Personal vs. Corporate Branding

In today’s digital-first world, a Website Design can make or break your business. Are you ready to captivate your audience orrisk being left behind? Whether you're in Orange County CA or beyond, a well-thought-out design strategy is essential. A clean, intuitive website doesn’t just look good—it drives engagement, boosts credibility, and converts visitors into loyal customers. Don't settle for mediocrity. With insights from a professional Website Designer, you can transform your site into a powerhouse that demands attention and delivers results.

A robust website design strategy is not just about aesthetics. It encompasses user experience (UX), performance, responsiveness, and functionality. In a world where users expect seamless experiences across devices, an effective strategy ensures that every touchpoint on your website speaks to your target audience, driving them to engage, explore, and eventually convert. A well-planned design can elevate your brand, streamline navigation, and enhance your credibility.

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Understanding Website Design Strategy

What is Website Design Strategy?

Website design strategy is the meticulous planning of how your website will look, feel, and function. It’s about harmonizing the creative and technical elements to achieve a specific business goal—whether that’s increasing sales, growing your email list, or building brand awareness. It’s more than choosing colors or fonts; it involves user behavior analysis, responsive design, SEO integration, and content architecture.

A thoughtful website design strategy directly impacts user experience by creating a seamless interaction between the visitor and the website. When users encounter a site that’s intuitive, fast, and aesthetically pleasing, they are more likely to stay, engage, and take action. Conversely, a poor design strategy can frustrate users, leading to high bounce rates and lost opportunities. A great strategy enhances navigation, simplifies complex processes, and delivers content in a way that feels effortless to the user.

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1.  Know Your Audience

Audience Research is Key

Understanding your audience is the cornerstone of an effective design strategy. Without knowing who you're designing for, any effort at creating an engaging experience becomes a shot in the dark. Audience research helps identify their preferences, pain points, and behavioral patterns, allowing you to tailor your design to meet their expectations. A site designed with the audience in mind is more likely to succeed in driving engagement and conversions.

Tailoring design to user preferences involves creating a website that resonates with your target demographic. This means using language, imagery, and layouts that appeal to their interests and values. For instance, a site geared towards professionals may focus on a clean, minimalist design with straight forward navigation, while a site aimed at a younger audience might incorporate bold visuals and interactive elements. It’s about delivering an experience that feels personal and intuitive.

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2.  Craft a User-Centric Design

The Role of User Experience (UX) in Website Design

UserExperience (UX) is at the heart of modern website design. It’s not just about how things look, but how they work. A user-centric design ensures that every element on your site is optimized for ease of use, efficiency, and enjoyment.By focusing on UX, you’re ensuring that your website is not only visually attractive but also functional and intuitive, creating a seamless journey for your visitors from start to finish.

An intuitive website doesn’t make users think too hard. Navigation should be straight forward, with a clear structure and simple menus. Elements like search bars, breadcrumbs, and logical content flow make it easy for users to find what they’re looking for without frustration. When users feel in control and can navigate effortlessly, they’re more likely to stay longer and explore more of your offerings.

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3.  Create a Visual Hierarchy

Visual Hierarchy Guides User Attention

Visual hierarchy is the arrangement of elements in order of importance. It guides users’ eyes to the most critical information first, using techniques such assize, color contrast, and spacing. For example, a bold headline at the top ofthe page naturally draws attention, followed by supporting text and images. Byc ontrolling what the user sees and when, you can lead them through a desired path of interaction.

Use of Fonts, Colors, and White Space

Fonts, colors, and white space play a pivotal role in establishing visual hierarchy.Bold, large fonts for headings grab attention, while smaller, lighter fonts can serve as supporting text. The strategic use of color can emphasize calls toaction or highlight important information. White space, or negative space, provides breathing room for elements on the page, preventing it from feeling cluttered and making it easier for users to focus on the key content.

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4.  Simplify Your Website Layout

Less is More: Simplicity Always Wins

In website design, simplicity often leads to success. A cluttered layout overwhelms users and detracts from the site’s primary goals. By stripping away unnecessary elements, you allow users to focus on what truly matters. Simple designs are not only more aesthetically pleasing but also more functional, resulting in a smoother user experience and clearer communication of your core message.

