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Our small business web design resources are designed to answer the most common questions we hear, from “what is hosting?” to “how do I get found on Google?

Branding Quick Guide

What a brand is vs a company with a logo

A logo is a marker. A brand is the complete impression people carry about you or your business.

 

A brand includes:

  • Positioning: who you serve and why you’re different.

  • Voice and tone: how you sound in writing and on calls.

  • Visual system: logo, colours, type, imagery, layout rules.

  • Promises and proof: what you say you’ll do and the evidence you deliver.

  • Experience: every touchpoint, from your website to your invoices.

A company with only a logo is recognizable, but not memorable. A brand is consistent and trustworthy, which makes sales easier and referrals more likely.

Quick brand kit checklist

  • Logo files: SVG and PNG, light and dark versions

  • Colour palette: primary, accent, neutrals with HEX codes

  • Typography scale: headings, body, button labels

  • Image style: subject matter, mood, editing rules

  • Voice and tone: three words (for example: warm, clear, practical)

  • Elevator sentence: who you help and how in one line

Web Basics FAQ

Web Glossary (Quick Reference)

Plain-English definitions for terms you will see during your project.

  • Domain: Your web address (example: yourbusiness.co.uk).

  • Nameservers: Where your domain’s DNS is managed.

  • DNS: The internet’s address book that routes traffic.

  • A record: Points your domain to a server IP address.

  • CNAME: Points a subdomain (often www) to another name/host.

  • MX: Mail exchange; routes email for your domain.

  • TXT: Text record; used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC and verification.

  • SPF: Says which servers can send mail for your domain.

  • DKIM: Cryptographic signature on outgoing mail that proves authenticity.

  • DMARC: Policy that tells receiving servers how to treat failing messages.

  • SSL/TLS: Encryption for the https padlock in the browser.

  • HTTPS: Secure version of HTTP; protects data in transit.

  • CDN: Content Delivery Network; speeds up delivery globally.

  • Caching: Stores copies so pages load faster.

  • Lazy loading: Delays images/videos until needed.

  • reCAPTCHA/Honeypot: Spam protection for forms.

  • Hosting: The server where your site lives (included with Squarespace; separate for WordPress).

  • CMS: Content Management System (Squarespace, WordPress).

  • Staging: A private copy of the site for safe edits/tests.

  • sitemap.xml: Machine-readable list of pages for search engines.

  • robots.txt: Tells crawlers what to index or avoid.

  • 301 redirect: Permanent redirect from one URL to another.

  • Canonical tag: Signals the “official” URL when duplicates exist.

  • Favicon: Small browser tab icon.

  • OG image (Open Graph): Social sharing image for links.

  • UX / UI: User experience / user interface.

  • Wireframe: A low-fidelity layout plan before design.

  • CTA: Call to action (buttons/links that trigger the next step).

  • Alt text: Image description for accessibility and SEO.

  • Accessibility (WCAG): Inclusive design guidelines for all users.

  • Brand voice: How you sound (tone, vocabulary, rhythm).

  • GA4: Google Analytics 4 (traffic and behaviour).

  • Google Search Console: Tracks indexing/search visibility.

  • Google Business Profile: Your listing on Maps and local search.

  • UTM parameters: Tags added to URLs to track campaigns.

  • SPF/DKIM/DMARC: DNS tools that help emails avoid spam.

  • SMTP: The protocol used to send email.

  • Bounce: Undeliverable email; investigate settings/spam policies.

Resources — Brand Worksheet

Capture the essentials so your site looks and sounds like you.

1) Positioning (who you help and why you’re different)

  • Audience segments (top 3):

    1. ____________________

    2.  ____________________

    3.  ____________________

  • One-line value statement (fill-in-the-blanks):
    We help [WHO] achieve [RESULT] with [HOW], so they can [BENEFIT].

  • Proof points (3 quick facts, credentials, or outcomes):
    – ____________________________________________
    – ____________________________________________
    – ____________________________________________

2) Voice & Tone
Circle or mark where you sit on each line:

  • Friendly — Professional

  • Playful — Serious

  • Minimal — Descriptive

  • Warm — Direct
    Example phrases we would actually say:

3) Visual Identity

  • Colours (HEX codes):
    Primary: ________ Accent: ________ Neutral 1: ________ Neutral 2: ________

  • Typography:
    Headings: __________ Body: __________ Buttons/Labels: __________

  • Logo usage:
    Light background version: ✔ / ✖ Dark background version: ✔ / ✖
    Minimum size / clear space rules: ____________________________________

4) Imagery & Mood

  • Subjects that should appear (people, places, tools): ______________________

  • Avoid (clichés, overused stock, mismatched styles): ______________________

  • Mood board link(s) or examples: _______________________________________

5) Pages & Priorities

  • Must-have pages (tick): ☐ Home ☐ About ☐ Services ☐ Contact ☐ FAQ ☐ Blog ☐ Gallery/Portfolio

  • Primary CTA (what do you want people to do):
    ☐ Call ☐ Book a slot ☐ Email ☐ Fill a form ☐ Buy ☐ Subscribe

  • Secondary CTA: ____________________________________________

6) Key Messages (for the homepage)

  • Hero line (benefit-led):

  • Subline (how you do it):

  • Three quick benefits:

    1. ____________________ 2) ____________________ 3) ____________________

  • Social proof (testimonial or credential):

7) Elevator Sentence (20–30 words)

Keep this to one page. Clear beats clever.