One reason I love branding so much is because I’m obsessed with identity. I’m constantly analyzing who I am, how I fit into the world, and the ways I can do that. In life, we portray ourselves, or our personality (our “brand”) in many different ways.

Who you are is defined by the way you think, your gender, your age, the way you express yourself, how you treat and speak to others… but it also shows itself on a more “superficial” level, I guess you would say. The clothes you wear, the job you have, the music you like, your hobbies etc.

We all put off a certain energy because of  who we are and how we portray that to the outside world.

Your brand is your personality. Your business needs a personality too, so that your readers and customers can connect to that.

Your brand tells the world who you are and your online presence portrays that. How do you want your business to be portrayed? When people visit your website and interact with your brand, it should be an emotional response for them. You want them to connect with you. The look and feel of your website and how you brand yourself online can help you feel true to yourself and find your ideal client, if your branding is aligned with your values and personal tastes.

So how can you make sure that your readers/customers feel connected to your business? First, you need to figure out how you would describe your business. How would you describe it to someone who asked about it? Not just what you do in your business, but how it makes others feel when they interact with it?

Here are some adjectives that you can use: Modern, traditional, high energy, calm, busy, cozy, chic, classic, hip, innovative, inspiring, graceful, playful, quaint, and the list goes on and on.

Now, how do we portray these adjectives within your website? After coming up with a few adjectives to describe your brand, you need to think about each aspect of your design and how it fits back to that adjective.

Colors – Using bold and bright colors catches a users attention while using lighter tones is more comforting. Warm colors are welcoming, while cool colors are calming.

Shapes and Space – The shapes you use in your graphics and the way they are put together can say a lot about your brand. Rounded edges convey unity and send out a positive emotional vibe, sharp edges imply stability and balance. A wide open space is inviting, while too much clutter can be chaotic.

Typography – Sans serif fonts (used on most websites) are more modern and easier on the eye. Serif fonts are more formal and mature.

Images – A consistent style of professional photos convey trust. The type of photos also matter – photos of people allow users to connect with the brand more while photos of nature leave room for interpretation.

Creating an emotional response with your brand seems nebulous, when in fact it is a quite practical path to get there.

Do you make sure all of these things go together and truly represent what you believe about yourself and your business?