Have you been saying to yourself, “I need to launch a new website or rebrand my business”? If you’re preparing to invest in a professional online presence, this guide will help you lay the foundation with clarity, confidence, and strategy.
Before you print business cards with a new logo or hit publish on your site, the first thing you need to do is define your brand. That’s what makes your business recognizable, trustworthy, and memorable—both online and off. If you have a brand it may be time to re-evaluate how effective your brand is, especially if it has been years or you have changed services or products a new targeted brand can help recover sales and direct your marketing budget effectively.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- What a brand actually is (hint: it’s more than a logo)
- Why branding should come before building or rebuilding your website
- A checklist of brand questions to get clear on your message
- Helpful tools to shape your brand vision before hiring a designer
- Real brand examples to inspire your look and feel
- A short TL;DR + FAQ for busy business owners
If you’re ready to build or refresh a brand that reflects how far you’ve come—and where you’re headed—this blog is for you.
What Is a Brand?
According to the article What Is a Brand, Anyway? by Tronvig Group:
“…a brand is what your prospect thinks of when they hear your name. It’s everything the public believes they know about your offering—both factual (e.g. it comes in a robin’s-egg-blue box), and emotional (e.g. it feels romantic).”
You don’t need to be a household name to build a brand people remember. But you do need to help people understand what you do, recognize your voice and visuals, and trust that you’re the right choice.
In a world where AI tools compare services in seconds, your brand is what sets you apart. Without one, even the best product or service can go overlooked.
What Should Come First: Branding or a Website?
Branding should always come first—especially if you’re investing thousands into a custom website.
Here’s why:
- You’ll know what pages your site needs (and what can wait).
- Your words will speak clearly to the people you serve.
- Your design will reflect your tone, values, and goals.
- Visitors will know exactly what to do next—whether that’s booking, buying, or reaching out.
- You’ll avoid costly revisions or starting from scratch later.
Branding gives your web designer a strong foundation to build on—and helps you show up online with purpose.
The 5 W’s (+ How) of Branding
Here’s a simple framework to help you define your brand before you invest in design or development:
Who do you serve?
Are they in a certain industry, life stage, or mindset? Who are your best-fit clients—and where do they already spend their time and money?
What do you offer?
Not just your product or service, but the value. Do you save time, reduce stress, build confidence? What makes your offer different or better?
When do people need you?
Is your service seasonal, milestone-based, or ongoing? This helps you plan your site and content around the right timing.
Where can people find you?
You don’t need to be on every platform. Focus on where your people actually hang out—Google, Instagram, LinkedIn, or in person.
Why do you care?
This is your brand story. It connects your purpose with your customer’s needs and helps build real trust.
How will you show up?
This is about your brand style and voice. Is your look bold or minimalist? Does your tone feel casual, confident, or calming?
Already Have a Website?
If you’ve already launched a website but it’s not doing much for your business, the problem might not be the design or platform—it could be your brand.
When your messaging is unclear, or your visuals don’t match your service quality, visitors leave—even if your site looks “fine.” A brand refresh can align your website with the real value you bring to the table.
What If I’m Not a Designer—Can I Still Build a Brand?
Absolutely. In fact, having a clear brand before hiring a designer makes the whole process smoother—and often saves you time and money.
Here are a few tools that can help you shape your brand vision and organize your ideas so you’re ready to hire a pro:
Visual Branding Tools (Prep Tools, Not Final Design)
- Coolors – Build color palettes with hex codes to share with your designer later.
- Canva – Create brand kits with fonts, colors, and templates to try out ideas before committing.
- Looka – Generate logos and brand moodboards as inspiration—not your forever logo, but a good starting point.
Brand Voice Tools
- Survey your ideal clients: What brands do they follow? What kind of language do they respond to?
- Subscribe to your competitors’ newsletters to observe tone and structure.
- Use AnswerThePublic to explore what people are searching for in your field.
- Try Hemingway Editor to make your writing more clear and bold.
These tools are great for getting started—but when you’re building a long-term brand, working with a designer, copywriter, or strategist can turn your rough ideas into something polished and professional.
Real-World Brand Examples to Inspire You
Golde – golde.co
A wellness brand with vibrant colors and a playful, trustworthy tone. Their packaging, site, and social all align beautifully.
The Honey Pot – thehoneypot.co
They built a brand on transparency and care, with a tone that feels both clinical and human. Great example of clear product positioning.
Minaa B. – minaab.com
A therapist and author whose voice, visuals, and values show up consistently across her site, podcast, and social channels.
Omsom – omsom.com
A bold food brand with a strong cultural voice and a no-apologies aesthetic. A great example of standing out through identity.
Revival Retro – revival-retro.com
A boutique that brings vintage fashion to life online with thoughtful visuals, copy, and layout. Proof that even small shops can have powerful branding.
What Changes When You Get Your Brand Right?
Once your brand is clear and consistent, you’ll notice:
- You attract better-fit clients who are already aligned with your values.
- You feel confident showing up and marketing yourself.
- Your website, emails, and social posts feel natural and on-message.
People trust you more quickly, and that often leads to more bookings or sales.
