“all websites look the same”
![All-Websites-Look-The-Same[1]](https://shew-design.com/wp-content/uploads/All-Websites-Look-The-Same1-300x139.jpg)
It was a long time coming, but the tools for creating responsive websites work, and work very well. Perhaps too well, because the approach people use for building websites is creating strangely uniform results. The banner, the three columns, the icons, the logo in the corner—perhaps we’ve seen these things a few too many times.
Tools (and tastes) are evolving so that this canned soup approach will gradually be phased out by something more interesting, and more effective. Branding will play a critical part in this process, since brands are designed to stand out and connect audiences with messages designed to engage them.
As you plan out the evolution of your website, here are some strategies you can use for not only branding your website, but making your web presence unique.
create (and follow) your own standards
Standard colors, type, textures, and messages play a big part of the branding process, and all of these elements can be built into a website in a deep way. If you don’t want to invest in professional type packages for the web, there are many alternatives such as Font Squirrel or Google Fonts. There is no reason why there shouldn’t be a seamless bridge between your brand and your website.
choose technology with care
At this stage of the web, the tools people use exert too much influence on the work they create and are imposing a somewhat stifling uniformity. For WordPress development, a theme can essentially dictate every aspect of your website: the organization of the home page, the flow, the navigation. Themes like X and Dynamik are more flexible and adaptable, creating a platform for your brand.
choose your partners with care
As you consider different web design companies for helping you with your site project, review their portfolios: a high degree of uniformity is a good indicator that the site they create for you will look much the same. A good web agency will both lead and be lead by you in the process, interpreting your message to work with the tools.
start by turning off the computer
Ask (and answer) key strategic questions before doing anything else. What unique features define your audience or your message to your audience? Answer these questions and make sure your site development process aligns with your answers. This will ensure your site is much more than just slapping a logo and a color onto a WordPress theme.
if you have questions, we have answers
At whatever stage you are in your web process, we can help you with creating a polished, professional-looking site that will highlight your organization’s best features. Let us know how we can help you with branding your website.
