How to create a branded website: style, voice, elements

People remember brands not by their logos, but by the emotions they evoke. And any business website is no exception. Brand colors, tone of communication, illustrations, and even buttons—all of these elements contribute to creating a recognizable image or blending into the crowd. Read on to learn how to create a resource that truly works for your brand.

What is web branding?

What is web branding? It is a set of visual and strategic solutions that a company uses to create a recognizable image in the digital space. Unlike traditional marketing, everything is important here — from the color of buttons to promoting the resource on social media.

A website is part of web branding that serves as the “face” of the company, demonstrating its character, values, and services. Website branding consists of the following main components:

• website design as a brand — a well-thought-out corporate identity: logo, color palette, fonts, graphics, animations;
• tone of voice — the tone of communication: from friendly to expert, from light to strict;
• content — texts, images, videos, and stories that correspond to the brand's philosophy;
• user interface (UX/UI) — convenience, aesthetics, and navigation logic consistent with the overall tone of the company.

The importance of branding for websites cannot be overestimated. If a resource looks stylish, speaks in understandable language, and evokes the right emotions, the user stays. If not, they go to competitors.

Why is website branding necessary? It is necessary to:

• increase brand awareness;
• inspire trust and retain attention;
• stand out in a competitive environment;
• improve conversion and user interest in the resource.

Branding in web design has long been used in Ukraine as the basis for effective digital promotion. Companies that pay attention to corporate identity and proper communication win in loyalty, perception, and sales.

Corporate identity: colors, logo, visuals

The corporate identity of a website is the visual foundation that makes a brand recognizable and evokes the right associations in users. It includes:

• selection of the website's color palette: the main color reflects the mood and character of the brand. For example, blue represents reliability (often used when creating a corporate website), green represents environmental friendliness, and orange represents energy. Additional colors highlight important areas (prices, list of services, feedback forms). Contrast is important not only for aesthetics but also for conversion, so text and buttons must be clearly visible;
• the website logo is an element that makes your brand recognizable. When developing a browser version, it is convenient to use the full version (logo + name), and a simplified version for mobile versions and favicons (icons displayed in the visit history and bookmarks).
• branded elements of the website bring the resource to life, help emphasize its uniqueness, and enhance the visual impression. The main thing is to maintain a consistent style across all pages of the resource.

To create a corporate style for a website, you first need to think about what emotions it should evoke, what audience it should attract, and what idea it should convey. Remember that this is not just a pretty decoration, but an important communication tool that shapes the company's image in the eyes of the customer and influences whether they will remember the brand and return again.

Brand tone and voice

Brand tone is the emotional tone and mood with which a company communicates with its audience through its website and other channels. It helps to shape the right perception and build trust among visitors. The brand voice of the website plays an important role here — a unique style of presentation that reflects the company's values and sets it apart from its competitors. It consists of the following components:

• word choice — simple or professional terms, everyday expressions;
• phrase structure — short but concise sentences, or detailed, narrative paragraphs;
• tone, rhythm, intonation, and style of presentation — questions to the reader, exclamations, calls to action, humor, or a strict informative presentation.

To understand how to define your brand voice, you need to carefully analyze your target audience and formulate the main ideas you want to convey to the public. It also helps to develop a clear brand message for the website — the main message around which communication with customers is built. Based on this, a general style of brand communication is created, which sets the rules for the choice of words, intonation, and text structure.

Interactive and visual markers

While a static image conveys mood, interactivity on a branded website allows you to feel the style and literally “touch” your brand. These can be:

• branded animations on web pages when hovering;
• dynamic transitions between sections;
• light effects when scrolling.

Such interactive elements enhance the visual perception of the brand and set the rhythm. In this way, they attract the user and make the interaction with the resource, and therefore with your company, memorable.

Visual brand markers also play an important role in website creation:

• brand icons on the website;
• repeating patterns or drawings on all pages (patterns);
• decorative lines;
• color accents.

They help the user navigate and remain recognizable elements of your style.

Examples and mistakes

When it comes to typical mistakes in website branding, the most common ones are:

• a variety of fonts and colors;
• overloaded graphic blocks, where every second element stands out, causing the user to lose focus and quickly leave;
• ignoring the characteristics of mobile screens and the need to adapt the main elements of the brand's corporate identity to them.

The following basic recommendations will help you understand how not to spoil the corporate identity of your website:

• clearly define the rules for using each element;
• check the contrast and overall visual perception of the resource;
• control the uniform style of animations and illustrations.

For more detailed advice on the corporate design of your website, contact the specialists at Megasite, an IT company operating in Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine. We will help you develop a unique visual style, customize the brand elements of your website, and adapt them to your business goals.