Brand avenues
Every site starts from two questions. What industry are they in? That sets what visitors expect. How should a visitor feel about them? That picks the avenue, and the avenue decides what the page leads with, how it is laid out, the type, the color and the voice.
Each one below is a full working site for a made-up business. Open one, then use "Try other designs" to flip avenues and colors.
Guardian
"I am safe with them."
- Fits
- Security, law, insurance, banking, inspection, medical
- Leads with
- Credentials and a calm promise, then a strip of hard facts
- Look
- Serif headlines, navy, square corners, one steady column
- Voice
- Plain, exact, never loud. Facts before adjectives.
- Avoid
- Hype words, countdowns, bright gradients, jokes
Authority
"They know more than anyone."
- Fits
- Advisors, consultants, CPAs, B2B firms, institutes, podcasts, top-end real estate
- Leads with
- A thesis and a table of contents, like a journal
- Look
- Editorial serif, hairlines, a sticky margin column, almost no color
- Voice
- Considered and specific. One strong idea per section.
- Avoid
- Stock photos of handshakes, exclamation marks, busy cards
Challenger
"They are bold, and they win."
- Fits
- Gyms, sports training, agencies, personal-injury law, streetwear, events
- Leads with
- A giant claim, then the numbers that back it
- Look
- Condensed capitals, full-width color bands, hard edges, a moving ticker
- Voice
- Short. Direct. A little cocky, always backed by a number.
- Avoid
- Soft pastels, long paragraphs, hedging
Neighbor
"They are local, friendly, and they will show up."
- Fits
- Movers, HVAC, plumbing, cleaning, landscaping, family restaurants, auto repair
- Leads with
- A friendly promise, a big phone button and a real review
- Look
- Round type and corners, warm colors, photos of the actual people
- Voice
- First names, plain words, a little humor. Sounds like the owner talking.
- Avoid
- Corporate phrases, tiny phone numbers, cold blues
Atelier
"They have taste, and they are worth it."
- Fits
- Wedding venues, photographers, tailors, salons, jewelers, luxury homes, fine dining
- Leads with
- One large image and a few quiet words
- Look
- Thin serif, tracked small caps, wide margins, text links instead of buttons
- Voice
- Few words, chosen carefully. Never sells.
- Avoid
- Badges, star ratings, bold colors, anything that shouts
Workhorse
"They are tough, and they do it right."
- Fits
- Concrete, fabrication, manufacturing, trucking, excavation, industrial supply
- Leads with
- A blunt claim beside a capabilities table
- Look
- Heavy condensed capitals, safety colors, grid paper, a hazard stripe
- Voice
- Blunt and factual. Capacities, tolerances, dates.
- Avoid
- Script fonts, lifestyle photos, vague words like solutions
Innovator
"They are modern, and they have it figured out."
- Fits
- Software, AI, tech-enabled services, modern clinics, logistics, fintech
- Leads with
- The promise next to a glimpse of the tool working
- Look
- Rounded tiles in mixed sizes, crisp sans, one confident color, a floating menu
- Voice
- Clear and specific. What it does, how fast, for whom.
- Avoid
- Buzzwords, stock illustrations, walls of features
Personality
"I like this person."
- Fits
- Creators, freelancers, coaches, solo agents, speakers, personal trainers
- Leads with
- A face, a first-person line and a short stack of links
- Look
- Phone-shaped, centered, a reel of work, one playful color pair
- Voice
- First person. Warm, quick, a little self-aware.
- Avoid
- We when it is one person, corporate bios, stiff headshots
Sanctuary
"I can relax here."
- Fits
- Spas, wellness, therapy, yoga, dental, pet care, senior care
- Leads with
- A soft promise, room to breathe and arched photos
- Look
- Gentle serif, arches and washes of color, muted naturals, lots of space
- Voice
- Slow and kind. Describes how it will feel.
- Avoid
- Urgency, hard edges, saturated color, crowded sections