A person holding a photo collage with home decor images on a wooden desk, surrounded by papers, an open book, a laptop, and an AirPods case; all elements reflecting their keen eye for web design and branding.

Build Your Brand First: Set Your Website Up for Success

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full affiliate disclosure for further information.

I see it all the time as a web designer. Business owners come to me ready to build their website, but when I ask about their brand colors, fonts, or messaging guidelines, they pause. Without these brand foundations in place, we’re starting at a disadvantage.

Sure, we could pick colors and fonts during the web design process. But developing your brand takes time and careful consideration. Let your branding marinate a bit until it feels just right. 😊 You don’t want to be going through this process year after year and changing things everywhere you show up online.

Developing your brand is about more than just choosing what looks good—it’s about creating a consistent identity that resonates with your ideal clients.

A woman creating a landing page on her laptop at home.

Why Brand Strategy Comes First

Many business owners rush into website creation before their brand is ready. This often leads to:

  • A disconnect between their website and target audience
  • Constant tweaking of colors, fonts, and design elements
  • Multiple revisions that cost extra time and money
  • Content that doesn’t effectively convey their message
  • Design choices that feel temporary rather than intentional

As your web designer, I want to build you a site that perfectly captures your brand and connects with your audience. Now, web designers wear a lot of hats, but we can’t wear all the hats (SEO strategist, copywriter, programmer, accessibility expert, digital market… you get the idea).

Although I’m not a brand strategist, I can point you toward excellent resources for developing your brand foundations.

Core Brand Elements Your Website Needs

Before you start building your website, you need clarity on both the visual and strategic elements of your brand. Let’s break these down.

Brand Vision & Voice

A solid brand foundation starts with understanding your business’s purpose and how you communicate it. You need:

  • A clear mission that guides your business decisions
  • Values that set you apart from competitors
  • A consistent voice that connects with your audience
  • Messages that resonate with your ideal clients

If you’re struggling to put your brand’s purpose into words, start with The Messaging Clarity Journal from The Copy Template Shop. This 60+ page guided journal helps you uncover your unique positioning and develop a messaging strategy that attracts your ideal clients.

Cover of "The Messaging Clarity Journal" created by Megan Taylor, featuring a section for notes and a background with line drawings of coffee cups. Perfect for those passionate about branding and crafting your identity.

Visual Brand Identity

Once you’ve clarified your brand’s foundation, it’s time to create the visual elements. This includes:

  • Colors that reflect your brand personality
  • Typography that supports your message
  • Design elements that grab attention
  • Visuals that feel cohesive across platforms

For those just starting out with branding, I recommend the Color Library Palette Playbook and Type & Style Typography Playbook from Brand & Palms. At just $9 each (last I checked), these guides teach you color theory basics and font pairing principles while providing ready-to-use options for your brand.

Want more personalized guidance? The Timeless Brand Society offers ongoing support as you develop your brand. I know you’ll love the personal feedback you get from Rosey on your branding choices as well as the access to design assets to help you create a polished, professional look.

People gathered around a table working on a brand marketing strategy with charts, graphs, color palettes, and coffee cups scattered across the surface, while discussing web design elements to strengthen the identity and branding.

Bringing Your Brand to Life Online

Unless you’re coming in with an unlimited budget, I recommend supplementing personal, branded photos with professional stock images that support your message. Your website really needs both.

Professional Photography

Personal photos help visitors connect with the real person behind your business. But they don’t need to be expensive brand photoshoots—just make sure they’re:

  • Clear and well-lit
  • Recent and authentic
  • Sized properly for web
  • Consistent with your brand style

To prepare for your first brand photoshoot, grab the free Brand Photography Starter Pack for Your Online Business from AKP Branding Stories. You’ll learn about the 5 must-have images for your business and get a helpful brand shoot checklist to plan your session.

Not ready for a professional photographer? You can start by taking brand photos at home. While I haven’t taken it myself yet, AKP Branding Stories offers a DIY Brand Photography course that could help you capture professional-looking photos right from your home office.

Stock Photos That Support Your Brand

Even with great personal photos, you’ll need professional stock images to create a complete website. A Styled Stock Society membership gives you access to photos that enhance your brand’s professional image. Their collections are perfect for:

  • Creating cohesive website pages that reflect your brand
  • Adding visual interest to your service offerings
  • Designing professional sales pages
  • Building trust with polished imagery
  • Maintaining brand consistency across your site
A book showcasing creative font pairings and mixing and matching of different fonts.

Creating Your Brand Identity

Before diving into website design, you need a solid brand identity. You have two main paths:

Build Your Brand From Scratch

If you want to develop your brand identity yourself, start with the fundamentals:

Start With Professional Brand Design

Want a head start with professional design? Davey & Krista’s Semi-Custom Brands provide:

  • A customizable Canva logo you can adapt
  • Professional color and font selections
  • Complete brand style guide
  • Business card and social media templates
  • Design elements for future marketing

Building Your Website

Once your brand identity is solid, it’s time to bring it to life online:

DIY Your Website

Ready to build your own WordPress site? Join my free 30-Day WordPress Website Challenge. You’ll receive 20 targeted emails walking you through:

  • Setting up WordPress properly
  • Implementing your brand elements
  • Creating essential pages
  • Launching your site successfully
Desktop computer displaying the word "branding" next to a vase with blue hydrangea flowers for a Website Challenge.
Branding is one of the key topics in my free 30-Day WordPress Website Challenge!

Work With a Professional

If you’d rather focus on running your business while someone else handles the technical details, let’s talk about bringing your brand to life online. Together, we’ll translate your brand into a website that connects with your ideal clients.

Book a call with me to discuss how I can help you create a website that truly reflects your brand.

Similar Posts

A group of people around a table discussing font pairings for websites.

Font Pairings for Websites: Mixing and Matching Like a Pro

When it comes to web design, typography is a fundamental component that can make or break the overall look and feel of your website. You’ll want to spend time selecting fonts that complement each other on the screen for your website. The combination of fonts, known as font pairings, should be harmonious and create a hierarchy that guides your reader’s eye through the content.

Man designing website on whiteboard

Beyond Design: What Makes a Website Actually Work for Your Business

Your website is more than a mere digital presence for your business—it’s your brand’s 24/7 ambassador and the fundamental first impression you establish with potential customers. More than just a business card, an effective website has the potential to capture and retain customers, engraving a lasting memory that incites their continued return.