To create a clean design, focus on essential elements and clear visual hierarchy.Use ample white space to give content room to breathe and avoid overloading the page with too many features. Prioritize functionality over flashy design elements, ensuring that every button, image, and piece of text serves a purpose. A clean design is not only more user-friendly but also easier to maintain and update.

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5.  SEO and Website Design

Design a Website with SEO in Mind

SEO(Search Engine Optimization) should be an integral part of your website design strategy. This means structuring your site in a way that search engines caneasily crawl and index its content. Use clean URLs, proper header tags (H1, H2,H3), and include relevant keywords without stuffing them. A well-optimized design makes it easier for search engines to understand what your site is about and rank it higher in search results.

Fast Loading Times Are Crucial

Website speed is a critical factor for both user experience and SEO. Slow-loading pages frustrate users, leading to higher bounce rates and lost conversions.Furthermore, search engines like Google prioritize faster sites in their rankings, meaning that a slow site can negatively impact your visibility.Optimizing your website’s speed ensures that visitors have a smooth, enjoyable experience and are more likely to stay on your site.

Best Practices for On-Page SEO in Web Design

On-pageSEO starts with optimizing individual pages for specific keywords and phrases.Use descriptive, keyword-rich titles and meta descriptions for each page.Ensure that images have alt tags, and include internal links to help search engines and users navigate your content. Additionally, focus on creating high-quality content that satisfies user intent, as search engines increasingly reward pages that provide value over those that simply try to rank.

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6.  Responsive Design for Multiple Devices

Responsiveness is Non-Negotiable

Responsive design ensures that your website functions and looks good on all devices, from desktop computers to smartphones. In an era where users access websites from a variety of devices, responsiveness is a non-negotiable part of any website design strategy. A responsive site adjusts its layout dynamically, providing an optimal viewing experience no matter the screen size, leading to improved engagement and user satisfaction.

Mobile-First Design is Critical

With mobile traffic continuing to rise, adopting a mobile-first design approach is no longer optional. More users access the web through mobile devices than ever before, making it essential that your website is optimized for smaller screens.A mobile-first design ensures that your site is fully functional, visually appealing, and quick to load on mobile devices, giving users the best possible experience regardless of how they access your content.

To create a responsive design, use flexible grids and layouts that automatically adjust based on the device’s screen size. Implement media queries in your CSS to control the design’s behavior on different devices. Test your design across various screen sizes to ensure that images, text, and navigation elements resize appropriately. Responsiveness isn’t just about shrinking your desktop design—it’s about providing an optimal user experience on any device.

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7.  Incorporate Call to Actions (CTAs), Social Proof and Testimonials

The Power of CTAs in Website Design

Calls to Action (CTAs) are critical in guiding users toward desired actions, such assigning up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or contacting your business.Well-placed CTAs can significantly improve conversion rates by providing clear, compelling reasons for users to engage. By using action-oriented language and strategic placement, CTAs can effectively direct user attention and encourage them to take the next step in their journey. When thoughtfully designed and placed, CTAs can transform passive visitors into active participants, moving them deeper into your sales funnel.

To design high-converting CTAs, focus on clarity, urgency, and visibility. Use action-oriented language like "Get Started", "Join Now", or"Learn More", which clearly communicates the next step. Make sure theCTA stands out by using contrasting colors and placing it in strategic locations, such as above the fold or at the end of blog posts. Additionally, create a sense of urgency with time-sensitive language, encouraging users to act quickly. Test different variations of CTA buttons to see which drives the most engagement.

Social Proof Boosts Trust and Engagement

Social proof, such as testimonials, reviews, and case studies, builds credibility and fosters trust with your audience. When visitors see that others have had positive experiences with your brand, they are more likely to feel confident in their decision to engage with you. Social proof acts as a form of validation, assuring potential customers that your product or service is worth their time and money. Incorporating social proof into your website design can increase conversion rates and create a more trustworthy online presence.

