Many website projects slow down for one simple reason: the brand is not ready. This brand identity checklist covers the ten decisions to finish before a designer opens WordPress, so your new site looks consistent in Arabic and English, launches on time and does not need a redesign six months later.
Key takeaways
- A website can only be as clear as the brand behind it, so settle positioning, logo, colours and fonts first.
- Bilingual brands in Egypt and the Gulf need an Arabic and a Latin version of almost everything, planned together.
- Ask for editable source files and full ownership, because your website, social media and print all depend on them.
Table of contents
Why a brand identity checklist saves time and money
When the brand is unclear, every design decision turns into a debate. Which green is the real green? Is the logo allowed on a dark background? Which Arabic font matches the English one? Each question adds days to the project and creates small inconsistencies that visitors notice, even if they cannot name them.
A short brand identity checklist turns those debates into decisions you make once. Your web designer can then focus on structure, content and conversion instead of guessing what your brand should look like.
1. Positioning and audience
Before anything visual, write down who you serve and why they should choose you. One clear sentence is enough: "A family dental clinic in New Cairo for parents who want gentle, on-time appointments." Add your two or three main competitors and what makes you different from them.
This sentence shapes everything that follows, from the colours and photography to the headline on your homepage. A brand for luxury clients in Riyadh will look and sound different from a brand for students in Alexandria.
2. Name and Arabic/English wordmark
Confirm how your name is written in both languages. Will customers see an Arabic name, a transliteration, or both? Decide which version leads on the website and on social media, then design the Arabic and Latin wordmarks together so they feel like one brand, with similar weight, height and spacing.
Check the domain name and social handles at the same time. Changing a name after the website is live is expensive.
3. Logo versions, including small sizes and favicon
One logo file is not enough. A website needs several versions:
- The full logo in colour for the header
- A one-colour version for dark and light backgrounds
- A compact or stacked version for narrow mobile headers
- A small symbol for the favicon, browser tab and app icons
- A version without a tagline, because taglines become unreadable at small sizes
Test the symbol at 32 by 32 pixels. If it turns into a blur, simplify it.
4. Colour palette with accessible contrast
Choose one or two main brand colours, one accent colour for buttons and highlights, and a set of neutrals for text and backgrounds. Write down the exact values (HEX for the web, plus CMYK or Pantone if you print).
Then check contrast. Light grey text on white or yellow text on orange may look stylish, but many visitors will struggle to read it, especially on a phone in bright sunlight. Make sure body text and buttons have strong contrast against their background.
5. Arabic and Latin typography pairing
Typography is where many bilingual brands fall apart. A beautiful English font paired with a random Arabic system font makes the Arabic pages feel like an afterthought. Choose an Arabic font and a Latin font that share a similar personality, weight range and overall feel.
Google Fonts is a good place to start, because many families support both Arabic and Latin and are free to use on the web. Pick a heading style and a body style, and test long Arabic paragraphs, not just a headline.
6. Photography and imagery style
Decide what your photos should feel like: bright and clean, warm and personal, or premium and dark. Note whether you will use real photos of your team and premises, product shots, illustrations or icons. Real photos almost always build more trust than stock images, especially for clinics, restaurants and service businesses.
7. Tone of voice in both languages
Write three to five words that describe how your brand speaks, such as "warm, direct, expert". Then show what that means with examples in English and Arabic. Decide whether your Arabic is light Egyptian, Gulf-friendly or formal Modern Standard Arabic, and whether you address customers in the singular or plural. Consistency here makes your website and social media feel like one voice.
8. Social media templates
Your website and your Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn should look related. Prepare a few templates for posts, stories and covers using your colours, fonts and logo rules. This also gives your website designer ready visual patterns for banners and blog images.
9. A brand guidelines document
Collect all of the above in one short document, usually a PDF of 10 to 20 pages. It should show logo usage, clear space, colours, fonts, photography examples and tone of voice. Share it with everyone who creates content for you, including freelancers and agencies. A guidelines document is the difference between a brand and a logo.
10. File formats and ownership
Make sure you receive every file in the right format: SVG and PNG for the web, PDF or EPS for print, and the editable source files. Confirm in writing that you own the logo and all brand assets outright. If a previous designer still holds your only editable files, sort that out before the website project starts.
How to use this brand identity checklist with your web designer
Send the finished brand identity checklist, your guidelines and your files with your project brief. If some items are missing, that is normal. A good agency can complete them as part of a branding and visual identity project, then carry the same system into a WordPress website design.
For bilingual businesses, ask how the design will handle right-to-left layouts, Arabic fonts and mirrored icons. Our approach to Arabic website design starts from the brand, not from a translated English page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a full brand identity before building a website?
Not a huge one, but you need the basics: a logo with small versions, a colour palette, an Arabic and Latin font pair and a clear tone of voice. Without them, the website ends up defining your brand by accident.
How long does it take to complete a brand identity checklist?
If you already have a logo, a focused brand identity checklist can usually be finished in one to three weeks. Building a new identity from scratch takes longer, because naming and logo concepts need time and feedback.
Can I use free fonts for an Arabic and English brand?
Yes. Many high-quality fonts on Google Fonts support Arabic and Latin and are licensed for commercial web use. Always check the licence of any font you use, especially for print and apps.
What should I do if I only have a low-quality logo file?
Ask the original designer for the source files. If that is not possible, a designer can redraw the logo as a clean vector file, which is a good moment to fix small-size and favicon versions too.
Ready to turn your brand into a website that looks consistent in Arabic and English? Tell us about your project through our contact page and get a free quote within one business day.
