaders can rely on. If you’d like to dig deeper, see our full Clevertouch case study.

Chloride

When Chloride emerged as a standalone player after years under a conglomerate, they needed a brand that held onto their heritage yet signalled their evolution. We ran workshops to align on their DNA, spotlighting their history, commitment to safety, energy‑transition mindset and dedication to business continuity.

That formed the foundation of a visual system: logos, typefaces, colour palettes and tone, all designed to feel recognisable, confident and relevant. We built a new website around that identity, optimised for Google and organised with fully searchable, industry‑segmented product portfolios.

Now Chloride is communicating clearly across channels in multiple languages with brand consistency that builds recognition and trust. Their LinkedIn following has surged past 10,000, a strong signal that their refreshed identity is resonating. Read more in our Chloride case study.

Both projects show that design isn’t cosmetic. It’s a direct reflection of values. Done thoughtfully, it shows people they can trust you.

Why this matters more today

Trust has always been important, but right now it feels more crucial than ever. People are bombarded with information every day. AI tools can churn out content, videos and graphics at lightning speed, which means polished design on its own isn’t enough anymore.

What people are looking for now is authenticity. They want to know there are humans behind the brand who care about what they’re offering. Design can show that. It can highlight transparency, consistency and genuine effort. It can help separate brands that just want attention from those that want relationships.

In our experience, when design communicates authenticity, audiences stick around. They don’t just browse, they engage. They don’t just buy once, they come back. Because trust isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s what keeps businesses thriving.

Our approach to trust-driven design

So how do we make trust part of our design process at Tiga UK?

We start by understanding what trust means for each brand. For some it’s about professionalism and authority. For others it’s about empathy and reassurance.

We build consistency into every output, so whether it’s a website, a presentation or a campaign, it feels like it comes from the same place.

We focus on clarity. Simple language, clear layouts and logical navigation all show respect for the audience.

We sweat the details. Typography, colour, micro-interactions, these small signals reinforce the bigger message.

And we never forget accessibility. Design should make everyone feel included and supported, not left out.

Turning design into long-term trust

At the end of the day, design is about more than aesthetics. It’s about creating the kind of experiences that make people feel confident choosing you. Trust can’t be demanded; it has to be earned. And design, done thoughtfully, is one of the strongest ways to earn it.

At Tiga UK, we help brands translate their values into design decisions that people can see, feel and believe in. Because when you design with trust in mind, you don’t just make things look good, you make relationships stronger.
 

Tiga is a Kent-based B2B creative agency helping brands embrace smarter, more human-focused design. From consistency and accessibility to those subtle details that make all the difference, we help brands turn design into a trust-building tool.