How to Build a Brand – Part 2

The Right Website Design

Now that you know how important corporate branding is, it’s time to put that knowledge to good use!

If you want to be like virtually every other successful business out there, you need a website. But, you can’t just throw up any ol’ website. Instead, you will need to focus on a website design that matches the brand you are trying to build.

Remember, branding and identity are one in the same when it comes to business. Everything you do needs to revolve around your brand – and that includes your website design. After all, for many potential customers, your website will be the first contact they have with your business. You want it to make the right first impression!

So, how do you focus on the right website design for your brand?

1. Pick the right colorsColors evoke emotions, and emotions are very important in corporate branding. After all, what do you think when you see a pair of golden arches? Chances are you start to think about how good a hamburger would taste!However, you need to make sure you’re targeting the right emotions. What do you want people to think when they look at your website?Take a look at what some of the most common colors symbolize:
   • Red: excitement and power
   • Green: nature and money
   • Blue: relaxation
   • Yellow: attention-grabbing
   • White: innocence

   In order to make your website design fit in with the rest of your brand, you need to make sure that it matches your logo design. A yellow website and a blue logo, for example, aren’t going to mesh well because they symbolize very different things. People will be confused about what you’re trying to convey.

2. Inject some characterThe more personality your website design has, the more people will remember it – and that’s the sign of a good brand!If you can incorporate a mascot or a little cartoon, that can help provide some character. For example, when you log onto the Disney World website, you see a picture of Mickey Mouse. If you were to see Mickey Mouse anywhere else, you would immediately think of Disney World.
3. Make it consistentThe website design you pick needs to work for all of the pages on your site. If the design changes from page to page, people will get confused. You don’t want there to be any question about the image and message you’re trying to get across.

So, do you need a web design company?

Chances are you do. Professionals have expertise and training that you don’t. A web design company can give you valuable tips and advice that you never would have thought of yourself!

But corporate branding doesn’t just matter out on the world wide web. You need to be aware of your brand anywhere you go. Next, we’ll talk about how you can use your business cards to build a brand.

How to build a brand – Part 1
How to build a brand – Part 3
How to build a brand – Part 4