Your website should feel like an extension of your brand—not a separate piece that looks and sounds different. When your website matches your brand guidelines, you create consistency across platforms. This builds authority, trust, and recognition.

Think of it this way: whether someone sees your website, your social media, or a business card, they should instantly know it’s you. That kind of consistency sets your brand apart and makes it memorable.

In this post, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to take existing brand guidelines and turn them into a cohesive, visually aligned website.

Step 1: Review the brand guidelines

Start by carefully reviewing the brand guidelines your client (or brand designer) has provided. Look for:

• Logos and variations
• Primary and secondary colors
• Fonts and typography hierarchy
• Design elements (patterns, icons, shapes)
• Examples of applications (social posts, banners, print materials)

A good brand designer will typically outline all of this in the brand guidelines document.

Step 2: Gather all the assets

Once you’ve reviewed the document, gather every available asset:

• Logos (SVG, PNG, JPG in various sizes)
• Image files or illustrations
• Fonts (or links to download them)
• Any supporting design elements

If some assets weren’t included in the guidelines, ask the client or their designer.

What about photos?

• If the designer provided a photography style or photo assets, use them.
• If not, ask the client if anything has been provided.
• If nothing exists, curate stock photos from free, reliable sources like Pexels or Unsplash.
• Always create a curated folder of images so you have a variety to choose from—plus you’ll avoid licensing issues.

Step 3: Organize your project folders

Staying organized saves time and prevents mistakes. I recommend setting up a project folder on your computer that looks something like this:

• Assets → logos, images, design elements
• Brand style guide doc
• Wireframes
• Mock-ups
• Deliverables → final files for the client

Step 4: Research competitors and inspirations

Do some research in your client’s industry. Look at competitor websites to understand design trends and standards in the space.

If the client shares sites they admire, use those as references. Don’t copy them—but take inspiration from layout, flow, or certain design patterns. The final product should always reflect your client’s brand identity, not someone else’s.

Step 5: Build a project brief with Relume

Relume is a great tool to streamline the early stages of web design.

• Create a simple project brief based on discussions with the client.
• Be specific: outline the type of pages you’ll need and the total number.
• Relume will generate a sitemap for you.

Once you have a sitemap, go to the Wireframes tab and review the suggested sections. Adjust as needed until it aligns with the client’s requirements.

Step 6: Move into Figma for design

While Relume has style guides and design features, I prefer moving into Figma for complete creative control. This is where you’ll apply the brand identity to the wireframe.

Here’s how:

• Apply fonts and brand colors to the style guide.
• Decide on the overall UI approach (buttons, forms, spacing, navigation).
• Keep the brand guidelines open as a reference throughout the process.

Pro tip: Design isn’t just about plugging in assets. To truly apply a brand identity to a website, you need a designer’s perspective—not just AI.

Step 7: Create iterations

Don’t settle on the first draft. I recommend:

• Making 2–3 variations of a homepage design
• Reviewing which design feels truest to the brand identity
• Using the homepage as your foundation for all other pages

Once you have approval on the homepage look and feel, it’s easier to apply the same style consistently across the rest of the site.

Step 8: Apply design to all pages

Now, extend the approved design system to all required pages. Make sure every page feels cohesive and aligned with the brand guidelines.

At this point, you should have:

• A unified design system
• Page layouts that match the sitemap
• Consistency across typography, colors, and visuals

Step 9: Prepare for website build

With designs in place, you’re ready to move into development. Whether you’re building in Webflow (my platform of choice) or another CMS, you now have a clear visual identity to guide the build.

Take a look at this website for Joshua Tree Senior Living – A senior living community site where the visuals, fonts, and colors reinforced warmth and trust, where I've applied Brand Design Guidelines shared by the client.

My final thoughts on this

Creating a visual identity for a website using brand guidelines is all about translating the brand consistently into digital form. When done right, your site becomes instantly recognizable, trustworthy, and memorable.

Want a website that reflects your brand perfectly?

If you’re ready to bring your brand guidelines to life online, I’d love to help. As a Webflow designer and developer, I specialize in building websites that look stunning and work as powerful tools for your business.

👉 Let’s work together. Book a call with me.