What You Need Before Hiring A Website Designer
Are you ready to hire a website designer but you’re not sure where to start? Fear not! Here’s a checklist of what you need before you get started.
Brand Strategy
What it is:
Your brand strategy is the blueprint for how your business shows up in the world. It includes your mission, values, ideal audience, tone of voice, and positioning.
Why it matters:
Without strategy, your website might look good—but it won’t connect with the right people or communicate the right message. A clear brand strategy helps guide your visuals, copy, and website structure.
Where to find help:
Hire a brand strategist (many designers, including Charm Creative, offer this as part of their process)
DIY tools like the Brand Strategy Notion Kit by The Template Club
Free worksheets from websites like HubSpot or Melyssa Griffin
Visual Branding (Colors, Fonts, and Style)
What it is:
Your brand’s visual identity includes your color palette, typography, moodboard, and general aesthetic.
Why it matters:
Your website design should match and extend your visual branding—not invent it from scratch. Consistent design builds brand recognition and trust.
Where to find help:
Work with a brand designer to create a custom brand identity
DIY with Canva’s Brand Kit feature
Use curated font and color pairings from Coolors.co or Fontpair.co
Logo (Primary, Alternate & Icon Versions)
What it is:
A high-quality, scalable logo design suite that includes variations:
Primary (main) logo
Alternate (horizontal or stacked)
Submark or favicon (icon)
Why it matters:
Your logo appears in your website header, favicon, footer, and across all brand touchpoints. Having it in multiple formats ensures it displays beautifully everywhere.
Where to find help:
Hire a professional logo designer (many offer branding + logo packages)
Make sure to get your files in .SVG, .PNG, and .JPG formats
Brand Photography
What it is:
Professional images of you, your team, workspace, or products. This can include lifestyle shots, headshots, or flat lays.
Why it matters:
Stock photos can only go so far. Custom photography adds personality and builds connection. It makes your brand feel real, trustworthy, and elevated.
Where to find help:
Hire a brand photographer in your area (look on Instagram or Google “brand photographer + your city”)
Use styled stock sites like:
DIY tips: Use natural light, clean backgrounds, and your brand colors when possible
Website Copy
What it is:
The written content for each page of your website, including your:
Homepage
About Page
Services/Offerings
Contact Page
Testimonials
Calls-to-action (CTA)
Why it matters:
Design and copy go hand in hand. Designers use your copy to structure each page. Without it, layouts stall—and your message can get lost in pretty visuals.
Where to find help:
Hire a conversion copywriter (especially for sales pages or strategic messaging)
Use ChatGPT as a brainstorming tool, then refine with your brand voice