To effectively showcase testimonials, use a variety of formats such as text, video, and case studies. Place them strategically throughout your website—on the homepage, product pages, and landing pages—where they will have the most impact. Make sure testimonials are authentic and specific, highlighting how your product or service solved a particular problem. You can also integrate ratings and reviews from third-party platforms to add an extra layer of credibility.

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8.  Design Layout and Structure

Organize Your Content for Maximum Impact

Content structure is essential to guiding users through your website and keeping them engaged. Start with a clear and concise introduction that hooks the reader and sets the stage for the rest of the page. Break up long sections of text with subheadings, bullet points, and images to keep the content digestible. Use logical sequencing that flows naturally, leading readers from one idea to the next. A well-organized layout not only improves readability but also enhances user experience by making it easier for visitors to find the information they need.

Designing Engaging Blog Posts, Articles, and Landing Pages

Each type of content on your website should serve a specific purpose and be designed accordingly. Blog posts should provide valuable insights, be optimized for SEO, and include internal links to related content. Articles, especially long-form, should be well-researched and visually broken down to maintain interest.Landing pages, on the other hand, should be highly focused on converting visitors—whether that means collecting leads or making sales. Keep landing pages concise, with a clear headline, a strong CTA, and minimal distractions.

Design Consistency Across Pages Builds Trust

Consistency in design creates a seamless experience for users, building trust and reinforcing your brand identity. When fonts, colors, buttons, and layouts remain consistent across your site, visitors feel more at ease and confident navigating it. This predictability reduces cognitive load, making it easier forusers to find what they’re looking for. Inconsistent design, on the other hand, can confuse visitors, making them feel disconnected from your brand.

To ensure design consistency, establish a style guide that outlines the specific fonts, colors, and design elements to be used throughout your site. Stick to a uniform grid system and use common UI elements like buttons and forms in the same way on every page. Avoid deviating from your established design patterns unless absolutely necessary. Consistency doesn’t have to be boring—small creative flourishes can still be introduced while maintaining a cohesive look and feel.

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9.  Prioritizing Accessibility in Design

Why Accessibility is Essential for Modern Web Design

An accessible website ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can navigate and interact with your content. Accessibility is not only a moral responsibility but also a legal requirement in many jurisdictions. When youdesign with accessibility in mind, you broaden your audience and improve usability for everyone, regardless of their abilities. Failing to prioritize accessibility can lead to alienating users and missing out on potential business opportunities.

To create an accessible website, start by following web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG). Ensure your text is legible by using high-contrast color combinations and appropriate font sizes. Use semantic HTML to structure your content properly, and provide alternative text for images to assist visually impaired users. Also, ensure that all interactive elements, such as buttons and forms, are navigable via keyboard and compatible with screen readers.Accessibility is not a one-time effort but a continuous process of improvement.

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10. Use Analytics &Security Features

How Analytics Can GuideYour Design Decisions

Analytics offer invaluable insights into how users interact with your website, allowing you to make data-driven design decisions. By tracking metrics such as bounce rates, time on page, and user behavior, you can identify pain points in your design and address them. For example, if analytics show that users are dropping off at a particular point in the user journey, it may indicate a problem with navigation or page load times. Regularly reviewing analytics helps you fine-tune your website for better performance and user experience.

The Role of A/B Testing in Website Design Strategy

A/B testing is an essential tool for optimizing your website design. It involves testing two versions of a webpage—such as a different layout, color scheme, orCTA—and measuring which performs better in terms of user engagement or conversion. A/B testing allows you to experiment with design elements in a controlled way, ensuring that any changes you make are grounded in real data rather than guesswork. Over time, continuous testing can significantly enhance your website's effectiveness.

Build Trust with Security Features

Security is a top priority for both users and search engines. SSL certificates encrypt data, providing a secure connection between the user and your website, whichnot only protects sensitive information but also boosts your site's credibility. Additionally, a clear and transparent privacy policy shows users that you respect their personal data, helping to build trust. Search engines like Google prioritize secure websites, so adding security features can also improve your search rankings.

To design a secure website, ensure that your site uses HTTPS and displays trust badges or certifications prominently. Offer clear explanations of your security measures, such as data encryption or fraud protection, particularly on checkout or form submission pages. Regularly update your security software and perform vulnerability checks to protect against cyber threats. A secure website not only safeguards your business but also assures your visitors that the ir information is safe.

