Brand

The Brand stage defines what the website must communicate and to whom. That includes the mission in plain language, the audiences the site serves (visitors, members, funders, partners), what each audience needs to find, and how the organization should sound. Decisions made here guide every page structure and design choice that follows.

Design built on unclear messaging looks polished but leaves visitors unsure what to do or why it matters. When mission, message, and audience are settled first, design has something specific to express, and the organization avoids costly rework once the build is underway.