With an educational background in Industrial Design, Cat brings a little bit of everything to the team as PHOS’ first Creative Associate. She delivers research and user-based results, whether that be in a new branding campaign or your next photoshoot.
March 8, 2018
Why Understanding Your Brand Is Crucial for Web Design
Written By Catherine Meschia
Modern brands are supported and driven by powerful platforms. One of the most powerful is your website.
A website is more than text and images. A successful website is defined by what it does and what it conveys.
A smart website is driven by and creates success.
To achieve a successful and smart web design, we’ll explore why it is crucial that you understand your brand.
Understanding the Design Process
Sometimes the design process can seem subjective and just a matter of picking favorite fonts or colors. But if you know a little bit about the design process, you’ll see how your role supports strategy into the design!
Brand Exploration
At PHOS, we start every project with a kickoff meeting to hear from you what exactly your brand is, represents, or where you want to take it.
From our research, we’ll understand what you do and who you are, but this kickoff meeting helps us understand your “why” and what your goals are with your website.
Ultimately, your new website is an extension of your brand, and everyone who touches the project is committed to preserving your brand’s integrity.
Website Goals
From what we heard in the kickoff meeting, our team will outline the website goals.
These goals give us a framework from which to make decisions and prioritize content, design, sitemap, and development. This is a brand checkpoint between you and the web design team to see if everyone is on the same page.
You are the Expert On Your Brand
You are the expert on your business. No one will understand it as deeply as you. But in order to design a website that achieves the goals you outlined, your web design agency needs to hear from you!
At PHOS, we ask questions throughout the entire process, and you’ll share assets, struggles, and ideas. Giving clear, honest, specific, and constructive feedback helps us empower you!
Your Role in the Web Design Process: Think Like a Marketer
These are the types of questions that will be asked during the kickoff meeting, but it’s a good idea to start thinking about them beforehand.
Who Are You Talking To and What Do You Want Them To Do?
In the website goals, user goals will be defined. What we mean by user goals are:
- What does someone coming to your website want to do?
- What do you want someone to come to your website to do?
Understanding your audience gives us a hierarchy framework to the layout of the web design. For example: If you want your website to drive phone calls, your phone number will be prominently displayed and easy to find.
What Story Do You Want Yo Tell?
There’s a big difference between putting Call-to-Action buttons all over a website and strategically thinking about how your brand story unfolds through the user journey. Are you the company that has generations worth of experience? Do you pride your business on being local?
What Makes Your Brand Unique?
Every business is different and has something unique that would make a website visitor do business with you rather than a competitor. Hone in on what that is and make sure it’s a clear message.
Your website is another way your brand lives. When you deeply understand your brand, your website can lift up and empower it. Your website is waiting to tell your story.