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Conclusion

The Long-Term Benefits of a Solid Website Design Strategy

An effective website design strategy offers long-term benefits, from improved user engagement to higher conversion rates and enhanced brand credibility. By investing time and effort into crafting a thoughtful, user-centric design, youcreate a digital presence that not only attracts visitors but also encourages them to engage, return, and ultimately convert. A well-executed design strategy ensures that your website is more than just a digital storefront—it becomes a powerful tool for business growth, customer retention, and competitive differentiation.

Implementing These Tips for Success

Now that you have the tools, it’s time to put them into action. Start by assessing your current Website Design and identifying key areas for improvement. Whether you’re a small business in Orange County CAor aiming for a global reach, a solid strategy is crucial. Partnering with experts like MYDG Studio can make the difference between an average site and a captivating digital experience. Take the next step and turn your website into a dynamic platform that drives success for your business.

Creating a strong brand identity is a journey, not a quick fix. It’s not just about throwing together a few colors and designing a logo. Building an identity that truly represents your brand and can support your growth requires thoughtful planning, a team with excellent communication and design skills, and a deep understanding of who you are, what you do, your competitors, and how you want to present your brand to a relevant audience.

Developing a brand identity can feel overwhelming and confusing. What should it include? Where do you even start? Who needs to be part of the process?

With the right guidance, you can navigate this journey effectively, and that’s where this toolkit comes in. We’ve simplified the process into an easy-to-follow guide, complete with a toolkit to support you every step of the way. By following this guide, you’ll emerge with a beautiful, functional brand identity that not only outshines your competition but also helps you connect with the right people and share your brand story through every piece of content.

What Is a Brand Identity?

Identity = Identify. Brand identity are the elements that help an audience identify with a particular brand.

A brand identity is the sum of how your brand looks, feels, and speaks to people. (Sometimes that even includes how it sounds, tastes, feels, and even smells... think of Chanel)

The components that make up a brand identity are:

1. Brand Story (brand’s origin, values, vision, goals and mission narrative) Why you matter.
2. Brand Personality (human characteristics that resonates with an audience)
3. Brand Name (sets brand tone)
4. Services and/or Products (brands unique selling point)
5. Verbal Identity (personality and consistency through words)
6. Visual Identity (logo, colors, typography, composition, graphics, icons, patterns, photography, illustration and marketing collateral templates

When most people talk about brand identity, they’re referring to a brand’s logo, which is just part of your visual identity.

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The Power of a Strong Brand Identity

A strong brand identity is not about having a nice logo; it’s about communicating your brand story effectively. It’s like a lighthouse in the stormy sea of the marketplace, guiding customers towards it. Your identity is a powerful tool that can transform how people interact with your brand in these important ways:

Differentiation: How can you stand out in a crowded marketplace? Your brand identity can play a strong role. Whether you want your product to stand out on a shelf, or you want your ads to stand out on social media, creating a consistent, cohesive presentation is the secret to success.

Positioning: The more effectively you communicate who you are, the easier it will be for people to engage with you and, ultimately, join your community of fans. If you don’t position yourself, you will be positioned!

Image: A strong brand identity will help manage the image of your business.

Consistency: Everything you create reflects your brand. Thus, if you want to create a consistent, cohesive brand experience, you need to present a consistent, cohesive identity. From your website, to your social media, to your signage, to your sales brochures, a consistent brand identity is key to elevating your brand experience.

Some brands elevate brand identity to an art (think Apple or Patagonia). While others struggle because they don’t know who they are or don’t know how to communicate it effectively. (Too many brands fall into this category.)

Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, one thing is certain. If you want to be a competitive and successful company, crafting a strong brand identity is a must.

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"People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic." —Seth Godin

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What Does a Brand Identity Include?

When you create a brand identity, you’re basically building a toolbox of elements to help you communicate effectively with an audience. This can be basic or extensive; it all depends on your brand’s needs.

