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Our Holistic Design Process: Branding vs. Website Design & What Comes First
- Shayah Reed, Founder
- Oct 9
- 6 min read
Building a business with heart means your online presence should do more than look good… it should feel right to the people you’re here to serve.
That’s the power of holistic design.
At Virtuwell Balance, we see the bigger picture. We design brands and websites by weaving together your values, goals, audience, and services, so everything feels super connected, authentic, and aligned from the inside out.
So, how does our process work?
What comes first… branding or website design?
And what’s the difference anyway?
What Is Holistic Design?
Holistic design is a values-led, people-first approach to branding and web design.
Rather than focusing just on visuals or surface-level aesthetics, holistic design zooms out to consider your entire business.
We look at:
Your ideal clients: who they are, what they need, and how they’ll interact with your brand
Your mission and values: the deeper reason you do this work
Your goals and vision: what success looks like to you, short- and long-term
Your products or services: what you’re offering and how people experience it
Your impact: the transformation you help facilitate for your clients
It’s about being intentional with every little bit of your brand, so that your logo, language, imagery, and design feel unmistakably like your practice.
Holistic Design vs. Traditional Design
Traditional design often starts with, “What do you want it to look like?”
Holistic design starts with, “Who do you want to reach, and how do they feel before and after working with you?”
The result is a brand that reflects your practice authentically and a website that serves both your business and your clients.
How Branding and Website Design Work Together
Before we dive into what comes first, let’s clarify what we mean by branding vs. website design, and how they’re connected.
Branding
Branding is your foundation and it includes your:
Moodboard (to set the vibe)
Logos
Colour palette
Typography
Image style
Messaging framework (like your tagline!)
Core brand values and personality
This is the vibe people feel when they encounter your business.
The right brand speaks volumes before you ever say a word, helping people quickly sense if you’re going to be a good fit to help them. It also keeps your presence cohesive across every platform and piece of communication (which builds trust and credibility).
Website design
Your website is your home on the web. You can think of it as your virtual office/clinic and this is where the visual identity and messaging come to life in a real-world context.
It includes:
Layout and user experience (UX)
Navigation structure
Interactive elements (like forms or booking links)
Written content (service descriptions, about page, FAQs)
Accessibility and responsiveness across devices
If branding is the blueprint, website design is the structure. You need both to build something that functions well and feels good to use.
Why Branding Comes First in Our Holistic Design Process
Since your brand defines the look, feel, mood/vibe and message of your entire business, it needs to be in place before we design your website.
Here’s why:
Branding sets the tone for every decision that follows
The look and feel of your website isn’t random. It’s rooted in your brand. Every choice, from visuals to language, flows from that deeper identity. Without it, websites often end up feeling scattered or generic. By building the brand first, we make sure your site reflects your practice clearly and consistently, inside and out.
Consistency builds trust
When people see the same visual elements and tone of voice across your social media, email newsletters, and website, it sends a powerful message: you are grounded and trustworthy. In a wellness context, where people are seeking clarity, confidence, and emotional safety, this kind of consistency really matters.
Branding saves time during website design
Having a brand guide means we can move faster and more confidently when it’s time to create the website. It eliminates guesswork and makes collaboration smoother. No more backtracking or tweaking layouts that don’t match your visual identity.
What’s Included in Our Holistic Brand Design Process
Every practitioner is unique, so we tailor our process to your needs… but in general, here’s what we include in a holistic brand design package:
Discovery and strategy
We start with deep listening. Through guided questionnaires and a collaborative call, we explore:
Who your ideal clients are
Your core values and what makes you different
The transformation your clients experience
How you want to be seen and remembered
This understanding guides every decision that follows, shaping a brand and website that feel aligned at every step.
Visual identity
Next, we translate your brand strategy into visuals:
Logo design (primary, secondary, and icon variations)
Colour palette
Font pairings
Imagery direction or moodboard
We’ll also create a brand style guide so you feel confident using these elements consistently across your platforms.
Then Comes the Website: Holistic Website Design in Action
Once your brand is in place, we begin designing your website.
Here’s how holistic website design works:
Website planning
We map out:
Your pages (e.g., home, about, services, blog, contact)
What content goes where
How users will move through the site (UX flow)
We also talk about functionality, like booking tools, forms, newsletters, and downloads.
Copywriting
Whether you write your own content or we support you with copywriting, we make sure your message is clear, engaging, and aligned with your brand voice.
We also keep keywords in mind, so people can find your site when they’re searching for support.
Design and layout
We use your brand elements, copy, and photos (plus a bit of inspiration that you provide) to create a custom design from scratch. We always start with a blank canvas and never use templates!
We start by setting up your:
Headers, footers, menus, and buttons
Font sizing and styling
Colour usage and visual rhythm
Integration of your unique imagery or photography
And then we bring in all of your website copy that we helped you prepare. We keep the design clean, calming, and easy to navigate, so visitors feel supported, not overwhelmed.
What Is Holistic Marketing… and How Does It Fit In with Holistic Design?
Think of holistic marketing as the heartbeat beneath it all. It’s about guiding people gently through every stage of their journey with you, creating an experience that feels caring and aligned from first hello to ongoing relationship.
A holistic design supports your holistic marketing strategy
When your brand and website reflect who you are, marketing becomes easier. You’re not trying to sound a certain way or chase trends. You’re just showing up consistently and authentically.
A few examples of how they work together:
Your brand visuals help your Instagram posts stand out
Your website becomes a hub for client referrals and search traffic
Your newsletter feels grounded in your purpose, not pushy
Holistic marketing isn’t about doing more. It’s about creating clarity, so that what you do works better for you.
If you want to learn more about holistic marketing, read this blog post: A Beginner’s Guide to Holistic Marketing for Health Practitioners
Root Your Online Presence in Strategy, Soul, and Simplicity
We believe your brand and website should feel like an extension of your practice, not a separate project on your to-do list.
That’s why we guide you through a process that’s collaborative, supportive, and rooted in holistic design strategy. We also like to have some fun along the way… we’re not just designing for today, but also for who you’re becoming!
Whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing an existing site, our approach helps you connect with the people who need you - in a calm, clear, and confident way.
If your online presence feels out of step with the care you offer, it’s time for a change. We’d love to help you design a brand and website that truly reflects your purpose and feels just as good as the work you do every day.
Shayah Reed
Virtuwell Balance Founder
P.S. We have a WEEKLY RESOURCE for Clinicians and Practitioners who are seeking genuine yet effective ways to market their business.
If you're ready to transform your marketing approach to align with your values, stay ahead of trends, and join thousands of like-minded practitioners who are learning to market their business in a way that FEELS GOOD, click here to join us!
