Web design determines how you come across online: it tells visitors what to expect from your brand in terms of product and service quality. Of course, it is necessary to be in full control of how you present yourself and make choices that suit your brand and your audience.
The only problem is that it takes a lot of planning and forethought to project a uniform image. After all, you have to package experiences and sentiments into an abstract visual construct. But, do not fret because we got your covered. Here is how to design a website with brand consistency in mind and establish a strong and memorable online presence.
Web Design Consistency
Back to the branding basics
Fleshing out and refining a brand is much easier said than done. This common thread has to be weaved into every section of your digital real estate and like it or not, merely slapping your logo onto every page does not cut it. There is much more to mastering the art of inducing emotions and shaping behavior via a digital interface.
First off, all your aesthetic solutions must match the overarching narrative and tone of voice. Therefore, go on a journey of self-discovery and revisit your value proposition, mission statement, values, business culture, and the inception moment that started it all. Think about your brand persona: is it playful and whimsical or serious and edgy?
Once that is sorted out, get familiar with the key ingredients that embody your brand, such as fonts, layout, colors, and images. It goes without saying that these recurring elements should be uniform across the board. Likewise, they should be compatible with the content on the website. Inconsistency detracts from the message and ruins the impression you leave on the people.
Polishing your crown jewels
Armed with brand self-awareness and knowledge, you can proceed to the next phase: translating ideas into web design. Namely, you will need to use design tools as non-verbal cues to connect with the visitors on an emotional level. And to really strike a chord, you want to take into account your audience’s expectations, online behavior, content preferences, and interests.
Take your time to analyze the data and figure out ways to awaken the right associations and experiences. To give you some actionable tips, let us take the example of colors, one of the vital facets of web design.
It has been proven that they evoke emotional and psychological responses. There is a good reason why giants like Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and LinkedIn use blue— it is associated with trust and professionalism. So, you have to be smart when color coding, especially when it comes to your background, headlines, page headers, navigation menus, subheadings, etc. They should reflect your logo and values and set the tone for the whole website.
Same rules can be applied to images, illustrations, and other visuals that consumers will subconsciously link to your brand. If you feel lost or hit the wall at any point, consult the experts. You can also hire them to develop a site for you. Just communicate your expectations clearly and find agencies with a wealth of industry-relevant experience in web design and development. This investment is likely to give you an edge over your competition.
Wrapping it up
Regardless of whether you embrace a DIY or outsourcing approach, there are some design pitfalls to avoid.
For instance, you cannot apply colors, graphics, and content everywhere because that would make the site overwhelming and distracting. You are better off using whitespace around text and images to improve comprehension, readability, and functionality. Ultimately, you should also be able to set a visual order and let your whole site breathe.
Furthermore, make sure to keep things simple and never allow visuals to get in the way of smooth navigation, site loading speed, and user-friendliness. In other words, think subtle and on-point before big and flashy. Use bold accents sparingly and facilitate actions like sharing, buying, reading, etc. You will score some massive SEO points in the process.
Finally, do not fall for design fads. Yes, minimalist design is all the rage and you can hardly go wrong by harnessing its power. Still, refrain from doing it just because it is trendy. Try to find your own style and repeat it over and over again to tell a thematically consistent story. Be yourself and be authentic!
Conclusion
Internet users actively seek brands that ooze consistency online. If you mean to delight them, you must be deliberate and purposeful right from the get-go, the stage of planning. Start by factoring in your target customers’ wants and needs, as well as your own purpose and mission.
Use a clean and uniform aesthetic as an artistic canvas and employ repeatable patterns. Standardize the pages and make them highly intuitive and usable. Looking disjointed and unfocused is not an option and the same goes for imitating others.
So, it is time to capture a unique feel and foster a stellar brand experience that captivates your target audience.
Harris Norman
Web Developer
A 35-year-old web developer born and raised in the San Fransisco Bay Area. He’s very passionate about spending time in nature, which is why he spends all of his free time hiking, sailing and mountain climbing. His design skills are admirable, that’s why he’s got a special place among the writers of DesignRush. When he’s not running around chasing adventure, he likes to play the trombone, though not very well.
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