The components that make up a brand identity are:

1. Brand Story - An audience focused narrative. It tells the story of a brand’s origin, mission, vision, values and goals. This will define an audience, and create an emotional connection that helps build a relationship. Authenticity is the key.
2. Brand Personality - It’s the human characteristics and traits that consumers can relate to. It will enable consumers to identity with and creates a connection… they see themselves part of your brand.
3. Brand Name - A great brand name sets the tone, is easy to pronounce, creates a positive image, last over time, and is protectable.
4. Services and/or Products - A brand’s products or services are part of its identity. The key is figuring out your unique selling point.
5. Competitor Analysis - Helps define an audience, helps position your brand by finding your competitive advantage and helps find out what not to do. Helps define what makes you different.
6. Verbal Identity - Conveys your personality through words, helps set you apart from your competitors, and allows an audience to feel like they are always hearing one voice… consistency.
7. Visual Identity - Logo, colors, typography, spacing, graphics, print elements, photography, illustration and digital elements.
8. Regardless, every brand needs a basic visual identity, which includes three core elements:

Regardless, every brand needs a basic visual identity, which includes three core elements:

• Logo
• Color palette
• Typography

Additional elements to express your visual identity across touchpoints, include:

• Photography
• Illustration
• Iconography
• Spacing, size and placement
• Print elements (stationary, packaging, brochures etc.)
• Digital elements (social media, website, etc.)

Your visual identity elements should be designed for your audience, personality, position and values.

You don’t need to design everything all at once. If you don’t have a ton of resources (or don’t know what your future needs will be), start with the basic logo, color, and typography. You can build out additional elements as needed.

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What Makes  A Strong Logo?

While a logo is not your brand identity it is an important part of your visual identity. Having a logo doesn’t mean your identity is good or effective. Even if you design every element needed, it may not help you achieve your long-term goals. Always remember, a “logo is not communication. A logo is identification.”

A strong logo needs to work for everyone, both your internal team (brand ambassadors, content creators etc.) and the people who will interact with it (customers).

So, what makes a great logo?

Appropriate: A logo should be appropriate in it’s feeling. It doesn’t need to say a whole lot.

Simple & Timeless: Despite changing design trends, good logos remain effective and relevant, demonstrating its timeless appeal.

Distinctive & Memorable: It needs to be unique, stands out among competitors and catches people’s attention. It has to be unusual enough to persist in our mind.

Flexible and Scalable: It can adapt well across all platforms and sizes, maintaining its impact and legibility.

If you design an identity that doesn’t resonate with your target audience, or doesn’t truly reflect your brand, you will have wasted a lot of work.

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"A logo is not communication. It's identification. It's the period at the end of the sentence. Not the sentence itself." —Sagi Haviv

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So, How do you Create a Strong Brand Identity?

Now that you understand what brand identity is, and what makes a strong brand identity let’s take a look at how to create your new brand identity. Follow these steps to get started with your new brand identity.

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Define Your Foundation

Before jumping into the steps detailed here, know that the visual aspect of your brand identity is not the first thing you should tackle when you’re building a brand; it’s actually the last thing. A brand is like a house; it should be built on a solid foundation.

First, you need to know who you are: What’s your personality? What do you care about? What do you do? How do you talk about what you do? These are the core elements of your brand that your visual identity will communicate. If you don’t have this foundation to build upon, you can’t design a visual identity that properly tells your brand story.

Action Plan:

Make sure you know your:  

Brand Heart: This is an articulation of your brand’s core principals (vision, mission/purpose and goals). Use your Core Identity in the toolkit.

Brand Name: Choose the right name. You really cannot design a logo without a name.

Brand Personality: Find the right words, voice, images and ways to describe the brand as vibrant as if was a person.

Messaging: Find your tagline, value proposition, and messaging pillars to ensure your visual identity communicates the right story to your audience.

You need to know why you’re going through this process at all. If you’re starting from scratch, it’s obvious. If you’re rebranding, make sure everyone on your team understands the challenges you’re facing with your current identity and what you’re hoping to achieve with a new one. It’s very important to establish these core brand elements.  

