Do You Need a Brand Before a Website?

The short answer

Yes, at least the basics. A website is the brand in use, so it needs a positioning line, a logo, colours and type to work from. You do not need a finished brand book first. The two can run together, with the website starting once the brand direction is agreed.

The minimum at a glance

• Positioning: One sentence on who it is for and why it is different
• Logo: A mark and wordmark that work at small sizes
• Colour: A small palette with one clear accent
• Type: One or two typefaces with set styles
• Voice: A few rules for how headlines sound

What happens if you skip it

• The website designer ends up making brand decisions page by page.
• The site looks fine alone but does not match the deck, product or social posts.
• When the brand is done properly later, the site has to be redesigned.

How to run both together

• Start with direction. Agree positioning and a visual route first.
• Begin the website once the route is chosen. The homepage becomes the first real test of the brand.
• Finish guidelines last. They are easier to write once the brand has been used on real pages.

Our brand projects usually take 4 to 6 weeks and most websites 2 to 6 weeks. For Sookti AI we delivered the brand, website and launch materials in 8 weeks.

Related reading: What Does a Brand Identity Include?, Brand Identity vs Brand Positioning

FAQ

Can we launch a website with only a logo?

You can, but expect to redo it. Add colours, type and a positioning line first.

Should one studio do both?

It helps. The same team carries decisions from brand into the site without a handover.

What if we already have a brand?

Then the website can start straight away, using your guidelines.

Need both before a date? Tell us the date and we will plan them together.