Order of Operations
Just as we are accustomed to doing math problems in a certain order known as order of operations – left to right, exponents, multiplication & division, addition & subtraction – with branding and website design, it’s helpful to get the branding order done right too.
Logo
Generally, this means that a logo comes first.
The logo sets the tone for the website including its color palette.
Hopefully the logo will be part of an official branding manual. Of course, this depends much on one’s marketing budget. Sometimes the logo is designed at the same time as a website and there is no branding manual (it happens). The branding manual though is a culmination of research and decisions that spell out the signed-off official way to represent a brand. A logo and other brand messaging details will be part of that package. This generally includes the official color palette.
Website
Next, the website can be designed and built.
Designers will have a head start with fewer creative questions when a branding manual is available. After all, the official colors decision will have already been made and signed off on. The availability of the official logo will also streamline a website’s design process.
Although streamlined budgets might exclude some of the normal corporate processes for building a website, best practices and order of branding operations can insure that your brand message is delivered correctly.
Personally, I’m always happy to be a part of each step with suggestions if necessary. A jack-of-all-trades product manager has dealt with all of these phases in fact.
So, if you’re in the process of building a website for the first time and could use a sherpa to help guide you through the steps, feel free to contact me. I’ll bring the tea (logo not required).