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"Brand is not what you say it is. It's what they say it is." —Marty Neumeier

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Assess Your Current Identity

Good branding is ultimately about good communication. To make sure your visual output aligns with your brand values, reflects your personality, and communicates your brand story, you need to have an intimate understanding of your brand.  

Start with a brand assessment to understand:

• The current state of your brand’s identity
• How that brand identity might be crafted or tweaked to align with your goals going forward

By taking a critical look at your brand, you can get the insights you need to build an identity that accurately communicates it.

Action Plan:

Use the Brand Audit Template in the toolkit, and follow the guide to assess your current brand identity. This is the first step to make sure you’re moving in the right direction. Download our Brand Identity Toolkit.

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Competitor Analysis

Building a brand identity is all about differentiation: making your brand visible, relevant, and unique. It’s crucial to understand not just who your competition is but how your brand compares in terms of your visual presentation.

Through a competitor analysis, you can compare your brand to each competitor, and compare your competitors as a whole, which can surface some surprising insights. Take note of competitor weaknesses to gain market opportunities.

Action Plan:

Use the Competitor Analysis Template in the toolkit to assess your main 3 competitors.  

As you move through the process, pay attention to how your competitors present themselves in terms of common visual elements, trends, industry-specific visual themes, brand personalities, and positioning.

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 "To be irreplaceable, one must always be different." —Coco Chanel

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Establish a Visual Direction

Now that you’ve taken a critical look at both your current identity and your competitors’ identities, it’s time to get aligned on the direction you want to go.

Design can be incredibly subjective. Colors that convey power and strength to one person may be perceived totally differently by others. Even the vocabulary you use to describe your brand can be interpreted differently.

At this stage you aren’t ready to design yet; you first need to have important conversations and move through exercises that will help land on a shared vision for your identity.

• What are the key brand traits you want to express through your visuals?
• What type of visuals communicate these traits?
• What do you want people to feel when they “see” your brand?  

Action Plan:

To prompt these conversations, it helps to conduct exercises to guide your conversation. Use the Brand Attributes Exercise in the toolkit to help identify the main brand attributes you want to convey. Download our Brand Identity Toolkit.

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Write Your Design Brief

Once you’ve completed the previous steps, you have the information you need to start designing. Start with a creative brief that details the pertinent information you need to keep everyone on the same page—and ensure you create an identity that aligns to your brand goals and audience.

Action Plan:

Use the Design Brief Template in the toolkit. Don’t provide too much or too little info. Your brief should always inform, not overwhelm. Download our Brand Identity Toolkit.

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Design Your Visual Identity

A visual identity is an intricate design system. Each element influences the other, but it starts with your logo. A strong logo captures the essence of your brand, helping you make your mark (literally) in the world. Remember, your logo mark is to identify, not to communicate.

Action Plan:

Go old-school here and bust out the pencil to free-sketch in black and white. You want to make sure that the core imagery is powerful enough to deliver the message on its own, without the enhancement of color. To start, work on loose shapes and complementary imagery to inspire your logo mark. Refer back to your foundation, audience and competitor discoveries to guide your design.

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"The way a company brands itself is everything—it will ultimately decide whether a business survives." —Richard Branson

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Color Palette

Once you have a solid logo, start to explore your color palette. Color plays a significant roll in differentiating your brand from competitors, and is vital for brand recognition.

Action Plan:

A good color palette is clean and flexible, supplying enough choices to be creative but not enough to overwhelm. This includes:

• Primary color palette
• Secondary color palette
• Black and white usage
• Color tints
• Color pairings/combinations
• Accent colors

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Typography

Fonts influence your readers’ perception of your brand. This is why selecting brand typography that conveys your business’s personality and values is one of the key elements of visual branding. In fact, few things communicate the look and feel of a brand more clearly than the way letters, numbers, and symbols are put together. Typography should strike a balance between legibility and interest. Every visual element in your identity should contribute to a cohesive visual language, and thus each should complement the other. This is particularly true of typography, which should be informed by the shape of your logo.

Action Plan:

Every stage of design has its own unique challenges, but typography can be tricky in a visual language, especially when brands follow trends that are hot for a second but quickly become dated or appear unoriginal (serif vs. non-serif).

