When Jonah Sachs said, "your brand is a story unfolding across all customer touch points," he tapped into a powerful truth about modern business. Whether you're running a small service-based business or a global enterprise, your brand is more than just a logo or a catchy slogan—it's a narrative. And like any good story, it unfolds gradually, with each interaction adding to your tale. Every time a customer visits your website, scrolls through your social media, or reads an email from you, they’re reading another page of your brand's story. So, what kind of story are you telling?
Thinking about your brand as a story isn’t just a nice idea; it’s crucial to the success of your business. When customers feel connected to a brand’s story, they’re more likely to engage, trust, and ultimately, choose your business over the competition. This narrative creates an emotional connection, which can lead to higher customer retention and better word-of-mouth marketing. But here’s the kicker: if your story is inconsistent or confusing, it can turn customers away just as quickly. That’s why every touch point, especially your website, needs to align with and enhance the story you’re telling.
Your website is often the first touch point a customer interacts with, making it a critical chapter in your brand’s story. It’s where your narrative starts to take shape, setting the tone for what customers can expect from your business. But crafting a website that truly reflects your brand's story involves more than just picking a nice template. From the design elements to the content, every detail needs to be carefully considered to ensure it conveys the right message and resonates with your audience. So, let's jump into how you can make your web design and website content reflect the personality of your brand.
Reflecting your brand's personality through web design
Your website's design is the visual representation of your brand’s personality. It's the first impression visitors get, so it needs to be spot-on. When you think about web design, it's not just about aesthetics; it's about creating an experience that tells your story in a way that feels authentic to your brand. Here are some elements of web design that can help your brand’s personality shine through:
1. Tone of voice
The tone of voice you use on your website plays a huge role in shaping your brand’s story. It’s how your brand 'speaks' to your audience, and it should reflect the same personality that’s conveyed through your visuals. A funny, lighthearted tone might be perfect for a brand that wants to come across as approachable and fun, while a more formal, serious tone could be better for a brand that values professionalism and expertise.
When crafting content for your website, consider the language and phrases that align with your brand’s personality. Are you using industry jargon to establish credibility, or are you opting for casual language to make your content more accessible? Tools like the Squarespace blog editor or Wix’s SEO Wiz can help you refine your content, ensuring it’s optimised for both search engines and user experience.
I recently came across Pip & Nut, which is a UK-based nut butter brand, and I'm in love with their playful and approachable tone of voice. Their website content is friendly, down-to-earth, and aligns perfectly with their brand’s personality and web design, making their story engaging and relatable. You can instantly tell from their copy alone the type of brand that they are, and this is then re-enforced through their website design with bold colours, big block design and bold fonts, as well as every other customer touchpoint like their product packaging and social media presence.
2. Animations and micro-interactions
Animations and micro-interactions are subtle design elements that can make your website feel more dynamic and engaging. These features can bring your brand’s story to life by adding a layer of interactivity that reflects your brand's personality. For example, a playful brand might use animated icons that bounce or change colour when hovered over, creating a fun and inviting atmosphere. On the other hand, a more serious, professional brand might use smooth, understated transitions that convey a sense of reliability and stability.
Implementing these features in Squarespace and Wix is fairly straightforward. Both platforms offer built-in tools and templates that include animations and hover effects. On Squarespace, you can customise animations through the Design panel, choosing from options like fade-ins, slides, and more. Wix Studio takes it a step further and allows for even more intricate animations and interactions through the element animation tab. You can find out more about micro-interactions on our last blog post (link at the bottom of this blog!). Remember, the key here is to use these features to enhance your story, not to overwhelm your visitors.
I personally love Borough Kitchens use of micro-interactions and animations. They utilise subtle interactions like images zooming in when hovering, and the arrow encouraging you to scroll down the page lightly bobbing. But they do this in a way that is engaging rather than overwhelming to the user.
3. Design choices: Lines, shapes, and colours that tell a story
The visual elements of your website—things like lines, shapes, and colours—are like the setting of your brand’s story. They create the atmosphere and set the mood for how visitors perceive your business. Straight lines and sharp corners often give off a more formal, structured vibe, which can be great for brands that want to convey professionalism and precision. Curved lines and rounded corners, on the other hand, can make a website feel more friendly and welcoming.
Colours also play a crucial role in your brand’s storytelling. Bright, bold colours can evoke feelings of excitement and energy, while muted, neutral tones often create a more calming, sophisticated atmosphere. When designing your website, think about how these elements come together to create an overall feel that aligns with your brand’s story. Both Wix and Squarespace allow you to customise these elements easily. For example, on Wix, you can use the Color Picker tool to select your brand’s colour palette, ensuring consistency across all pages.
Sparq is an event production company based in Leeds that has a brand personality of being bold and high-energy. It reflects this in its' website design through using bold colours and geometric shapes to create a dynamic design, with this strong visual identity matching their brand’s vibrant and innovative personality perfectly.
Weaving your brand’s story into every pixel of your website design
At the end of the day, your website is a crucial chapter in your brand’s story. But your brand’s story isn’t just something you tell- it’s something your customers experience every time they interact with your business.
If you're ready to start telling your brand's story through a beautifully designed website, whether on Squarespace or Wix, let’s chat. We specialise in small business web design, and we’re here to help you create a website that not only looks great but also reflects the unique story of your brand. So let's get your brand story to unfold on your website today.