What happens when you hire a brand and web designer?

Being a brand and web designer does not mean I design one logo, throw a website together, and call it a day. There is so much happening behind the scenes that most clients never see, and all of it is what actually makes your brand stronger in the long run.

So here are the five things I do as a designer once someone signs on as a client.

01. I design brands backwards, starting with your business goals and not the aesthetic

Aesthetic is great and it definitely matters in the end, but my job is to make sure your branding is working for you and not against you. If there is no strategy behind your branding, one of two things will happen. Either
a) it will take a really long time for you to see profit in your business, or
b) you will not get any traffic at all.

A successful brand is not designed around aesthetics alone. It is built on strategy so it can evolve, scale, and stay relevant after launch. Pretty gets attention. Strategic gets longevity.

02. I choose fonts and layouts based on how people read, not what’s trending

There are six essential principles that designers should be using when it comes to layout and design. These are Hierarchy, Alignment, Contrast, Balance, Proximity, and Repetition. Let’s go through the top three.

Hierarchy

Hierarchy is the way a page is read. It helps guide the reader from top to bottom. This is where headers, subheaders, and paragraphs come into play.

Headers are always the largest text on the screen and the first thing you see on a page, whether it is a magazine, newspaper, or website. The header tells you what you are about to read.

After the header comes the subheading. The subheading is always found directly below the header. It gives a little more information about what you are about to read. Its job is to add clarity. The text is smaller than the header but larger than the paragraph, a little in between moment.

Lastly, we have the paragraph. This is where you actually get to talk about your content. This is the conversational part where you teach, share your perspective, build trust, and make the reader feel understood. This text will be the smallest on the page unless there are captions under images, which are even smaller, because yes, hierarchy.

You might be thinking, “Well Mariah, what does this have to do with fonts and layouts?” If you go to a website where every single line of text is the same size and style, you are going to get confused and leave. Hierarchy makes content easier to read and less overwhelming, which brings me to the next principle.

Alignment

Alignment is so important in design. It makes whatever you are designing look clean and professional and helps the reader understand where to go.

My job as a web designer is to create sites that guide people through the website and land them where I want them to be. Alignment helps me do this. It creates a clear path for where the reader should be looking, what to read next, and what to click next.

This is where everything starts to work together instead of fighting with itself. It also builds trust. When things look chaotic on a page, it is an immediate red flag and makes the business feel unprofessional or even scammy. Alignment works together with hierarchy to show what is important, what comes next, and where to look. It guides attention without needing arrows or massive fonts.

Contrast

Ah yes, contrast, the one that gets forgotten the most.

Contrast is what makes things readable and visible. If there is no contrast, you would not be able to tell anything apart. When I am building websites and brand identities, I am always thinking about contrast, especially when it comes to color palettes.

This is incredibly important for accessibility. Some people are hard of seeing, and certain colors do not contrast well enough for them to read. Just like books are black text on white paper, your website text needs to pop against the background.

Beige on white might look luxurious, but it makes no sense if no one can read it. You are losing people by doing that.

All of the principles of design matter, but these three are the first things people notice. I could do a whole separate post about all six, but we are not writing a novel today.

Let’s move on.

03. I build websites that guide decisions, not just look pretty

I said it earlier and I will say it again. Your website needs to guide people. If visitors do not know where to go, they will leave within half a second, and there goes another potential client.

Your website is there to sell you and your business. You tell people what you do, guide them through your process, and help them make the right decision.

Buttons are one of my favorite things. They literally tell someone what to do next and where to go. We are a generation that likes being told what to do, so lean into it.

I build websites that guide people toward a decision, not just something that looks nice. Every page and button is placed with intention so visitors know exactly where to go and what to do next. When a website flows naturally, it removes hesitation, answers questions before they are asked, and makes taking the next step feel easy instead of overwhelming.

04. I design every touchpoint so the brand feels intentional everywhere, not just on Instagram

Cohesiveness is one of the most important parts of a strong brand. Everything needs to make sense together and stay consistent across all platforms, from print to web to social media.

Look at the most successful brands. Take Starbucks, for example. They have had the same color palette for most of their existence. Whether you see an ad, a store, a cup, or a social post, you know it is Starbucks.

A brand should feel consistent from the first impression to the final interaction. That means the website, emails, visuals, and overall experience all work together instead of feeling disconnected. When everything is aligned, the brand feels more professional, more trustworthy, and easier for people to say yes.

05. I design brands that can grow without falling apart

Every brand I design is built with growth in mind. That means I am thinking ahead about how the business might evolve, what future offers could look like, and how the brand will show up across different platforms.

I do not design something that only fits the business right now. The goal is for the brand to feel just as aligned a year or two from now as it does on launch day.

If you made it this far, I applaud you for sticking through my rambling.

I truly believe these five things are what make a brand and website actually work. I want the best for every client I work with, so I put my full heart into everything I create. That means constantly learning, evolving, and putting what I learn into practice.

If you got to the end of this and thought, “Hmm, I do not think my branding has any of this,” I would love to hop on a call with you. Let’s talk about your dreams for your business and how I can help you get there.