To keep it simple, limit the number of typefaces to 2-3. This generally includes primary and secondary brand typefaces for specific purposes, such as headers, body copy, hierarchy, text weights, UI typeface, etc.

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Design Additional Elements

Every brand’s needs are different, so you may or may not need to design a comprehensive identity. Consider your brand’s future needs. If you are planning to experiment with different types of content, make sure you include those elements in your identity.

Photography Guidelines - Photography is one of the most important elements in our identity system. It not only showcases our designs, but the spaces they inhabit, the people that use them, and the processes that create them. It captures the story of our brand. It’s important to identify clear guidelines about the types of images (and visual treatments) that are and aren’t appropriate. This will ensure a consistent look and feel.

Illustration Guidelines - When it comes to illustration, you need a cohesive and uniform language. It is an important tool when photography either can’t be used or when needing a stronger or clearer point of view.

Infographics - Information graphics are a crucial component for showcasing more detailed information. Whether product details, data, or timelines, various styles of infographics can be used to help make communication clear.

Composition - Each element in our visual system is designed to work together and dial up or down as needed to meet any communication need. Composition principles determine how each piece can sit alongside one another to meet these needs. Can include spacing, size and placement.

Applications - Depending on the required brand collateral you need, you can create several template files for both print and digital. From business cards, stationary, packaging and social media to website design these templates will help craft a consistent brand identity.  

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"When you brand yourself properly, the competition becomes irrelevant." —Dan Schawbel

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Build Your Brand Style Guide

What is a brand style guide?

A brand style guide is the rulebook for everything you create, from what fonts to use to how logo treatments work with different color schemes. Whether you’re creating a business card, social media post, or developing an ad campaign, a style guide ensures your work is consistent with brand identity — both visually and in tone of voice.

The only thing more heartbreaking than a poorly designed brand identity is a beautifully designed identity that is never used or used incorrectly.

Why is a brand style guide important?

You want customers to recognize your brand no matter where they see it — on their phone, on TV, or on a billboard. The best brands use common visual elements and styles to increase brand recognition. A brand style guide is an essential tool to ensure your company produces consistent, cohesive work — especially if you work with freelancers or a marketing agency.

Action Plan:

Include clear, easy-to-follow guidelines for every part of the brand identity. Download our Brand Identity Toolkit.

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What to Include in your style guide:

• Articulate the Mission Statement - Core values, what sets your brand apart from competitors.
• Explain the Name and Tagline -The tagline should be the first thing you want people to know — a quick expression of value, in the brand’s voice.
• Identify the Voice and Tone - If your brand were a person how would it speak? It should reflect the intended audience and purpose of communication.
• Introduce the Intended Audience - Describe the buyer personas that make up your customers, prospects, and referrals.
• Describe the Visual Identity - Logo, color palette, typography, photography, infographics etc.

In the end, guidelines are just that—a guide. Always use your best judgment when creating materials and use this as a starting point.

Once completed, make sure guidelines are distributed to your team, stored in an easy-to-access place, and regularly updated.

Click links below to see samples of style guides:

• Rad Hat Co. Brand Style Guide (Brand Guidelines)
• Marni’s Beach Bar Style Sheet (Visual Guidelines)

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"Design is the silent ambassador of your brand." —Paul Rand

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How to Use Your New Brand Identity

Once you’ve created your brand identity, it’s time to implement it. This involves integrating your brand identity into all your brand touchpoints and communicating it to your audience.

Consistency is key when it comes to building a strong brand. You can’t toss your fresh brand identity into the world and expect people to know how to use it immediately. Designate a point person to answer any and all questions related to the brand application, and implement a system of quality control to preserve your brand integrity at every touchpoint.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or don’t have the resources to take on the project yourself, consider bringing in some expert help. Download our Brand Identity Toolkit as a guide to designing your new brand identity.

Creating quality content that will drive organic traffic to your website can be a challenge. Many small business owners may be able write decent content, but they often fail at writing content that delivers results in a Search. This is the primary objective of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). You must have quality content that has value and attracts new clients. Search engines, likeGoogle, constantly update their algorithms, so you'll need to keep up with the latest SEO techniques. Read on for tips on quality content writing and SEO.

