Branding

Brand Yourself: Designing Your Small Business Website

What does your website say about your small business?

We’re not talking about the obvious stuff, such as hours, contact information and locations. (You should include those things; otherwise, what’s the point of your website?) But we’re talking about the story your website has to tell.

Everything on your small business website, from your logo to the colors and fonts you choose, says something about your brand. But is it speaking the right language? Would it be recognizable as uniquely yours even if all the identifying information disappeared? Does it jive with your social media pages, emails and other marketing materials?

If not, you have a problem — and Mischa Communications has the solution!

Why Does Website Branding Matter?

Branding increases recognition. It’s the reason people choose Chips Ahoy, Keebler and Famous Amos over store-brand cookies. People are loyal to brands they recognize, and they’ll pay more for that recognition, allowing you to reap a higher price point than your non-recognized competitors.

A great brand also helps your marketing efforts, making it easier for your marketing team (us!) to design awesome campaigns that drive customers straight to your door!

Small Business Website Branding 101

For the uninitiated, website branding may seem complicated. There are so many moving parts that it’s unfathomable they should all be able to magically “sync up” and work as a whole. But it’s easier than it sounds. Here are our best tips:

Find Your “Voice.” Imagine you’re meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time. Everything needs to be perfect, so you research the newest restaurant in town. The website is elegant, the menu looks fantastic, and everything about the location — from the signage to the tuxedoed maître d’ out front — screams “swanky.” But when you walk in, the servers are wearing pinwheel hats and there’s a literal clown juggling colored balls in the corner.

What kind of review is that restaurant going to get from you and your extremely confused guests of honor?

Your brand’s voice must represent who you really are as a company. If pinwheel hats are your thing, go for it — but don’t pretend to be something you’re not!

Keep Your Fonts and Colors Consistent. Think of the Disney logo — the whimsical font and blue-hued background. Now imagine it doesn’t say “Disney” anymore — it says “bacon” instead. Regardless of the word written there, it’s still instantly recognizable as the Disney logo.

The same needs to happen on your website. No matter what is written or displayed on the pages there, it needs to have a consistent feel. Using Arial for your homepage only to use Comic Sans for your blog just feels … wrong.

This goes double for your color scheme. Using warm, welcoming hues on one page only to switch to jarring neon on the next leaves your visitor feeling confused and slightly headachy.

Tell Your Story. Your website needs to tell your visitor who you are, what you do and why you do it — and not just in words. Your videos, photos and other content need to support that story across the board.

Are you a family-oriented company? Make sure your content has a homey feel throughout. Are you eco-conscious? Prove it throughout your site. Everything about your website brand needs to somehow tie into your story.

Use a Style Guide. A style guide sets the “rules” for everything you do. The most basic cover things like website design, fonts and colors; the best ones also dictate your voice, tone and even grammar.

Don’t have the time to develop a style guide? Let Mischa Communications help! It is one of the single-best tools to ensure your website branding is the absolute best it can be.

Don’t Leave Your Website to Chance!

Your website likely is the first touchpoint potential customers will have with your small business. If it doesn’t accurately support your brand and tell your story, you’re not getting a second chance. Don’t just cross your fingers and hope for the best — get some of the best to design your website for you!

Mischa Communications offers uber-affordable custom website development services. Our design gurus can work with you on everything from logos to signage, and if you need some help creating content to showcase on your shiny new site, we have you covered there, as well!

Ready to talk? Get in touch and let us show you what the Mischa Communications difference is all about.