Time for a brand refresh? Today, we are going to dig into Look and Feel configurations.
Many Submittable customers take advantage of the options to customize the branding of their application portal. But if you haven’t—or if it’s been a long time—then join me for a run-down of the out-of-the-box tools at your disposal. Sometimes a little brand refresh makes all the difference.
What is Look and Feel?
Nestled under More > Configurations, Look and Feel is where you can adjust the (wait for it) look and feel of your submission portal to match that of your brand—or whatever vibe you’d like. You can add logos, adjust colors, choose fonts and even change button text.
Why use Look and Feel?
When your application portal matches that of your brand, it builds confidence among applicants that they’re in the right place. It also reinforces a more holistic journey for your visitors, as they travel from your website or social media to your Submittable portal. In that sense, your portal branding is one of your tools to help start your relationship with submitters off on the right foot.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at your Look and Feel configurations.Before we begin though, note, only Level 5 users may adjust the Look and Feel page.
Add your logo
Add a Header Image: A header image is where you can add your logo in a banner format, optionally against a background or your brand color.
Add your logo to your log in page: Following an authorization upgrade last summer, Submittable customers can now add their logo to their log in portal as well. Do so in the Login Screen Logo Image section.
Customize your page styles
Here are some tips to optimize the branding of the rest of your portal. Note that to add colors, you’ll need the 6-digit hexadecimal (hex) code. Check out our tips and tricks section below if you need help identifying a hex!
Background Color: Can you change the background color of the whole page to one of your choosing using the color picker or by adding the 6-digit hexadecimal (hex) values. You may wish to match your background color to the background of your header image for an uninterrupted look.
Header Background and Header text: Use these if you are not using a header image to change the background and text color of your organization name
Link Color: Use this to change the link of your “call to action” (by default, the submit button).
Link Hover Color: You can change the color of the link when an applicant hovers over it for a more engaging experience. Play around with this and watch the Quick Preview to see what it will be like for applicants!
Font Family: Choose your font from the list of options. (For more advice on choosing a font, read the Tips and Tricks below!)
Button Text: Change the “Submit” button to whatever you like. Many customers choose “Apply”, but the sky’s the limit.
Tips & Tricks
Quick Preview is your friend
As you play with updating your brand, utilize the Quick Preview to see what it will look like. Note, some fields update immediately—such as font and colors. Others you will need to Save Page Styles to see in the Preview, such as the Header Image and Button Text.
How to find a hex color using Google slides
Looking for the hex code of your header or another image? Here’s a simple trick usingGoogle Slides.
Open the image with the color you wish to identify on your screen, and launch a blank Google slide alongside it.
Add any shape to your slide, click the “Fill color” (paint bucket) icon, and then select “Pick a custom color” option (look for the eye dropper).
Hover over and then click on the color that you want from your header image—your shape will fill with that color.
To grab its hex, keep the filled shape selected, click “Fill color” again and now select “Add a custom color” (the plus sign). The hex code of your current color is displayed in the modal.
Use this method to discover any unknown hex colors and for use throughout your page styles!
What’s in a font? A lot, actually!
Calling all font nerds! (Just me? Impossible—I can hear your typography-loving hearts beating from here.) Here’s a peek at the fonts available to you, with the font identified on the left and sample text on the right. You can see the fonts contextually with the rest of your branding using the Quick Preview.
Unsure? Here are some font considerations you may find helpful:
Serif fonts include decorative flourishes on letters. Serif fonts are traditionally used in journalism and for long form content, and may convey professionalism, formality, or a vintage feel.
Sans-serif means a font has no serifs, and are often chosen for digital applications (such as your submission portal) for easy readability and a modern, minimalistic aesthetic.
Monospace fonts means that each character takes up the same amount of horizontal space, and are often used in technical writing, sciences, and theater where there is benefit to a uniform and precisely organized visual structure.
Bonus: Customize your top navigation bar
Do you prefer Applications to Submissions and Programs to Projects? This isn’t a current option within Look and Feel, but we can make that change for you! Submit a request here.
I hope this inspired you to visit your submission portal with fresh eyes and perhaps freshen up your branding with Submittable’s free tools. Thanks for reading—we’ll see you next month!