Creating a Website that Tells Your Brand Story: A Beginner’s Guide
So you've got a business you're passionate about, but your website feels... blah? Like it could belong to anyone in your industry?
I get it. You scroll through other people's sites thinking "how do they make it look so effortless?" Meanwhile, yours feels like a generic template that's trying way too hard to sound professional.
Here's what's probably happening: you're showcasing WHAT you do instead of WHO you are and WHY that matters to the people you want to serve.
Let's fix that.
Here's what you need to nail:
understanding your brand's heartbeat (not just your logo)
connecting with your dream audience on a deeper level
showing your personality through design, copy, and visuals
getting found on Google without sounding like a robot
01. Understanding Your Brand (It's Not What You Think)
Your brand isn't your logo, or your your color palette, or your fancy business cards.
Your brand is how people FEEL when they interact with your business.
Think about Patagonia. When you hear that name, you don't just think "outdoor gear." You think adventure, environmental responsibility, quality that lasts forever. That's brand magic.
So before you touch your website, make sure to get clear on this:
What makes you different? And "excellent customer service" doesn't count because everyone says that. What do you do that makes people choose you over the 47 other options on Google?
What do you stand for? What gets you fired up about your industry? What makes you want to shake people and say "there's a better way!"?
How do you want people to feel? Empowered? Calm? Excited? Confident? This isn't fluffy stuff; it's strategy.
When YOU know your brand inside and out, it becomes magnetic to the right people.
02. Identifying Your Target Audience (Hint: It's Not Everyone)
Here's a truth bomb: trying to appeal to everyone means you appeal to no one.
I see this ALL the time. Websites that say things like "We help businesses succeed!" Cool. Which businesses? What does success look like? Are we talking about the local bakery or the Fortune 500 company?
Get specific about your people:
What keeps them up at 2am? Not their age or income (that's just demographics). What are they worried about? What do they want their life to look like?
What language do they use? Do they say "invest in myself" or "treat myself"? "Level up" or "get better"? The words matter.
Where do they hang out? LinkedIn or Instagram? Local coffee shops or coworking spaces?
What have they tried before that didn't work? This is GOLD for your messaging.
PRO TIP: The riches are in the niches. Instead of "busy moms," try "working moms with kids under 5 who feel guilty about screen time." See how much clearer that is?
03. Crafting Your Brand Story (No Origin Stories, Please)
Your brand story isn't "I started this business in my garage because I was passionate about helping people."
Everyone has that story.
Your brand story is the bridge between where your audience is stuck and where they want to be, with you as their guide.
Think about it like this:
Where is your audience right now? (frustrated, overwhelmed, confused)
Where do they want to be? (confident, organized, successful)
What's stopping them from getting there? (lack of knowledge, time, or confidence)
How do you help them cross that bridge?
Your story should include:
Your values in ACTION (not just listed on your about page)
Your mission that goes beyond "helping people"
Your personality that shines through every interaction
Proof that you've helped others make this transformation
And please, keep the same voice across your entire site. Don't be casual on your homepage and corporate on your services page. Pick a lane.
04. Designing Your Website (First Impressions Matter)
Your design tells your story before anyone reads a single word.
Colors set the mood. Bright orange screams energy and creativity. Deep navy whispers trust and professionalism. Soft pink suggests nurturing and calm. Choose colors that match how you want people to feel.
Fonts have personality. Clean sans-serif fonts (like Helvetica) feel modern and professional. Script fonts feel personal and creative. Bold fonts feel confident. Make sure your fonts match your vibe.
Images tell stories. Stock photos of people in suits pointing at whiteboards? That tells a story (probably not yours unless you're in corporate training). Your photos should feel like they belong in YOUR world.
Navigation should be obvious. If someone can't figure out how to hire you within 10 seconds, they're gone. Make it stupid simple.
05. Writing Copy That Converts
Here's where most people lose their personality and start sounding like every other business in their industry.
Write like you talk. If you wouldn't say "We leverage our expertise to optimize your outcomes" in conversation, don't put it on your website.
Focus on benefits, not features. Your audience doesn't care that your course has 8 modules. They care that they'll feel confident pricing their services after taking it.
Use specific language. Instead of "We help businesses grow," try "We help service-based businesses book out their calendars without posting on social media every day."
Tell them what to do next. "Contact us" is boring. "Book your strategy call" or "Download the pricing guide" tells them exactly what happens when they click.
Read more: The Art of Writing Compelling Website Copy
06. Adding Visual Elements That Support Your Story
Photos, graphics, and videos are powerful storytelling tools when used right.
Show real people. If you're targeting working parents, show actual families (messy kitchens and all), not stock photo models in pristine white spaces.
Include yourself. People buy from people they know and trust. Let them see your face, especially if you're service-based.
Make sure everything looks cohesive. Your Instagram photos, website images, and graphics should all feel like they came from the same universe.
07. Getting Found on Google (Without Losing Your Soul)
SEO doesn't mean stuffing keywords into every sentence until your copy sounds like a robot wrote it.
Use the words your audience uses. If they search for "family photographer," don't call yourself a "memory preservation specialist."
Answer their questions. What are they Googling at midnight when they can't sleep? Write blog posts that answer those questions in YOUR voice.
Optimize your images. Instead of "IMG_2847.jpg," use "family-photographer-portland-maine.jpg."
Write meta descriptions that make people want to click. This is what shows up in Google results, so make it compelling.
Read more: 10 Best SEO Tips and Tricks To Get Traffic To Your Website.
08. Measuring What Matters
Pretty websites are nice, but websites that convert are better.
Track the right metrics:
Traffic: Are you getting the RIGHT people, not just any people?
Time on site: Are visitors sticking around or bouncing immediately?
Conversions: Are people taking action? Signing up, booking calls, buying?
Lead quality: Are inquiries actually a good fit for what you offer?
Use this data to keep improving. What pages do people spend the most time on? Where do they drop off? What blog posts get the most engagement?
PRO TIP: Google Analytics 4 can be overwhelming. Squarespace's built-in analytics are simpler and show you the basics without the confusion.
Your Website is Your 24/7 Salesperson
Your website works while you sleep, telling your story to people all over the world.
But only if it knows what story to tell.
When you nail these elements, your website becomes more than a digital business card. It becomes the place where your ideal clients think "YES, this person gets me" and reach for their credit card.
The magic happens when visitors become fans, fans become customers, and customers become raving advocates who send you referrals.
Want people to land on your site and think "this is exactly what I've been looking for"?
Start with your story. Everything else follows from there.