Choose the right keywords

Keyword research is the fundamental first step in all SEO. Good keywords not only help your site rank higher on search engines, but they also provide the business owner with valuable information. Thinking about all the words your potential customers might search to find your product or service is a good place to start. Each article you write should have one main keyword or keyword phrase, and 5-10 additional keywords that are closely related to your primary keyword.One common mistake by business owners is using technical terms rather than common terms for their products, or services. It’s important to research related keywords, and find ones that are commonly used by your potential customers.

Identify search intent

When someone does a Google search, they have something specific in mind they want to accomplish. Google spends a great deal of time creating algorithms to refine the search process, and fulfill the user's intent. To get the most out of SEO, you need to understand the distinct types of search intent. These include:

• Informational: When a user is searching for information on a topic, they often include words such as, "how to," "best," and “tutorial.”
• Navigational: Sometimes the user is looking for a specific web page or site. They will use words that are the actual name of the business, or product.
• Commercial: When someone is researching a potential purchase they will include search terms such as, "review" or "least expensive."
• Transactional: Users will perform searches when they are ready to make a purchase. These users will enter terms such as,  "buy," "coupon," or "price."

Examining the search intent that will drive the most traffic to your site is another essential part of SEO.

Create an optimized meta title

The meta title does not need to be the same as the page title, but both should include your main keyword. Your meta title shows up on the search page, while your H1 page header is on the page itself. This is why the meta title is so important for SEO. Consider the following when creating a optimized meta title:

• Give each page its own unique title.
• Tailor the title to the user's intent.
• Be sure to include your primary keyword.

Create an optimized meta description

The meta description is what users will see directly under the meta title on the search page. Don't make the mistake of leaving this out. A meta description that is optimized for SEO can give you an edge over your competitors.

• Each page on your site should have a unique, accurate, and specific meta description.
• Remember to include your keyword in the meta description.
• Keep it to 140-160 words.
• Include a call to action.
• Your meta description doesn’t need to be in sentence format.

A good meta description can be one of the most important things that users see when conducting a search. It has to be enough to convince the user to visit your website page.

Be creative with your H1 titles

Each page on your site should have exactly one H1 tag. Here are some tips for how to make the best H1 for your article:

• Use a  unique H1 for each page on your site.
• Remember to describe the content in your H1.    

Your content must be well written and organized

Creating good structure to your articles is essential for quality content and SEO.Articles with H2 and H3 tags perform better in searches. Some ways to ensure your content meets these criteria are:

• Create lengthy content when necessary, and provide an outline at the top of the page for longer articles.
• Use H2 and H3 tags to make your content more readable.
• Keep each paragraph to one main idea and break up long sentences.
• Include a list in your article to generate more search volume and encourage quick reads.
• Bullet points and numbered lists enhance readability and understanding.
• Use a bold fonts, italics, or both to highlight key points.
• Answer the questions users searched for on your topic.

Create a descriptive URL for each page

TheURL of your page can help a user decide whether your article will have the information they are looking for. It is important to create URL's that provide this information in a simple, readable format. When creating URL's, separate the words with hyphens. Use lower case letters and make it as short as possible. Include your main keyword and be sure to describe the page.

Include photos, videos, or other visual content

Readers will remember much more from your article if you include visual content. Adding visual content to your page will not only enhance the article's readability, it will also increase the likelihood of the content being shared on other sites.This creates valuable backlinks to your site. Engaging videos keep a visitor on your site longer, which Google tracks. To optimize your visual content, be sure to:

• Resize and optimize your images so the site loads quickly.
• Give your photos descriptive file names.
• Use visual elements to attract and engage your visitors.
• Create alt text tags that accurately describe your images.

Include internal links

Internal linking is when the pages of your site link to one another. This helps search engines find your content, and also gives credibility to your pages which can improve search engine ranking.

Using these tips will help you optimize your content, and put you on the right path for higher search engine rankings. This is a lot for a small business to take on by themselves. To find out more about our website design services, and seo services contact MY Design Group, located in Orange County, CA. We offer affordable custom website design and SEO to suit any budget.