The format of this post today is a bit different than what we usually write about on a weekly basis. It is a list of some of the most important things you need to know in order to have a successful web presence, a more rounded overall brand, and more….
Name: Easy to pronounce and spell, spells like it sounds. (ex. kodak)
Slogan: Says exactly what your business wants to do.
Example:UPS : “We [Heart] Logistics”
Shero Designs: “Your Web Partner To Success”
URL: Same as your name.
Email: Use website’s e-mail and NOT free emails like gmail or yahoo to do business. Link to your website from the signature of every single e-mail you send.
What is a brand?
A brand is a symbol, an abstract construction of associations that can consist of imagery, sounds, phrases, logos, colors, feelings, and energy.
Decisions to make from a design perspective:
Color
-Must be aesthetically pleasing.
-Color will lay the groundwork for subconscious associations (earthy, modern, retro, bohemian, etc.)
-Think about the psychology of color. Keep in mind that colors mean different things to different cultures.
In General –
Red is seen as passionate, powerful (Coca-Cola, Toyota, CNN, Bank of America)
Blue is calm, logical, clean. (FB, twitter & Linkedin, USPS, Tiffany, Dell, WordPress)
Green is youthful, earthy, clean and modern (Starbucks, GoDaddy, Animal Planet)
Purple is elegant, regal, spiritual and whimsicle (Hallmark, Cadbury)
Brown is dependable (UPS, M&M)
Pink is fun & Sexy (Victoria’s Secret, Barbie)
Black is exclusive and luxurious (Chanel, YSL, Sephora)
Character
-What is the general personality of your business?
-Friendly? Serious? Strictly Professional? Laid back and funny? Personable?
-A characterized logo can capture friendliness, while a rigid serif text can convey professionalism and dependability.
Emotion
-Capture the energy you want your visitors to feel when they think about your business.
-Calm? Excited? Happy? Relaxed and ethereal or loud & vibrant?
-Flowing lines and smooth transitions are more calm while a strict swiss grid is trendy and modern.
-Spontaneous color uses / channge convey something different than consistent design with minimal color usage.
Implementing your branding:
Consistency
-People remember things when they are repeated! Reuse and recycle the same colors, shapes, fonts, icons, and phrases.
Logo Placement
-Visitors will instinctively look at the left upper corner for your logo.
-Plan for your logo to be the 2nd or 3rd thing someone sees when they visit your site.
Value Proposition
-Immediately tell visitors that they have come to the right place.
-Tell them how they will benefit if they do business with you.
Tone of voice
-Your tone of voice should encapsulate your character and emotion and should have a clear message.
-Are you fun and quirky? funny? or strictly professional / informative?
A major trend in web design has been to be very personable and speak in an almost conversational way. For example: 404 errors. They used to be all business but now usually come with a friendly and encouraging message which helps gain trust of visitors.
Uniqueness
-Be memorable by being different.
-Talk to people on social media. Be funny and memorable. Give them rewards for supporting your brand, whether it be in material goods or a simple retweet or reply.
Really well-branded websites:
https://www.sephora.com/ – Extremely clean and simple. Invokes the feelings of freshness – how you want to feel when choosing makeup or fragrances. The black and white color palette allow the colors of the makeup to stand on their own without distraction.
https://www.gucci.com/us/en/ – Stylish and sophisticated. Makes you feel rich as if you could afford to shop at Gucci.
https://www.apple.com/ – the model for all branding. Simple, clean, elegant, super-modern and sleek. Makes you feel technologically advanced.
https://www.harley-davidson.com – Immediately hit with a large image of being on the road, quick, on -the – go. Dark undertones, biker feel.
https://www.creativemints.com/ – a freelance graphic designer who wants to get to know you! Extremely friendly, personable, creative, and happy – exactly what you’re looking for in a graphic designer.
https://www.toyota.com/prius/#!/Welcome – Toyota prius has a fun vibe that just feels earth-friendly. Highly informative infographics, very consistent imagery, all integrated with Toyota’s branding which is not an easy task.
Best,
Gentian, CSO and co-founder of Shero Commerce, guides the company and client digital strategies. He's an expert in technical SEO, Inbound Marketing, and eCommerce strategy.
