Design vs Strategy—Which Comes First?
Let’s clear something up right out of the gate: your website is not just a digital brochure. It’s a tool—a hardworking one, if you do it right. And like any tool, how it works matters just as much as how it looks.
One of the biggest mistakes I see? Starting with the look before thinking about the why.
and… I get it.
Picking fonts and colours is way more fun than sitting down to define your niche or map your client journey. But here’s the truth: pretty design without strategy is like putting lipstick on a ghost.
Let’s break down why strategy comes first—and how good design brings it all to life.
What Strategy Actually Means for Your Website
When I say strategy, I’m not talking about a giant binder of business goals. I mean clarity on the foundational stuff your website needs to do its job:
Who you serve
What problem you solve
What actions you want visitors to take
What content supports that journey
Before you even think about layouts or visuals, you need clarity on these things. Because strategy is what tells your design where to go. In practical experience,
No strategic foundation? No results. You get blah-blah-blah and “Oh look! Pretty pictures though.”
What Happens When Design Leads Without Strategy
Have you ever landed on a slick looking website and still felt confused about what the business actually does?
That’s what happens when design takes the wheel.
You get a site that looks polished… but doesn’t book clients. Or answer questions. Or show up in search results.
It’s like building a beautiful house with no doors. People admire it, but they can’t get in. That’s not just a missed opportunity—it’s a waste of time, money, and your energy.
What Strategy-First Design Looks Like
When clients work with me for one of my Website-in-a-Week sprints, we don’t start by choosing colours. We start by answering questions:
Who are we speaking to?
What are they looking for?
What’s the main goal of the site?
What content do we need to guide them there?
What does success with this project look like for your business?
Only after we’ve mapped that out do we start designing. And you know what? The whole process feels lighter. Like we’re building something solid—not guessing at what might work.
Yes, Design Has a Say Too
There are definitely moments when visuals spark strategy.
Sometimes a brand’s colours or photography help clarify the tone and vibe. Sometimes a logo inspires a layout idea. Design can be a powerful creative partner—but it should never be steering the whole ship.
Strategy sets the direction. Design brings the magic.
How to Know You’re Ready for Design
Here’s a quick checklist to see if you’re ready to start designing (or redesigning) your site:
✅ You know who your ideal client is
✅ You’ve got a clear goal for your website (Most business owners just want more inquries/sales. This is good enough, btw.)
✅ You have (or are developing) your sales copy and marketing content
✅ You know what action you want visitors to take
If that sounds like you, you’re in a great place to build a site that’s both beautiful and strategic.
Ready to Build a Website That Actually Works?
Whether you need help sorting the strategy or bringing your content to life with design that books clients, I’ve got you.
My Website-in-a-Week sprint is perfect for building a new site from strategy to launch in just 5 working days.
My Power Day is ideal for a smaller tune-up—refreshing your content, layout, or structure with strategy leading the way.
📆 Book a call to discuss your project here.
Let’s build a website that looks good and works hard.
